She was later sunk in the Battle of Manila Bay by the United States Navy's Asiatic Squadron under Commodore George Dewey in the first major engagement of the Spanish–American War.

Her unarmored design made her unsuited for a pitched battle with the squadron of heavily armed and armored ships she was destined to meet in Manila Bay in 1898.

[3] Reina Cristina was the flagship of Rear Admiral Patricio Montojo de Pasaron's Pacific Squadron at Manila in the Philippine Islands when the Spanish–American War broke out in April 1898.

On 28 April 1898 Montojo decided that the Spanish squadron would be better off if it returned to Manila Bay and offered battle at Cavite, where coastal guns could support him and where the shallow water would reduce the loss of life if his ships were sunk.

At 0400 hours on 1 May 1898, Montojo's squadron was still anchored there when he signalled all ships to prepare for action, and Reina Cristina readied herself to meet an imminent American attack.

Just before 0500 hours, the United States Navy's Asiatic Squadron under Commodore George Dewey was sighted, approaching to attack the Spanish ships in their anchorage.

Reina Cristina was soon afire in several places, with most of her guns knocked out, her steering gear shot away, many holes blown in her hull, funnel, and mast, and half of her crew, including seven officers, killed or wounded.

The gunboats Isla de Cuba and Isla de Luzón came alongside to take off the wounded as American gunfire continued to pummel Reina Cristina and inflict casualties; among them was Reina Cristina's commanding officer, Captain Luis Cadarso y Rey, who refused to abandon ship until all his men were off before him and who was killed by an American shell while overseeing the abandonment of his cruiser.

[4] These four guns, each of which has five revolving 47-mm barrels, are displayed in pairs to either side of the front of Hamilton Hall facing the parade ground at the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut.