Arriving at Guantánamo Bay via Charleston 25 June, Hist joined the blockading fleet off Santiago de Cuba on the 29th.

When the smoke and fire lifted after an hour and 40 minutes of sharp fighting, Hornet had been disabled but towed to safety by Wompatuck, Hist had been hit 11 times; the Spanish had received the worst of the battle, losing a gunboat, a pontoon, and a sloop loaded with troops as well as suffering serious damage to the gun and torpedo boats.

For her part in this action Hist received commendation from General S. H. Rios, commanding the Cuban troops rebelling against Spanish rule.

Hist also cut the cable between Punta Carapacho and Cayo Obispo on 21 July, the day after she had participated effectively in the bombardment of Santa Cruz del Sur.

When not in combat, Hist patrolled the Cuban coast, searching ships, and also served as a dispatch boat between the blockading fleet at Santiago and Guantanamo.

On 28 September 1905 she was assigned to the Training Station at Newport as tender to the famed frigate Constellation and remained on this duty until decommissioning 3 May 1907.