[5] For the next three months, Vicksburg patrolled the Cuban coast near Havana, returning to Key West, Florida periodically for fuel and provisions.

[9][10] Her fourth and final capture came more than a month later on 24 June when she encountered Ampala, a 150 long tons (150 t) sailing vessel, bound from Havana to Trujillo.

[15][16] Vicksburg departed Cuban waters on the 14th and, after a three-day stop at Key West,[17] continued north to Newport where she arrived on 23 August.

[2][23][24] Almost a year later, on 15 May 1900, the gunboat was recommissioned at Newport, R.I.[25] After six months of operations in the Atlantic, Vicksburg stood out of Boston on 9 November for duty on the Asiatic Station.

[30] She reached Bremerton, Washington, on 29 June but later moved south to the Mare Island Navy Yard near San Francisco, California.

[33][34] During the next four years, she cruised the western coast of Central America in an effort to support American diplomatic moves to maintain peace in the revolution-prone nations in the area.

[46] While there, Vicksburg was sent to assist the steam freighter Pleiades, which had reported running aground on the coast of lower California on August 16.

[50] The damage was found to not be as severe as initially thought, and Vicksburg was instead led back to Guaymas,[49] where she briefly remained for repairs before returning to duty on 2 September.

[45] Following repairs at the Mare Island and the Puget Sound Navy Yards, she began duty with the Washington Naval Militia on 18 June.

[53] Upon her return to Puget Sound, she reverted to reserve status and resumed training duty with the Washington Naval Militia.

[59] The infamous Zimmermann Telegram—which offered Mexico the opportunity to recoup her losses in the American Southwest—contributed greatly to the United States' decision to go to war against Germany.

On 17 March 1918, she anchored off the harbor at Viejo Bay, Mexico, in response to information that a ship carrying German nationals would attempt to leave the port.

In a three-hour discussion held that afternoon with the Captain of the Port, the British Vice Consul, and commanding officers of other American ships in the area, Vicksburg's commanding officer supported his action further with the fact that the passengers were seen to throw articles overboard just before the boarding party arrived and with the suggestion that the Alexander Agassiz had been fitted out as a raider.

On 16 October 1919, she was finally decommissioned for the last time at Puget Sound; and, four days later, she was transferred to the Washington State Nautical School.

The Coast Guard decommissioned her on 7 June 1930, stripped her, and towed her to the depot at Curtis Bay, Maryland, where she was permanently assigned as station ship.