Chatham—an iron-hulled, schooner-rigged screw steamship constructed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by the American Shipbuilding Co.—was completed in 1884 and acquired by the Navy on 2 May 1898 from the Merchants and Miners Transportation Company, of Baltimore, Maryland.

After preceding via Newport News, Virginia, she arrived at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on 1 July in time to be present during the North Atlantic Fleet's bombardment that day of the Spanish forts at Aquadores.

On one occasion, while out on nightly patrol, her picket boat, commanded by Naval Cadet Louis G. Miller, drew some 200 shots from Spanish troops ashore.

In addition, her "unusual facilities" and the 100 skilled mechanics on board enabled her to effect a wide variety of repairs—including hull work, gun mounts, dynamos, steam pipes, main piston rods for smaller ships, and "iron castings in considerable quantity."

After shifting to the League Island Navy Yard, Philadelphia, in December 1898, Vulcan was decommissioned there on 12 January 1899 and sold on 3 July of the same year to her original owner.