The United States Revenue Cutter Service was established by Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton in 1790 as an armed maritime law enforcement service. Throughout its entire existence the Revenue Cutter Service operated under the authority of the United States Department of the Treasury. In 1915 the Service merged with the Lifesaving Service to form the United States Coast Guard. The United States Secretary of the Treasury is the finance minister of the Federal Government of the United States. ... A portrait of Alexander Hamilton by John Trumbull, 1792. ... 1790 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... From the latin maritimus, maritime refers to things relating to the sea. ... For the band, see The Police. ... The United States Department of the Treasury is a Cabinet department, a treasury, of the United States government established by an Act of U.S. Congress in 1789 to manage the revenue of the United States government. ... 1915 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The United States Life Saving Service was a Federal agency that grew out of private and local humanitarian efforts to save the lives of shipwrecked mariners and passengers. ... Coast Guard shield The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the coast guard of the United States. ...

The need for the Revenue Service

Immediately after the Revolutionary War the brand-new United States of America was struggling to stay financially afloat. National income was desperately needed and a great deal of this income came from import tariffs. Because of rampant smuggling the need was immense for the enforcement of tariff laws, and on August 4, 1790 the U.S. Congress, urged on by Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, created the Revenue Cutter Service. It would be the responsibility of this new Revenue Cutter Service to enforce the tariff and all other maritime laws, as well as attending to emergency lifesaving duties. The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known as the American War of Independence, was a war fought primarily between Great Britain and revolutionaries within thirteen of her North American colonies. ... A tariff is a tax placed on imported and/or exported goods, sometimes called a customs duty. ... These lollipops, above, were found to contain heroin when inspected by the DEA. Smuggling is illegal transport, in particular across a border. ... August 4 is the 216th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (217th in leap years), with 149 days remaining. ... 1790 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... A congress is a gathering of people, especially a gathering for a political purpose. ... The United States Secretary of the Treasury is the finance minister of the Federal Government of the United States. ... A portrait of Alexander Hamilton by John Trumbull, 1792. ...

Early service

Ten cutters were initially ordered. Between 1790 and 1798 the Revenue Cutter Service was the only armed maritime service for the United States. During the Quasi-War with France in 1798-1801 the U.S. Navy was formed and the Revenue Cutter Service fought alongside the Navy, capturing or assisting in the capture of 20 French ships. Ten of these were captured by the USRC Pickering. 1790 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1798 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The Quasi-War was an undeclared war fought entirely at sea between the United States and France from 1798 to 1801. ... 1798 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1801 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... The Pickering was a brig that was built at Newburyport, Massachusetts in 1798 for the Revenue Service. ...

After 1794 the Revenue Cutter Service began intercepting slave ships illegally importing slaves into the United States. Many slave ships were seized and hundreds of would-be slaves were freed. 1794 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... A monument celebrating the emancipation of slaves in the British Empire in 1834, erected in Victoria Tower Gardens, Millbank, Westminster, London Wiktionary has a definition of: Slavery Slavery can mean one or more related conditions which involve control of a person against his or her will, enforced by violence or...

Revenue Cutters were assigned to enforce the very unpopular Embargo Act of 1807, which outlawed nearly all European trade, import and export, through American ports. The Act was enforced until it was nullified in 1810. The Embargo Act of 1807 was a United States law prohibiting all export of cargo from US ports. ... 1807 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1810 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

The War of 1812

In wartime the Revenue Cutter Service was placed under the command of the United States Navy, and the cutters themselves often placed into military service. In the War of 1812 against Britain a Revenue Cutter made the first American capture of an enemy ship. The War of 1812 was a conflict fought in North America between the United States and Great Britain from 1812 to 1815. ...

The small Revenue Cutter Surveyor with a crew of 16 and an armament of merely six 12 pound (5 kg) carronades, was anchored in Chesapeake Bay on the night of June 12, 1813, when the British frigate Narcissus attacked her. The Revenue Service seamen under the command of Captain William S. Travis were taken by surprise and the carronades could not be used. After a fierce fight which left five Americans wounded and three British dead, the Surveyor was captured. The carronade was a short smoothbore, cast iron cannon, similar to a mortar, developed for the Royal Navy by the Carron Company, an ironworks in Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland. ... June 12 is the 163rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (164th in leap years), with 202 days remaining. ... 1813 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ...

On October 11, 1814, the Revenue Cutter Eagle encountered the much larger British brigantine Dispatch which was guarding the Suzan, a captured American merchant ship. The Eagle was badly outgunned by the Dispatch and Captain Frederick Lee beached the Eagle on Long Island to avoid being sunk. Not yet defeated, the Revenue Cutter seamen dragged the cannon from the Eagle and set them up on a 160-foot bluff and continued firing at the Dispatch. When the Americans ran out of cannonballs they did not surrender, and instead retrieved the cannonballs fired at them by the Dispatch and shot them back at the British. Even after being forced to use the ships logbook for wadding, the crew of the Eagle fought on until finally overwhelmed and captured by the British. October 11 is the 284th day of the year (285th in Leap years). ... 1814 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Description In sailing, a brigantine is a vessel with two masts, at least one of which is square rigged. ... Image of Long Island taken by NASA. Long Island is an island off the North American coast. ... A small cast-iron cannon on a carriage A cannon is any large tubular firearm designed to fire a heavy projectile over a considerable distance. ...

The Mexican War and the Civil War

Revenue Service cutters again served under command of the U.S. Navy in the Mexican-American War of 1846–1848. The cutters were critical for shallow-water amphibious assaults. The Mexican-American War was fought between the United States and Mexico between 1846 and 1848. ... 1846 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1848 is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Amphibious Assault is an electronic music project by Fallon Bowman. ...

On April 11, 1861, the Revenue Cutter Harriet Lane fired the first shots of the maritime conflict in the U.S. Civil War of 1861-1865. The cutter fired a shot across the bow of the Confederate steamship Nashville as it tried to escape from Charleston Harbor during the bombardment of Fort Sumter. April 11 is the 101st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (102nd in leap years). ... 1861 is a common year starting on Tuesday. ... The American Civil War was fought in the United States from 1861 until 1865 between the northern states, popularly referred to as the U.S., the Union, the North, or the Yankees; and the seceding southern states, commonly referred to as the Confederate States of America, the CSA, the Confederacy... 1861 is a common year starting on Tuesday. ... 1865 is a common year starting on Sunday. ... For other meanings of confederate and confederacy, see confederacy (disambiguation) National Motto Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God our Vindicator) Official language English de facto nationwide Various European and Native American languages regionally Capital Montgomery, Alabama February 4, 1861–May 29, 1861 Richmond, Virginia May 29, 1861–April 9, 1865 Largest... For more related articles, see alternate spelling Charlestown Charleston is the name of a dance and of several villages, towns and cities in New Zealand, the United States and Scotland. ... A bombard is a type of medieval cannon or mortar, used chiefly in sieges for throwing heavy stone balls. ... Before the attack Map detailing the location of Fort Sumter 1861, inside the fort flying the Confederate Flag Fort Sumter under fire Fort Sumter, South Carolina, viewed from a sandbar in Charleston Harbor, 1865. ...

The Service was divided during the war, with many RCS seamen joining the side of the Confederate States of America. Despite this the US Revenue Service bitterly fought on for the Union until the end of the war. When President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 15, 1865, Revenue Cutters were ordered to search all ships for any assassins that might be trying to escape. Motto: Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God our Vindicator) Anthem: God Save the South (unofficial) Dixie (popular) Capital Montgomery, Alabama February 4, 1861–May 29, 1861 Richmond, Virginia May 29, 1861–April 9, 1865 Danville, Virginia April 3–April 10, 1865 Largest city New Orleans February 4, 1861 until captured May... Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865), sometimes called Abe Lincoln and nicknamed Honest Abe, the Rail Splitter, and the Great Emancipator, was the 16th President of the United States (1861–1865), and the first president from the Republican Party. ... assassin, see Assassin (disambiguation) Jack Ruby assassinated Lee Harvey Oswald in a very public manner. ... April 15 is the 105th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (106th in leap years). ... 1865 is a common year starting on Sunday. ...

The Spanish-American War

With the outbreak of the Spanish-American War in 1898, the Revenue Cutter Service saw plenty of action. Many Revenue cutters were assigned to the blockade of Havana Harbor. During the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1, 1898, the Revenue cutter Hugh McCulloch fought with the American fleet under Admiral George Dewey. The Spanish-American War took place in 1898, and resulted in the United States of America gaining control over the former colonies of Spain in the Caribbean and Pacific. ... 1898 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... A blockade is an effort usually (but not always, see below) at sea, to prevent supplies from reaching the enemy. ... Havana (Spanish: San Cristóbal de La Habana; UN/LOCODE: Habana (CU HAV)) is the capital of Cuba and, with a population of 2. ... The Battle of Manila Bay took place on 1 May 1898 during the Spanish-American War. ... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... 1898 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... George Dewey (December 26, 1837–January 16, 1917) was an admiral of the United States Navy, best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War. ...

On May 11, 1898, the Revenue cutter Hudson, equipped with two 6 pounder (3 kg) guns and a machine gun, took part in the Battle of Cárdenas off the coast of Cárdenas, Cuba. Together with the torpedo boat Winslow, Hudson fought against a Spanish gunboat and coastal batteries until forced to withdraw. Under extremely heavy fire Hudson towed the disabled Winslow away from the battle, and Congress awarded the captain of the Hudson, Frank Newcomb, with a gold medal for his bravery. May 11 is the 131st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (132nd in leap years). ... 1898 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... A machine gun is a fully-automatic firearm that is capable of firing bullets in rapid succession. ... The Battle of Cárdenas was a small naval battle of the Spanish-American War that resulted in an unusually costly American defeat. ... Cárdenas (San Juan de Dios de Cárdenas) is a town in Matanzas Province, Cuba, about 150 km (75 mi) east of Havana. ... A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval ship designed to launch torpedoes at larger surface ships. ... A gunboat is literally a boat carrying one or more guns. ... Frank H. Newcomb (10 November 1846 - 20 February 1934) was a Commodore in the United States Revenue Cutter Service. ...

Formation of the Coast Guard

President Woodrow Wilson signed into law the Act to Create the Coast Guard on January 28, 1915. This Act effectively combined the Revenue Cutter Service with the Lifesaving Service and formed the new U.S. Coast Guard. Gradually the Coast Guard would grow to incorporate the U.S. Lighthouse Service in 1939 and the Navigation and Steamboat Inspection Service in 1942. January 28 is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1915 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Coast Guard shield The United States Coast Guard is the coast guard of the United States. ... The US Lighthouse Service, also known as the Bureau of Lighthouses, was the agency of the US Federal Government that was responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of all lighthouses in the United States. ... 1939 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... This article is about the year. ...

In 1990, the United States Coast Guard created a military award known as the Coast Guard Bicentennial Unit Commendation which commemorated the original founding of the Revenue Cutter Service. The Coast Guard Bicentennial Unit Commendation is a commemorative decoration of the United States Coast Guard which was awarded to all active, reserve, auxiliary, and civilian personnel of the Coast Guard for service between the dates of June 4, 1989 and August 4, 1990. ...

External links

• Official U.S. Coast Guard history page
• Revenue Cutter McCulloch at the Battle of Manila Bay
• Revenue Cutter Hudson at the Battle of Cardenas