USRC Scammel (1791)

Scammel was one of the original ten cutters^[a] built and used by the United States Revenue Cutter Service.^[b][3] The Schammel was named by Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, after the American Revolutionary War Adjutant general of the army, Alexander Scammell.^[4] General Scammell was captured by the British at the Battle of Yorktown and shot.^[5] As with the USRC ''General Green'' (1791), the name is misspelled.^[4] The Scammel was built at Portsmouth, New Hampshire and launched in 1791. She was used to patrol New England waters.^[4]

painting of an early Revenue Marine cutter on patrol

History

The Scammel was built at Portsmouth but problems delayed her construction. She was not launched until a month after the USRC General Green (1791), on August 24, 1791.^[3] She was to be stationed at Portsmouth and her patrol area was from Nantucket, Massachusetts to the Passamaquoddy Bay in Maine.^[6] Her first master was Hopley Yeaton, the first seagoing officer to be commissioned in the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service.^[6] John Parrott was the second mate while John Adams was third mate. Originally Hamilton had some difficulty in finding a first mate when the Scammel went into service. In November 1792, John Adams was promoted to first mate and Benjamin Gunnerson became the new second mate.^[7] The first-named cutter Scammel was sold Sold on 16 August 1798.^[8]

Description

Scammel was a schooner which was built at a cost of $1,225.65.^[8] She displaced about 51 short tons (46 t)^[8] She was 57 feet 12 inches (17.68 m) long by 15 feet 8 inches (4.78 m) wide and had a draft of 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m).^[9] She had a crew of four officers, four enlisted men and two cabin boys.^[8] Her arms included 10 muskets and 20 pistols.^[8]

Related pages

• USRC Vigilant (1791)
• USRC Active (1791)
• USRC General Green (1791)
• USRC Massachusetts (1791)
• USRC Argus (1791)
• USRC Virginia (1791)
• USRC Diligence (1791)
• USRC South Carolina (1791)
• USRC Eagle (1791)

Notes

1. The term cutter came from the boats used by Great Britain's Royal Customs Service.^[1] Modern Coast Guard cutters are any larger ship no matter what the type.^[1]
2. Also called the Revenue Marine. Together with the United States Life-Saving Service, the United States Revenue Cutter Service formed the United States Coast Guard on 28 January 1915.^[2]