USRC ''Argus'' was one of the first ten
cutters
Cutter may refer to:
Tools
* Bolt cutter
* Box cutter, aka Stanley knife, a form of utility knife
* Cigar cutter
* Cookie cutter
* Glass cutter
* Meat cutter
* Milling cutter
* Paper cutter
* Side cutter
* Cutter, a type of hydraulic rescue to ...
operated by the United States'
Revenue Cutter Service (later to become the
US Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, multi ...
). Of the ten cutters, she was the longest to serve in this role.
Operational service
''Argus'' was a sloop, built in
New London, for service in
Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
and
Rhode Island
Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
waters. She began her first patrol on 16 October 1791, soon after being fitted-out, under the command of Jonathan Maltbie, a veteran of the
Continental Navy
The Continental Navy was the navy of the United States during the American Revolutionary War and was founded October 13, 1775. The fleet cumulatively became relatively substantial through the efforts of the Continental Navy's patron John Adams ...
. He died on 11 February 1798 and was replaced by Elisha Hinman on 13 March of that year. Hinman was also a veteran of the Continental Navy and the former commanding officer of the famous
frigate
A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied somewhat.
The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and ...
''Alfred''. Two journals describing her actions have turned up; one from the
second mate Nathaniel Nichols, who kept a journal from 1791-1795; and Hinman's journal, dated from 1799 through 1803. These journals do provide a glimpse into what life was like on board a Revenue cutter during these early years of the new republic.
''Argus'' stayed in service for a total of thirteen years, by far the longest of any of the original ten cutters. She was sold to two New London based merchants and was sold five months later in a foreign port.
[Kern, p. 20]
Commanding officers
Captain Jonathan Maltbie, master; 1791-1798.
Captain Elisha Hinman, master; 1798-1803.
Captain George House, master; 1803-1804.
Crew (as of October, 1791)
George House,
first mate; took over as master in 1803; Ebenezer Perkins was promoted to first mate.
Jere Greenman,
second mate; he left the ''Argus'' in 1799 and was replaced by Ebenezer Perkins.
Vacant,
third mate o third mate at this time Ebenezer Perkins was appointed as third mate in December, 1792; Perkins was promoted to second mate in 1799 and Nathaniel Saltonstall was appointed as third mate.
David Poole, mariner.
Gabriel Calvon, mariner.
Wm. McNeal, mariner.
Henry Owen, mariner.
Sam Robertson, boy.
Chas Williams, boy.
Footnotes
References
''Argus'', 1791 US Coast Guard website.
*Canney, Donald, 1995: ''U.S. Coast Guard and Revenue Cutters, 1790-1935''. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press.
*Stephen H. Evans, 1949: ''The United States Coast Guard, 1790-1915: A Definitive History'' (With a Postscript: 1915-1950). Annapolis: The United States Naval Institute.
*Kern, Florence, 1976: ''"One for Connecticut": Jonathan Maltbie's U.S. Revenue Cutter Argus, 1791-1804"'', Washington, DC: Alised Enterprises.
*U.S. Coast Guard, 1934: ''Record of Movements: Vessels of the United States Coast Guard: 1790 - December 31, 1933'', Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office (reprinted 1989).
{{DEFAULTSORT:Argus
First ten Revenue Service cutters
1791 ships