USRC ''George S. Boutwell'' (later ''Boutwell'') was a

revenue cutter A cutter is a type of watercraft. The term has several meanings. It can apply to the rig (or sailplan) of a sailing vessel (but with regional differences in definition), to a governmental enforcement agency vessel (such as a coast guard or bor ...

of the

United States Revenue Cutter Service ) , colors= , colors_label= , march= , mascot= , equipment= , equipment_label= , battles= , anniversaries=4 August , decorations= , battle_honours= , battle_honours_label= , disbanded=28 January 1915 , flying_hours= , website= , commander1= , co ...

that served from 1873 to 1907 designed for cruising the southern coasts. She was named for George S. Boutwell, the 28th

United States Secretary of the Treasury The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...

Construction

''Boutwell'' was an iron–hulled top-sail schooner fitted with a single semi-compound steam engine, and x stroke, powering twin screws. She was constructed at the shipyard of David Bell of

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from South ...

with a contract cost of 70,000. She had an unusual power-plant in that the two cylinders could operate independently with one cylinder per screw or together as a compound engine. She displaced 198 tons and was long with a beam of and a draft of . The first use of steel in Revenue Service cutters was specified in the construction of valve stems and crank pins installed in the ''Boutwell'' engine room.Evans, p 99

History

''Boutwell'' was commissioned at Buffalo, New York on 29 October 1873. She was stationed temporarily at

Ogdensburg, New York Ogdensburg ( moh, Kaniatarahòn:tsi) is a city in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 10,436 at the 2019 census. In the late 18th century, European-American settlers named the community after American land owner and de ...

before being assigned a homeport on 11 September 1874 at

Savannah, Georgia Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and is the county seat of Chatham County, Georgia, Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the Kingdom of Great Br ...

. On 18 February 1879 she was directed to make a monthly cruise to

Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...

. On 27 August 1881 ''Boutwell'' was driven aground by a hurricane at McQueens Island on the

Savannah River The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of South Carolina and Georgia. Two tributaries of the Savannah, the Tugaloo River and the Chattooga River, form the norther ...

. On 20 October 1882, the Revenue Cutter Service contracted with Malster & Reaney of

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

to build a new boiler, repair machinery and hull for 17,575 with work to commence 30 October 1882. She was ordered to return to Savannah after refit and arrived there 13 June 1883 to resume a regular cruising schedule to Jacksonville monthly. With tensions between the Spanish and the U.S. rising over Cuban independence, ''Boutwell'', and were directed to enforce neutrality laws from

Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 at the 2020 census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Wilmington is the ...

Pensacola, Florida Pensacola () is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle, and the county seat and only incorporated city of Escambia County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 54,312. Pensacola is the principal ...

. She was ordered to serve with the

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...

from 27 April to 1 June 1897. On 24 December she was ordered to Jacksonville to maintain surveillance over the tug ''Dauntless'' which had been seized by USRC Louis McLane for neutrality violations related to smuggling arms into Cuba. ''Dauntless'' had been seized with 175 rifles and 300,000 rounds of ammunition and medical supplies on board and ''Boutwell'' guarded her until 24 February 1898.King, p 110 On 24 September 1898, she was permanently assigned a new homeport at

New Bern, North Carolina New Bern, formerly called Newbern, is a city in Craven County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 29,524, which had risen to an estimated 29,994 as of 2019. It is the county seat of Craven County and t ...

where she served until 3 July 1907. ''Boutwell'' was transferred to the Revenue Cutter Service Depot at Arundel Cove, Maryland where the commanding officer received orders to transfer the officers and crew to the newly built . ''Boutwell'' was decommissioned at Baltimore, Maryland, 26 July 1907 and sold to Leo Kimball of

Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 cens ...

for 2,010 on 23 October 1907.

Notes

Citations

References used

* * * No ISBN * {{DEFAULTSORT:Boutwell (1873), USRC Ships of the United States Revenue Cutter Service 1873 ships