USRC Scammel (1791) facts for kids
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The Scammel was one of the first ten ships, called cutters, built for the United States Revenue Cutter Service. This service was like an early version of today's United States Coast Guard. The ship was named by Alexander Hamilton, who was a very important person in the early United States government. He named it after Alexander Scammell, a brave general from the American Revolutionary War. Sadly, General Scammell was captured and shot by the British during the Battle of Yorktown. Just like another ship, the USRC ''General Green'' (1791), the name Scammel was actually spelled a little bit wrong! The Scammel was built in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and launched in 1791. It helped patrol the waters around New England.
The Story of the Scammel
The Scammel was built in Portsmouth, but there were some problems that made its construction take longer. It was finally launched on August 24, 1791. This was about a month after another ship, the USRC General Green (1791), was launched.
The Scammel was meant to be based in Portsmouth. Its job was to patrol the waters from Nantucket, Massachusetts all the way to the Passamaquoddy Bay in Maine. The first master of the Scammel was Hopley Yeaton. He was the very first officer to be officially given a job in the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service. John Parrott was the second mate, and John Adams was the third mate.
At first, Alexander Hamilton had trouble finding a first mate for the Scammel. But in November 1792, John Adams was promoted to first mate. Benjamin Gunnerson then became the new second mate. The Scammel served for several years and was eventually sold on August 16, 1798.
What Was the Scammel Like?
The Scammel was a type of sailing ship called a schooner. It cost $1,225.65 to build. The ship weighed about 51 short tons.
Here are some of its measurements:
- It was 57 feet and 12 inches long.
- It was 15 feet and 8 inches wide.
- It went 6 feet and 6 inches deep into the water (this is called its draft).
The Scammel had a crew of ten people. This included four officers, four enlisted men, and two cabin boys. For protection, the ship carried 10 muskets and 20 pistols.
Other Ships Like the Scammel
- 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)
