![]() “We want small, fast sailing vessels,” he said in a message to Congress. When the United States declared war on Great Britain on June 18, 1812, Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin knew the American fleet faced the much larger and more powerful British Royal Navy. Cutters also performed escort duties for merchant vessels and convoys. The cutters set some precedents in this Quasi-War, engaging in high seas combat and capturing nearly all of the French vessels taken early in the war, as well as assisting with the capture of several others. In 1799, during what is known today as the “Quasi-War” with France, Congress set the precedent, followed ever since during wartime, of placing the revenue cutters under the Navy’s command. A lot of the missions that are performed today originated back in those days.” But the cutters’ role expanded dramatically during the early 19th century. ![]() “From 1790 until the War of 1812,” Thiesen explained, “the cutters were largely responsible for what we call today law enforcement, which means enforcing legislation regarding trade, shipping, and revenue laws on merchant ships. Navy was created eight years later, the revenue fleet was not intended to be a military force. ![]() Though it was the only national maritime service until the U.S. Courtesy of the Coast GuardĬoast Guard service members are the world’s recognized experts in port security and shallow-water combat – but those functions were not in the job description of the service’s precursor, the small fleet of revenue cutters established in 1790 at the request of Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton. One of the murals depicting various incidents in Coast Guard history organized by the Works Progress Administration for the Coast Guard Academy. ![]() “Defense of the Cutter Eagle” by Aldis B. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |