U.S. Revenue Cutter Service - Cutters and Crews

Revenue Cutter Service

In 1790, Alexander Hamilton, the first secretary of the Treasury, formed the Revenue Cutter Service to collect customs duties and tonnage taxes, counter smuggling and favor U.S. goods and ships.

The system of cutters existed under various names, Revenue Service, and Revenue-Marine. The name officially became Revenue Cutter Service (USRCS) in 1863. The Revenue Cutter Service was combined with other maritime agencies to form the modern U.S. Coast Guard in 1915.

The Coast Guard, through the Revenue Cutter Service, is the oldest continuous seagoing service and has fought in almost every war since the Constitution became the law of the land in 1789. Following the War of Independence (1776-83), the Continental Navy was disbanded. From 1790 until 1798, when the U.S. Navy was created, the revenue cutters were the only national maritime service. The Acts establishing the Navy also empowered the President to use the revenue cutters to supplement the fleet when needed. Laws later clarified the relationship between the Coast Guard and the Navy.

USRCS CUTTERS AND CREWS
USRC Bear	Officers USRC Bear Capt Mike Healy, seated 2nd left NARA Photo	USRC Bear
USRC Dexter	USRC Levi Woodbury	USRC Levi Woodbury
USRC Manning c1898 NARA Photo	USRC McCulloch NARA Photo	USRC McCulloch c1900 NARA Photo
USRC Morrill Navy Yard Norfolk c1898 NARA Photo	USRC Tahoma	USRC Yamacraw
USRC Windom Houston Ship Channel 1906	USRC Windom April 1898 NARA Photo	USRC Windom Galveston
USRC Hudson Norfolk Navy Yard 1898 NARA Photo	USRC (Unknown) Key West FL	USRC Grant