USRC Alabama (1819)

USRC Alabama, was a wood-hull topsail schooner designed by William Doughty that was commissioned in the United States Revenue Marine from 1819 to 1833. Assigned the homeport of Mobile, Alabama, she sailed the Caribbean extensively with her sister ship, USRC Louisiana and was used mainly in anti-piracy activity.[5]

History
United States
Name:	USRC Alabama
Namesake:	U.S. state of Alabama
Operator:	U.S. Revenue Marine[Note 1]
Builder:	Christian Bergh, New York City
Cost:	US$4,500
Completed:	June 1819[3]
Homeport:	Mobile, Alabama
Fate:	Sold 6 August 1833[3]
General characteristics =[4][3]
Class and type:	Alabama Class
Type:	Topsail schooner
Displacement:	56 tons
Length:	52 ft 0 in (15.85 m) (Keel)
Beam:	18 ft 6 in (5.64 m)
Draft:	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Armament:	1 gun on amidships pivot, caliber unknown[Note 2]

Construction

On 6 April 1819, the Collector of Customs at New York City was authorized by the Treasury Department to build two cutters, one to be stationed in Louisiana and the other to be stationed at Mobile, Alabama.[6] The cutters were constructed by the Christian Bergh Shipyard at New York City using plans drawn up by naval constructor William Doughty. Doughty designed plans for 31-ton, 51-ton, and 80-ton cutters for the Revenue Marine. The Alabama-class cutters, consisting of Alabama and Louisiana were constructed on the 51-ton plan that measured 56 ft 10 in (17.32 m) on deck, with a 17 ft 4 in (5.28 m) beam, and a 6 ft (1.8 m) depth of hold. Both were rigged as fore-topsail schooners with a square stern, raking masts, and light rails instead of heavy bulwarks. Both cutters were not armed initially, but were designed to accept a pivot gun amidships of a 9-pound to 18-pound capacity.[7]

Service

After commissioning in New York City, Alabama was assigned a homeport at Mobile, Alabama on 11 August 1819.[6]

Capture of pirate schooner Bravo

While on her voyage to her homeport at Mobile, on 31 August 1819, Alabama assisted her sister ship, Louisiana in the capture of the pirate vessel Bravo near Dry Tortugas.[8] Bravo initiated the attack on Louisiana with a volley of musketry, during which the first officer and three crewmen were wounded. The pirate ship was owned by Jean Lafitte and commanded by Jean Defarges, one of his lieutenants.[Note 3] Bravo had captured the Spanish schooner Filomena with a cargo of flour bound for Havana, Cuba out of Pensacola, Florida. The crew of Bravo were taken to New Orleans to await trial on charges of piracy while the passengers of Filomena were freed and returned to their ship.[5][6][9] Following the action, Alabama was temporarily assigned at New Orleans on 20 October. [8]

Notes

Footnotes

1. The U.S. Revenue Cutter Service was known as the Revenue Marine during the time Alabama was in commission.[1][2]
2. The caliber of amidships gun would have been either 9-pounder, 12-pounder, or 18-pounder.[5][3]
3. Evans and the Record of Movements uses Lefarge with no first name used in the text.[5][6]

Citations

1. Evans, p 7
2. King, p 112
3. Canney, p 11
4. "Alabama, 1819", Cutters, Craft & U.S. Coast Guard Manned Army & Navy Vessels, U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office
5. Evans, p 22
6. Record of Movements, p 76
7. King, pp 66-67
8. Record of Movements, p 74
9. King, pp 69-70

References used

• "Alabama, 1819". Cutters, Craft & U.S. Coast Guard Manned Army & Navy Vessels. U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
• "Record of Movements, Vessels of the United States Coast Guard, 1790–December 31, 1933 (1989 reprint)" (pdf). U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Transportation.
• Canney, Donald L. (1995). U.S. Coast Guard and Revenue Cutters, 1790–1935. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, Maryland. ISBN 978-1-55750-101-1.
• Evans, Stephen H. (1949). The United States Coast Guard 1790–1915: A Definitive History. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, Maryland.
• King (1989), Irving H. (1989). The Coast Guard Under Sail: The U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, 1789–1865. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, Maryland. ISBN 978-0-87021-234-5.