U.S. Revenue Service Cutter EAGLE Model Ship Ca 1812
U.S.REVENUE SERVICE CUTTER “EAGLE“ Ca 1812
Presented is a finely handcrafted model of one of the first ships of the U.S. Revenue Service
which was the predecessor to the U.S. Coast Guard. The model is of solid block construction and in near-new
condition. It carries the name “EAGLE”and was built for the
Lannan Ship Model Gallery in Boston, MA, and purchased at their auction held at the Newport Yachting Museum in 2008. This
is the first time we have offered it for sale. The attention to detail is remarkable, precisely done, and accurate down
to the last detail. The two-masted full-rigged schooner with fore topsail has a black hull and copper-sheathed
bottom.
It features a gaff rig main with topsail and
foremast, with a single foresail. Forward there is a fore stay sail, jib, and flying jib. For armament, there is a
large brass cannon with its carriage on rails, ramrod, and extractor. The running rigging, including lazy jacks, and carefully
stitched sails, are all authentic and make this an incomparable model of museum quality a term we do not use lightly. The
deck house is varnished, the deck is teak, and the cap rail is varnished. There are all kinds of deck gear, large grating
covered hatch, fittings including two large fisherman-type anchors, an anchor windlass, two bilge pumps, and a proliferation
of other deck gear and fittings.
Large brass cannon mounted to traverse 360° on rail
SPECIFICATIONS: LOA 36 1/2″ LOD 23 1/2″, Beam 5″ Overall height 32 1/2″ WEIGHT 10 pounds
PROVENANCE:Purchased
at the Lannan Gallery Auction at the Newport Museum of Yachting in 2008. BACKGROUND:Immediately
after the American Revolutionary War the brand-new United States was struggling to stay financially afloat. National income
was desperately needed and a great deal of this income came from import tariffs. Because of rampant smuggling, the need was
immediate for strong enforcement of tariff laws, and on August 4, 1790 the United States Congress, urged on by Secretary of
the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, created the Revenue-Marine, later renamed the Revenue Cutter Service by act of July 31, 1894
(28 Stat. 171). It would be the responsibility of the new Revenue-Marine to enforce the tariff and all other maritime laws.
In 1832, Secretary of the Treasury Louis McLane ordered in writing for revenue cutters to conduct winter cruises to assist
mariners in need, and Congress made the practice an official part of regulations in 1837. This was the beginning of the lifesaving
mission that the later U.S. Coast Guard would be best known for worldwide. Ten Cutters were initially ordered. Between 1790
and 1798, the Revenue-Marine was the only armed maritime service for the United States. Cutter captains were answerable to
and received their sailing orders directly from the Customs Collector of the port to which they were assigned.
Large transom with prominent EAGLE stern board WAR OF 1812: In wartime, the Revenue-Marine was placed under
the command of the United States Navy, and the cutters themselves often placed into military service. In the War of 1812 against
Britain, a Revenue Cutter made the first American capture of an enemy ship. USRC Jefferson was the first to capture a British
merchantman, the brig Patriot, in June 1812. On October 11, 1814, the Revenue Cutter EAGLE
encountered the much larger British brigantine Dispatch which was guarding the Suzan, a captured American merchant ship.
The EAGLE was badly outgunned by the Dispatch and Captain Frederick Lee beached the Eagle on Long Island to avoid being sunk.
Not yet defeated, the Revenue Cutter seamen dragged the guns from the EAGLE and
set them up on a 160-foot bluff and continued firing at the Dispatch. When the Americans ran out of cannonballs, they did
not surrender, and instead retrieved the cannonballs fired at them by the Dispatch and shot them back at the British. Even
after being forced to use the ship’s logbook for wadding, the crew of the EAGLE fought
on until finally overwhelmed and captured by the British. EAGLE was also engaged in our Revolutionary War. At some point in
1795, Lynx, fired a shot across the bow of the USRC Eagle. Hendrick Fischer, Eagle’s acting captain, attempted to heave-to,
but he had on board Senator Pierce Butler, from South Carolina, who ordered him to sail on. Lynx then began to fire continuously
as Eagle sailed towards the shoal waters on the north point of Jekyll Island. As Lynx drew too much water to continue the
chase, Beresford sent his pinnace and cutter, in charge of Lieutenant Alex Skene, in pursuit. The British quickly overtook
the schooner and came on board, demanding to know why it hadn’t come about in response to the shots. After learning the schooner
was in fact a revenue vessel of the U.S. government, Skene and his men returned to Lynx.
In the ensuing international
political furor, Beresford stated that Lynx had been beyond the 12 mile limit and noted that the schooner was not flying any
flag. The Eagle had not in fact flown the national ensign; for unexplained reasons it was instead stored in the captain’s
cabin. Eagle did apparently display some sort of small pennant that was not visible to Lynx
Sharply raked keel with deep draft aft
CONDITION: The truck of the model’s main mast has been
repaired as shown in the picture below. There is a small piece of of brass trim wire that is missing from the stern.
Neither item will be noticed by most. Everything else is in perfect condition.
Sharply raked masts with slight bend in main mast
