info needed on Naval discipline

[laxdoc]

I am getting to old to do the field, so I guide and do research at a historic site. I need info on Naval discipline. Here is the background, in 1862 slaves who had built the house went down the river and out to sea to the blockading fleet and joined the U.S. Navy. In two dairies I have they speak of punishment for misdemeanors. They knew before hand what they would get. Does anyone know if there was a navy wide list or did each ship have list of misdeeds and punishment. One case five stewards went ashore(in Spain) to get supplies, they met ladies and wine and decided to be late back to the ship. They knew that they would get five days bread and water while being in irons. Was this common to all ships?

I am working on a paper about the escape. If the there is interest on this site I will put the info on site.

Thanks for any and all help.
Charles Watson

[sigsaye]

Re: info needed on Naval discipline

Some years back there was a book published called "Rocks and Shoals", disicipline in the Navy 1775-1886. I had a copy at one time but have no idea where it is now.

Basically as I remember, Navy regs had a list of assorted offenses and recommended punishments. But, since it was recommended, Captains tended to embelish the regs since regs were considered only a loose set of guidelines to fall back on if you got lost.

One I remember from a first person account was a Boy First Class aboard a gunboat off Fort Donnalson in '62 who's uniform was dirty for muster. He was sentenced to four hours on his hands and knees pushing a 32lb cannon shot, back and forth, from one end of the ship to the other along a main deck seam.

Leg irons was also a common punishment for what ever crime. With leg irons, the "Awardee" could still work. And of corse, the ever popular extra duty and fines were also handed out pretty regularly.

Steve Hesson

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: info needed on Naval discipline

Drop Dr. David Stewart at ECU (Maritime History) a line.

http://author.ecu.edu/cs-cas/history/Alphabetical-Faculty-Directory.cfm

[Hoosier Yank]

Re: info needed on Naval discipline

Try to find a copy of Union Jacks: Yankee Sailors in the Civil War by Michael J. Bennett ISBN: 0-8078-2870-x. It's is pretty much a "The Life of Billy Yank" but for Sailors.

[sigsaye]

Re: info needed on Naval discipline

Actually, "Life in Mr. Lincolns Navy" by Ringle is a much better account of life in the Navy. It was written by a career officer who was on faculty att he Naval academy at the time. "Union Jacks", was written by an historian Bennett) putting his slant on what he researched while Ringle just printed the facts.

In one instance, Bennett writes of an incident aboard Nasant. The ship was going in to combat against CS forts, and it was decided to grease the outside of the ships so that if Confederate shells landed aboard, they would slide off before exploding. Bennett writes of the crew "Grumbeling". His account sounds like they were close to mutiney. The same acount in first person was written by a Sailor who was there in "A Year on a Monitor" by Alva Hunt. He also uses the term "grumbeling", but it sounds much like what went on when I was a young Sailor and had to do something that was a pain in the butt and of doubious value. Remember, along with greasing the topside, they were getting grease all over themselves, and tracking it below (to be cleaned up later). After the battle, they had to remove all the grease, just to do it again a week later.

"Union Jacks" is "OK", but "Life in Mr. Lincolns Navy" gives a much better account of the "Mechanics" of every day life in the CW Navy. Read that first, and then follow up with "Union Jacks" to flesh out the Social and cultural world of the American Sailor of the time.

Steve Hesson

[ships cook]

Re: info needed on Naval discipline

It is a great thing to see a couple of Navy Chiefs pipe in about Navy discipline. Here are a couple of articles from "On Deck", the webzine for the Navy & Marine Living History Assoc.

http://usnlp.org/Articles_of_War1862/index.html

http://www.navyandmarine.org/ondeck/1862CSN_Regulations.htm

Hope this helps.

Eric M. Jeanneret
Ships Cook
Tidewater Maritime Living History Assoc.

http://tmlha.exis.net

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: info needed on Naval discipline

Drop Dr. David Stewart at ECU (Maritime History) a line.

http://author.ecu.edu/cs-cas/history...-Directory.cfm

If you are working on a paper and need the primary sources in front of you this is your contact point.

[laxdoc]

Re: info needed on Naval discipline

Thanks all. I have enough reading to keep me out of trouble for a while. I will do a paper, but the driver here is the house does special days and one is on the workers of the site. When I speak about what happen, I want what I say to true. I find more I learn the less I know.
charles watson

[Shantyman]

Re: info needed on Naval discipline

I read in "The Last Flag Down" a book about the CSS Shendoah "tricing" was quite popular, in the CSN at least. It has somthing do do with having youre wrists tied up an uncomfortable distance above youre head and left exposed to the elements for a while. I think as stated before, extra duty and fines were the most popular.