USRC ''Lincoln'' was a revenue cutter commissioned by the U.S. Revenue–Marine and named in honor of the 16th United States president,

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

Construction

''Lincoln'' was constructed at

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...

by John F. Fardy and Brother for a total cost of 165,000. She was a fore

topsail schooner A schooner ( ) is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than the mainmast. A common variant, the topsail s ...

and had steam propulsion by way of one double oscillating cylinder engine with diameter x stroke. The engine required a great expenditure of lubricating oil and her undersized boiler required a great expenditure of fuel.Evans, pp 109–111 She had a deck length of , a beam of , and a draft of . ''Lincoln'' was commissioned on 1 September 1865.Canney, pp 35–36

History

After commissioning, ''Lincoln'' sailed from Baltimore on 16 September 1865 bound for

Port Angeles, Washington Port Angeles ( ) is a city and county seat of Clallam County, Washington, Clallam County, Washington (state), Washington, United States. The population was 19,960 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the most populous city in t ...

where she arrived on 21 May 1866. Because the federal government needed information about the newly purchased land of

Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...

, ''Lincoln'' was dispatched with orders to establish a government office, conduct surveys of the resources, produce accurate charts of the waters and locate a site for a coaling station.Strobridge and Noble, pp 72–75 On 21 July 1867 she sailed for Sitka,

Department of Alaska The Department of Alaska was the designation for the government of Alaska from its purchase by the United States of America in 1867 until its organization as the District of Alaska in 1884. During the department era, Alaska was variously u ...

with her regular crew and several government officials and scientists. ''Lincoln'' was the first Revenue–Marine cutter to enter Alaskan waters and enforce federal law.Evans, pp 106–107 After leaving an officer at Sitka to establish a provincial office, they dropped off a Coast Survey crew nearby whose responsibility was to prepare new

navigation chart A nautical chart or hydrographic chart is a graphic representation of a sea region or water body and adjacent coasts or banks. Depending on the scale of the chart, it may show depths of water (bathymetry) and heights of land (topography), natu ...

s. The cutter's civilian surgeon collected specimens for the

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while the cutter cruised north and west of Sitka. During the cruise the ''Lincoln's'' crew made surveys, investigated sites for

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lens (optics), lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Ligh ...

s and other

aids to navigation A navigational aid (NAVAID), also known as aid to navigation (ATON), is any sort of signal, markers or guidance equipment which aids the traveler in navigation, usually nautical or aviation travel. Common types of such aids include lighthouses, ...

.King, p 23 After determining that

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would be an ideal site for a coaling station, ''Lincoln'' departed Alaska waters and arrived at Port Angeles on 18 November 1867 having traveled . On 7 March 1868, ''Lincoln'' was ordered to

San Francisco, California San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

to exchange officers and crews with the cutter . On 18 April 1869 she sailed for Alaska a second time, arriving at

Kodiak, Alaska Kodiak (Alutiiq language, Alutiiq: ) is the main city and one of seven communities on Kodiak Island in Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska, Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska. All commercial transportation between the island's communities and the outside ...

on 11 May. After a summer of patrolling and survey work she returned to the

Puget Sound Puget Sound ( ; ) is a complex estuary, estuarine system of interconnected Marine habitat, marine waterways and basins located on the northwest coast of the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. As a part of the Salish Sea, the sound ...

on 19 December 1869. ''Lincolns last Alaska patrol was from 11 June 1870 to 2 August. After 27 September 1870 she patrolled the Puget Sound area until being sold on 14 April 1874. The new owner renamed her ''San Luis'' and she sank off San Francisco on 15 February 1887.

Citations

References

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