Understanding Confederate Master-at-arms.

[major bill]

I take it the Confederate Navy based the duties of their Master-at-arms on the duties and function of Master-at-arms in the U.S. Navy. Here in lays my problem. I am not that knowledgeable on the duties of master-at-arms in the U.S. Navy.

A Master-at-arms is a petty-officer who is in charge of the security and discipline on a ship. The Master-at-arms is also responsible for the care of prisoners. My question about Confederate Master-at-arms is what were their responsibilities at Confederate Naval facilities on land? Would the Master-at-arms be responsible for the security of naval stores on land? If not, who did provide security to naval stores? All military stores and supplies are the possible target of pilferage, theft, and conversion, and need to be secured and protected.

 

[Michael C. Hardy]

Bill - do you have a source that states the CS Navy used a "Master-at-arms"?

 

[major bill]

Letterio Claudio Auditore has a list of the grades and services of Petty-officer and crew on pages 104-105 of this book.

Letterio Claudio Auditore or @Klaudly here on CivilWarTalk would probably know where he got the list of the grades and services of Petty-officer and crew of the Confederate Navy. These Confederate grades and services of Petty-officer and crew of the Confederate Navy are very similar to the grades and services of Petty-officer and crew in the United States Navy. This makes me believe the duties and responsibilities in both navies were the same or very similar. I know a bit about modern Master-at-arms, but not much about U.S. Master-at-arms during the Civil War.

 

[Klaudly]

The list of the various Petty officers of the Confederate Navy it can be found in the C.S.N. Register of January 1, 1863 and in other documents. The list also indicates the monthly pay of the Petty officers.
......"The police duties in a warship were performed by a chief petty officer known as the Master-at-arms, who was assisted by a Petty officer whose rank was the Ship's Corporal".

These non-commissioned officers were in charge of the on-board police service, the reading of some episodes in which they were involved confirms this. Some exceptions in cases of desertion, when the ship docked in a port and they went down to hunt deserters.
The land facilities were usually manned by the Marines.