US Navy Enlisted Ratings

Was wondering what enlisted ratings existed in the USN at the time of the ACW.

I'm guessing boatswain mate and gunner's mate- at the least?

Stokers? Firemen?

How were the enlisted seamen placed into specific roles?

 

[RedRover]

By 1865:

In 1864 the Uniform regulations gave the following for petty officers and crew. Not that much different than previously:

Boatswain's mates, gunner's mates, carpenter's mates, sailmakers' mates and ship's cook, will wear, embroidered in white silk, on the right sleeve of their blue jackets, above the elbow, in front, and eagle and anchor, of not more than three inches in length, with a star of one inch in diameter one inch above. The same device, embroidered in blue, to be worn on the sleeves of their white frocks in summer.

All other petty officers, except officers's stewards, will wear the same device on their left sleeves.

The outside clothing for petty officers, firemen, and coal-heavers, seamen, ordinary seamen, landsmen and boys, for muster, shall consist of blue cloth jackets and trowsers, or blue woollen frocks; black hats; black silk neckerchiefs, and shoes, or boots in cold weather. In warm weather it shall consist of white frocks and trowsers; black or white hats, as the commander may for the occasion direct, having proper regard for the comfort of the crew; black silk neckerchiefs, and shoes; the collars and cuffs to be lined with blue cotton cloth, and stitched round with thread. Thick black cloth caps, without visors, may be worn by the crew at sea, except on holidays or at muster.


As regards recruiting, the regulations by the war's close noted no recruits were to be given a rating on enlistment. they were classed as either Fireman, Seaman, Ordinary Seaman, Landsman (no sea experience), or Boy.

Landsmen and boys were frequently placed on a "receiving ship" in port to train them up before assigning them to a vessel for duty.

 

[Sheltowee]

By 1865:

View attachment 485884
View attachment 485885
View attachment 485886
View attachment 485887

In 1864 the Uniform regulations gave the following for petty officers and crew. Not that much different than previously:

Boatswain's mates, gunner's mates, carpenter's mates, sailmakers' mates and ship's cook, will wear, embroidered in white silk, on the right sleeve of their blue jackets, above the elbow, in front, and eagle and anchor, of not more than three inches in length, with a star of one inch in diameter one inch above. The same device, embroidered in blue, to be worn on the sleeves of their white frocks in summer.
View attachment 485888
View attachment 485892

All other petty officers, except officers's stewards, will wear the same device on their left sleeves.

The outside clothing for petty officers, firemen, and coal-heavers, seamen, ordinary seamen, landsmen and boys, for muster, shall consist of blue cloth jackets and trowsers, or blue woollen frocks; black hats; black silk neckerchiefs, and shoes, or boots in cold weather. In warm weather it shall consist of white frocks and trowsers; black or white hats, as the commander may for the occasion direct, having proper regard for the comfort of the crew; black silk neckerchiefs, and shoes; the collars and cuffs to be lined with blue cotton cloth, and stitched round with thread. Thick black cloth caps, without visors, may be worn by the crew at sea, except on holidays or at muster.


As regards recruiting, the regulations by the war's close noted no recruits were to be given a rating on enlistment. they were classed as either Fireman, Seaman, Ordinary Seaman, Landsman (no sea experience), or Boy.

View attachment 485889

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Landsmen and boys were frequently placed on a "receiving ship" in port to train them up before assigning them to a vessel for duty.

Excellent information! Thank you.

 

[reading48]

WHAT ---- No Radiomen like I was RM-2 --

 

[Rhea Cole]

One of the first cohort of women who served as enlisted personnel in the U.S. military was a self liberated woman from here in Murfreesboro TN.

[Her name escapes me!] became a laundress on the former live city packet turned hospital ship Red Rover. I highly recommend looking up the Red Rover on NavSource Photo Index, old sail & Steam index.

Initially the nurses were Catholic nuns. Their accounts of returned aboard with multiple bullet holes in their habits is not your usual CW cliche.

The Murfreesboro self liberated woman was trained by the sisters as a nurse. She & her cohort were formally enlisted as 3rd class boys. There was no nurse rank as such.

Sailors who assisted ship's surgeons were rated as 3rd class boys regardless of age or sex.

[Name?] lived into the 20th Century & received a pension appropriate to her rank.

 

[Sheltowee]

One of the first cohort of women who served as enlisted personnel in the U.S. military was a self liberated woman from here in Murfreesboro TN.

[Her name escapes me!] became a laundress on the former live city packet turned hospital ship Red Rover. I highly recommend looking up the Red Rover on NavSource Photo Index, old sail & Steam index.

Initially the nurses were Catholic nuns. Their accounts of returned aboard with multiple bullet holes in their habits is not your usual CW cliche.

The Murfreesboro self liberated woman was trained by the sisters as a nurse. She & her cohort were formally enlisted as 3rd class boys. There was no nurse rank as such.

Sailors who assisted ship's surgeons were rated as 3rd class boys regardless of age or sex.

[Name?] lived into the 20th Century & received a pension appropriate to her rank.

Saw something about "loblollies"- I think. Believe they assisted surgeons in spreading sawdust on the deck and hauling off the amputated limbs.

 

[RedRover]

Saw something about "loblollies"- I think. Believe they assisted surgeons in spreading sawdust on the deck and hauling off the amputated limbs.

Yes, they appear to have been boys employed as steward's to the ship's surgeons:

Charles Nordhoff, a veteran of the US Navy in the 1850s, noted:

 

[Rhea Cole]

Yes, they appear to have been boys employed as steward's to the ship's surgeons:

View attachment 485997

Charles Nordhoff, a veteran of the US Navy in the 1850s, noted:
View attachment 485996

The term naval term 'loblolly' long predated the U.S. Civil War. Those of us who have enjoyed Patrick O'Brian's Aubry / Maturine naval Napoleonic War series are acquainted with loblolly boys.

Loblolly was a job title, not a rank or rating. A man holding the rank of ordinary seaman could be a loblolly boy.

There were actual ships boys. They were often sons of officers who entered the service at the bottom rung of the ladder. They were referred to as squeakers. They logged sea time necessary for advancement. We can go way, way off into the weeds with this stuff.

Onboard the Red Rover the self liberated women were called nurses. Their military rank was that of 3rd class boy. That is what is on the pension records.

Note: The profession of nursing as we know it began during the Civil War. E.g., in hospitals the least disabled men were expected to care for the rest. The arrival of Mother Bickerdyke at the army hospital in Cairo was the beginning of a medical revolution.

 

[Lampasas Bill]

WHAT ---- No Radiomen like I was RM-2 --

Good for you Sparks. I also served as an RM-2 (1968-71). Actually, I never was called Sparks. Guess the tradition died out.

 

[infomanpa]

Ratings? You mean ranks?

 

[Sheltowee]

Ratings? You mean ranks?

Kinda sorta. Rating in the US Navy refers to occupational field. Whereas "rate" is the pay grade rank ( E-5, etc).

All you squids…..is that right?

 

[Lampasas Bill]

Ratings? You mean ranks?

In the US Navy, "Ratings" were job titles such as Radioman, Corpsman, etc. "Rates" were ranks such as Seaman Apprentice (E-2) or Petty Officer Third Class (E-4).

 

[reading48]

Good for you Sparks. I also served as an RM-2 (1968-71). Actually, I never was called Sparks. Guess the tradition died out.

Served from 1966-1970 Aboard the U.S.S. Tattnall DD-G -19 Passed the RM1 test but wouldn't give Me the stripe unless I shipped over for 6 more years----No Thank You --- was never called sparks

 

[Lampasas Bill]

reading 84: I was on the USS Greenlet, ASR-10, a submarine rescue ship out of Pearl Harbor. The old tub was decommissioned in '69 and I spent the rest of my tour at COMSUBPAC Communications in Pearl. We had a good WESTPAC cruise on the Greenlet and spent just enough time on a salvage operation in the Tonkin Gulf to qualify for a Vietnam Service Medal. I joined the Navy to avoid going to Vietnam but got there anyway!

Apologies for stealing the thread. Just chalk it up to "thank you for your service."