Watch, Quarter, and Station Bills of the U.S. Brig Boxer, 1843 (approximate): Finding Aid

History of U.S.S. Boxer

U.S.S. Boxer, classified in internal documents and in Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the Navy of the United States as a brig but listed in the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships as a 10-gun schooner, was launched on November 22, 1831 by the Boston Navy Yard and commissioned in 1832, under the command of Lieutenant Benjamin Payne.

In 1832 and 1833, Boxer cruised on the Brazil Station before transferring to the West Indies Station in 1834. In 1835, she began a two-year tour of duty on the Pacific Station. After a period at an unspecified yard, she resumed duty on the Pacific Station from 1838 to 1840. Laid up for another two years, Boxer went to sea with the Home Squadron between 1842 and 1844 under the command of Lieutenant Oscar Bullus. In 1846, she was attached to the African Squadron, which was engaged in the suppression of the slave trade. In the summer of 1848, Boxer returned to the United States and was sold in Philadelphia on August 7, 1848.

Description of Contents

The Watch, Quarter, and Station Bills of the U.S. Brig Boxer, comprising a single volume of 41 leaves of text, were compiled some time between 1842 and 1844. Created during the command of Lieutenant Oscar Bullus and first lieutenancy of Lieutenant John Rodgers while the Boxer was attached to the Home Squadron, the volume consists of the various duty assignments of the ship's officers, sailors, and Marines.

Following the volume's index, the Boxer's bills are arranged into three main sections. The Watch Bill details the various port and starboard watch assignments, followed by the Quarter Bill, detailing the ship's gun assignments for the first and second division, and deck assignments for the third division. The Station Bill is subdivided into sections bearing assignments for specific operations, including loosing and furling (including individual mast/spar assignments), shortening sail for furling, anchoring-shortening sail, tacking and wearing, reefing and hoisting, mooring and unmooring, and making sail from anchor. The Station Bill is followed by a second Watch Bill in a different hand. At the end of the volume are boat crew bills for the launch and cutter.

The volume features a quarter calf binding with marbled boards.

Arrangement

The Watch, Quarter, and Station Bills of the U.S. Brig Boxer comprises a single volume.

Access and Use

Access

Access is unrestricted.

Copyright and Permission

The Watch, Quarter, and Station Bills of the U.S. Brig Boxer are the physical property of Nimitz Library. Copyright belongs to the authors or creators of the works, or their legal representatives. For further information, consult the Head, Special Collections & Archives.

It is the responsibility of the researcher to secure written permission to publish, reprint, or reproduce material from Special Collections & Archives. The researcher assumes responsibility for infringement of copyright or literary or publication rights. Please contact the Head, Special Collections & Archives for permission to publish and for further information.

Acquisition and Appraisal

Provenance and Acquisition

Purchased from Ten Pound Island Book Co. in September 2016. Accession No. 16-20.

Related Materials

Related Archival Material

Material pertaining to John Rodgers' service aboard U.S.S. Boxer can be found in the Rodgers Family Papers at the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress.

Material pertaining to Oscar Bullus can be found in the Oscar Bullus Collection at The New-York Historical Society and in his Letters Received at Special Collections & University Archives at Rutgers University.

Materials Cataloged Separately

No materials have been removed from this collection and cataloged separately.

Processing and Other Information

Preferred Citation

Watch, Quarter, and Station Bills of the U.S. Brig Boxer, MS 13

Special Collections & Archives Department

Nimitz Library

United States Naval Academy

Selected Bibliography

The following sources were consulted during preparation of the biographical note:

Mann, Raymond A. "Boxer II (Sch)." Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Washington: Naval History and Heritage Command, 2005, https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/b/boxer-ii.html.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by David D'Onofrio in May 2021. Finding aid written by David D'Onofrio in May 2021.

Subject Headings

Name and Subject Terms

• Boxer (Brig)
• United States. Navy -- History -- 19th century -- Sources

Genre Terms

• Manuscripts
• Ships' logs

Additional Creator/Author

• Bullus, Oscar, approximately 1800-1871