Richard Hill, OS-- Part 3: What Was an Ordinary Seaman?

USS Constitution Museum site.

ORDINARY SEAMAN

Among the enlisted men, Ordinary Seaman stood in the middle of the lower deck hierarchy.  These men had typically sailed just one or two voyages and knew basic seamanship.

Like the Able Seamen (the next higher rank), they could  hand (furl or take in), reef (reduce a sail's area), and steer, but some of the more complicated  maneuvers were foreign to them.

Many  ordinary seamen were numbered among the  topmen, the young and agile crewmembers who were responsible for working aloft on the masts and yards.

The ordinary seaman made $10 a month.

--Brock-Perry

Richard Hill, OS. --Part 2: So That's an OS.

So, the current OS in the U.S. Navy would not likely hold up in the War of 1812 U.S. Navy.  It would not be Operations Specialist.  Hey, no aircraft or electrical systems in the War of 1812.

So, then, what is an OS in the War of 1812, which is the rank that Richard Hill held?

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I found the answer at the USS Constitution Museum site.

It gave the five ranks of men serving on the ship.

Commissioned Officers

Warrant Officers

Petty Officers 

Enlisted Men

Marines

Most likely OS would be an enlisted man.  And, since Hill was a black man, it would not likely be as as officer of any sort.

And, I looked at the three ranks of enlisted men:  Able Seaman, Ordinary Seaman and Boy.

Hey, OS.  Ordinary Seaman

I think I have his rank.

OS  --Brock-Perry

Richard Hill, OS. So, What Is an OS?

Richard Hill is listed as an OS in the U.S. navy on his grave marker at Portland, Maine's Eastern Cemetery.  So, that got me to wondering, what is an OS, presuming it might indicate his ship rank.

I looked it up, and in today's Navy, OS stands for Operations Specialist. They are key members of the ship's combat team with jobs  ranging from navigation and plotting specialists, operations administrator,  warfare operator, electronics systems operator and combat air controller.

None of these would seem applicable to the U.S. Navy of the War of 1812.

So, what was an OS during the War of 1812?

More Research Needed Here.  --Brock-Perry