The Pennsylvania State Navy, Inc. is a
non-profit organizationto all people regardless of age, gender or race. Anyone
may join. However, because much of the unit's activities takes place on the water
and with full scale artillery, there are reasonable considerations that should appear to
be common sense to most people. Regardless, we still find it necessary to spell
things out.
First: In order to crew on board any vessel
under the Navy's charge, you must be able to swim well and possess the strength necessary
to work a vessel under laboring conditions.
Second: Because we crew artillery and handle
considerable amounts of gunpowder, you must be willing to learn and perform a standard gun
drill as laid down by the fighting instructions.
Third: Anyone not capable of working on board
a vessel or being part of a gun crew is welcome either as part of an armed land
detachment, campfollower or tradesman. You must show you can be useful if you're to
be fed.
Fourth: Those wishing to enlist in
the Navy must present themselves to the officers and crew of the PSN at an event prior to
joining in order to meet the crew and see first hand what it is you're about to get
yourself into.
Lastly, the Pennsylvania State Navy
is a member of the Continental Line, and follows the safety guidelines and standards
established by that organization.
Those wishing to join are required to pay
yearly membership dues. The fees for individuals and families are as follows:
Individual membership: $25
Family membership: $45
Out of these dues, $10 from the individual
and $30 from the family memberships helps pay for the crew's insurance coverage required
for members to attend scheduled events. The remaining $15 is paid into the Treasury
to help provide for crew's expenses over the course of the year.
~ S A I L O R S
, L A N D S M E
N & M A R I
N E S ~
Sailors
The sailor is the backbone of the Navy. He is
capable of crewing a boat, ship or gun and partakes in landing parties and cutting out
expeditions. He gets wet a lot and doesn't complain (much). The uniform &
gear requirements for a sailor is:
Slops, trousers or breeches
Shirt (white, off-white, gray, natural, checked, etc.)
A wool work coat or sailors' coat
A waistcoat
Black neck kerchief
Leather belt
Stockings and garters (optional)
Shoes with buckles
A hat or head covering (plain tricorne, wool knit hat, felt hat, straw hat, head scarf -
NO MILITARY COCKED HATS)
A good knife
Sailors need to purchase a period cutlass and black shoulder belt.
They are not required to carry a firearm, but may be "issued" muskets, pistols,
grenades or boarding axes accordingly.
addresses
Landsmen
One third of the Pennsylvania State Navy were landsmen
- men without maritime experience. During the Revolution, the Navy took whatever men
they could find, and since men were needed for the row galleys, anyone strong enough to
work the oars in the Delaware Bay was a great improvement over no one at all. There
is no uniform stated for a "landsman", and the following basic guidelines for
appropriate 18th century clothing will suffice:
Breeches
Shirt
Waistcoat
Wool coat (for cold weather)
Leather belt
Stockings and garters
Shoes with buckles or leather moccasins
Any suitable non-military hat
Landsmen often learned the skills necessary to become a sailor.
Others with fighting experience, either from serving in a regular army or militia, often
joined the Marines.
Marines
The first marines to be recruited for the Pennsylvania State Navy
were authorized by the Committee of Safety on March 3rd, 1776, over eight months before
Congress called for the formation of the Continental Marines. There were marines
assigned to every boat, galley and ship in the fleet. They are Marines by
definition...need we say more? They wore a uniform similar to the Continental
solder:
Brown wool coat with hunter green facings, collar and cuffs
White shirt
Black neck stock
White waistcoat
Leather belt
Tan breeches
White stockings and garters
Black gaiters
Shoes with buckles
Black military cocked hat trimmed in white
The Marine's arms and gear include:
Firelock (2nd Model Brown Bess, Charleville, Committee of
Safety Musket, Long Rifle)
Cartridge Box on a white shoulder belt
Bayonet and tomahawk on a white shouldered double frog (substitute knife for bayonet if
using Long Rifle)
Canteen
Haversack
Other accessories as required to maintain your firelock, etc. |