Original Item. Only One Available. The United States Revenue Cutter Service was established by an Act of Congress on 4 August 1790 as the Revenue-Marine at the recommendation of the nation's first secretary of the treasury, Alexander Hamilton. The federal government body was initially created to serve as an armed customs enforcement service. Over time, however, the service gradually gained missions either voluntarily or by legislation, including those of a military nature. It was generally referred to as the Revenue-Marine until 31 July 1894, when it was officially renamed the Revenue Cutter Service. The Revenue Cutter Service operated under the authority of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. On 28 January 1915, the service was merged by an act of Congress with the United States Life-Saving Service to form the United States Coast Guard.

This is an extremely rare two-piece belt buckle from the Civil War period (1865-1870) for wear by an officer in the Revenue Cutter Service. The plate has a spread-winged eagle with a shield on his chest standing on a horizontal anchor with 13 five-pointed stars in a cluster above his head on a lined globe surrounded by a rope border. The shield is poorly cast but the rest of the detail is good. The wreath consists of large laurel leaves. Both pieces are stamped 31, confirming that the two pieces are original to each other.

An outstanding example, ready for display.

On 11 April 1861, the USRC Harriet Lane fired the first shot of the maritime conflict in the American Civil War of 1861–1865. The cutter fired a shot across the bow of the civilian mail steamship Nashville as it tried to enter Charleston Harbor during the bombardment of Fort Sumter because Nashville was flying no identifying flag. The ship then promptly raised the U.S. standard, and Harriet Lane broke off. Captain John Faunce, skipper of Harriet Lane, gave permission for Nashville to proceed to Charleston harbor and she was promptly seized by the Confederate Navy.

President Abraham Lincoln issued the following order to Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase on 14 June 1863: "You will co-operate by the revenue cutters under your direction with the navy in arresting rebel depredations on American commerce and transportation and in capturing rebels engaged therein."

Revenue cutters assisted U.S. Navy operations throughout the war. Harriet Lane joined a federal naval squadron to capture Fort Clark and Fort Hatteras, which served as bases for Confederate blockade runners. USRC E.A. Stevens, a prototype 110-foot semi-submersible ironclad gunboat, in company with USS Monitor, USS Galena, and two other gunboats, participated in the unsuccessful sortie up the James River to Drewry's Bluff to attack the Confederate capital at Richmond. After carrying President Lincoln from Washington on 9 May 1862, USRC Miami assisted navy transports in landing federal troops at Ocean View, Virginia.