Ship's Crew
Samuel Boynton
Rank(s): Marine Private
Dates of Service: -
Birth Date: 1789
Early Life
Samuel Boynton was born in 1789 in Newburyport, Massachusetts.
Early Experience
Before enlisting in the Marines, Boynton was a laborer.
He enlisted as a private in the Marine Corps on May 26, 1813 and joined the Constitution’s crew on August 19, 1813.
Marine privates served as the shipboard police force and were, in effect, seagoing soldiers. They used the same manual of arms as the army and trained in much the same way. Unlike the army, marines had to be familiar with naval work and warfare. Marines could not be ordered aloft to do the work of the seamen there, but they could expect to man the capstan or serve as gun crews on the gun deck. Marines stood watch as sentries at sensitive parts of the ship, to see that no unauthorized people passed into those spaces (such as the captain’s cabin or the spirit room). In battle, marines armed with muskets or rifles took up station along the gangway or in the tops to keep up a constant fire on the enemy’s decks. The marine private received $6.00-$8.00 per month.
Battles and Engagements
He participated in the battles with HMS Cyane and HMS Levant and received $22.19 in prize money.
Boynton was transferred to USS Congress on June 9, 1815. He was discharged on July 16, 1818. His place and date of death are unknown.
Crew ID
1475
