Regulations for the government of the United States Navy (1865)

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Section 2. Petty Officers.

43....The Petty Officers of the Navy shall be divided into two classes Petty Officers of the Line, and Petty Officers of the Staff.

44....The class of Petty Officers of the Line, and the order of rank, and of succession to command, shall be as follows:
1. Boatswain's Mates.
2. Gunner's Mates.
3. Signal Quartermaster.
4. Cockswain to Commander-in-Chief.
5. Captains of Forecastle.
6. Quartermasters.
7. Cockswains.
8. Captains of Main-top.
9. Captains of Fore-top.
10. Captains of Mizzen-top.
11. Captains of Afterguard.
12. Quarter-Gunners.
13. 2d Captains of Forecastle.
14. 2d Captains of Main-top.
15. 2d Captains of Fore-top.
16. 2d Captains of Mizzen-top.

45.....All other Petty Officers, except the Master-at-Arms, shall be called Petty Officers of the Staff, and shall take precedence and have assimilated rank as follows:

1. Yeomen. 2. Surgeon's Stewards. 4. Masters of the Band. 5. Schoolmasters. 6. Ship's writers. 3. Paymaster's Stewards.	To rank next after the Masters-at-Arms.
7. Carpenter's Mates. 8. Armorers. 9. Sailmaker's Mates.	To rank next after Gunner's Mates
10. Painters. 11. Coopers. 12. Armorer's Mates.	To rank next after Captain of the Afterguard
13. Ship's Corporals. 14. Captains of Hold. 15. Ship's Cooks. 16. Bakers.	To rank next after Quarter Gunners

46.....The Master-at-Arms will be the Chief Petty Officer of the ship in which he shall serve. All orders from him in regard to the police of the vessel, the preservation of order, and obedience to regulations, must be obeyed by all petty officers and others of the crew. But he shall have no right to succession in command, and shall exercise no authority in matters not specified above.

47.....Petty Officers of the Staff are not to exercise command except in the department to which they belong, or over those placed immediately under their control.

48.....Precedence among petty officers of the same rate shall be established by the Commanding Officer of the vessel in which they shall serve.

49.....Orderly Sergeants of guards of Marines, on board vessels of the Navy, shall rank next after Masters-at-Arms; all other sergeants with Gunner's Mates; and all corporals with Quarter-Gunners.

50.....Non-commissioned Officers of Marines are not to exercise military authority or command over others not of the corps to which they belong, unless specially authorized by the Commander of the vessel for a particular purpose, or when on guard or police duties.

51.....When serving afloat, Petty Officers of the Navy shall take precedence of Non-commissioned Officers of Marines, holding the same relative rank; but when serving as troops on shore, the Non-commissioned Officers shall take precedence of Petty Officers of the same relative rank.

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