Copyright © Hans Högman 2019-05-20
Navy "Båtsman" Companies
4. Swedish Regiments -
Navy
Introduction
There were several different types of seamen
onboard the Navy ships:
•
"Båtsmän"
•
Kofferdimatroser
•
Enlisted seamen
•
Volunteers
•
Skeppsgossar
and of course the army soldiers.
The Navy recruited their seamen in a few different
ways.
Båtsmän
"Båtsmän" was the Swedish name of the navy
seamen provided by the Allotment System. The
"båtsmän" was provided in the same manner as the
soldiers in the Army, that is through the "rote"
farmers. Literally "båtsmän" means "boatsmen". It is
"båtsman" in singular and "båtsmän" in plural.
Aboard a ship of line there were about 70 corporals
and volunteers.
Volunteers (volontärer) were trainees. They stared
off as non-commissioned officers and were under
training to become officers. The volunteers were
often in command of the guns.
Kofferdimatroser
There were also about 20 “kofferdimatroser”. They
were professional seamen drafted from the
merchant navy. They were in charge of all the work
that had to do with the actual sailing (with the help
of the "båtsmän").
The “kofferdimatroser” were part-time enlisted seamen
and had a personal contract with the Navy. They
were paid in cash and had to serve in the Navy for 6
month per year. Rest of the year they served on
merchant ships.
Enlisted Seamen
A number of enlisted “båtsmän”/seamen was
based at the naval station at Karlskrona. They were a
kind of “elite” seamen and together with the crew
drafted from the merchant navy (kofferdimatroser)
they performed the more advanced sailing duties on
board the ships.
The Crew
The number of "båtsmän" onboard a ship of line was
about 250. There were also circa 30 “skepsgossar”
onboard a ship .
"Skepsgossar" were young boys and their task was to
run with gunpowder to the guns during battle. The
gunpowder was stored in save places far below deck
and these storage places had very low ceilings so
they needed young boys to carry the gunpowder
from those areas. When the “skepsgossar” became 18
years of age they became Volunteers and stared
their training to become officers.
Then there were about 110 soldiers from the army
The "båtsmän" were deckhands doing all sorts of
duties plus manning the guns during battle.
Generally you could say that the "båtsmän" were low
in rank and duties on board the ships.
There were four classes of the "båtsmän", depending
of their experience.
1.
No experience (Obefaren):
None or very little sea-going experience (No
experience in seamanship)
2.
Some experience (Sjövan):
At least 6 month of sea-going experience
(Service at sea)
3.
Experienced (Befaren ):
At least 12 month of sea-going experience
(Served on foreign voyages)
4.
Very experienced (Välbefaren):
At least 24 month of sea-going experience
(Served on voyages to remote waters)
A “Befaren” (Experienced) "båtsman" was capable of
reading the compass and therefore could work as an
helmsman and with sounding.
I guess a “Befaren” or “Välbefaren” classed båtsman
could be classified as a skilled seaman? The
“obefaren” and “Sjövan” båtsman were more like deck
hands?
English word for "båtsman"?
It is difficult to find an English translation of the title
"Båtsman". They were a type of semen serving on
board the Navy ships as explained above. The
special thing about the "båtsmän" was the way they
were provided - recruited - trained.
The title seaman is not incorrect but "seaman"
doesn't pinpoint this special type of seaman the
"båtsmän" were. A direct translation would be
“boatsman”, however there is no such naval title in
the English language. Since båtsmän only existed in
Sweden and since this title is very difficult to
translate I’ve kept the Swedish word "båtsman" in
the articles on my website. It then won't be mixed
with any English/American naval titles.
It is one "båtsman" (sl.) and two "båtsmän" (pl).
Two ways of recruiting the
"båtsmän" within the Allotment
System
Allotted ("roterade") båtsmän:
The majority of the "båtsmän" were recruited in a
similar way as the soldiers in the Infantry, that is
through the "rote" farmers. This way of providing the
soldiers/båtsmän was called "rotering" and the
"båtsmän" recruited this way was referred to as
"roterade" båtsmän or allotted båtsmän.
Indelta båtsmän:
However, there were a minor part of the "båtsmän"
recruited in a similar way as the horsemen in the
Cavalry, that is through the system of "rusthåll". A
"rusthåll" farmer had a personal contract with the
Crown and had the responsibility to provide a
båtsman, uniform, a båtsman's cottage, etc. In
return the "rusthåll" farmer was exempted from
paying taxes and did not have to participate as a
"rote" farmer. He, like the "rote" farmers, was also
exempted from having to serve as a soldier.
The "indelta båtsmän" were recruited in the province
of Blekinge and in the southeastern part of Småland
(Södra Möre).
Båtsman Companies
The "båtsmän" was organized in special Navy
companies called "Båtsman Companies"
("Båtsmans kompanier"), not in regiments.
The Army officers lived in the same area as the
soldiers, that is in the province of the regiment. In
the Navy the officers lived at the naval stations.
There was, though, a company commander living in
the same area as the "båtsmän". However, once the
"båtsmän" arrived at the naval station sea officers
took charge of the båtsman companies.
Each company was organized into 4 corporalships
(korpralskap) of 25 men (24 "båtsmän" and 1
corporal).
Up until 1810 every Navy "rote" had to provide an
extra or reserv "båtsman" in time of war.
The Navy was the only defense branch having "rotar"
in towns and cities. However these Navy city "rotar"
was quite early put in a vacated status. Instead of
providing a "båtsman" the city "rotar" had to pay a
vacancy fee to the Crown.
In October 1634 all coastal parishes were linked to
the Navy Allotment System (Båtsmanshållet). The
number of "rotar" was extended in 1640. Every
parish within 10 km (6 miles) from the coast was
now linked to the Navy Allotment System.
A new naval station was established in Karlskrona,
in the southeastern part of Sweden, in 1680. Prior to
1680 the major naval base was in Stockholm. The
number one enemy of Sweden in those days was
Denmark. In order to set sail a lot earlier in spring,
than was possible in Stockholm, Sweden needed a
naval station further south, a location where the ice
broke up a lot earlier. The place chosen was
Karlskrona in the province of Blekinge where a both
a city and a naval base was founded.
In order to quickly get a enough navy seamen to the
new naval base a great number of båtsmän and
their families were subjected to a compulsory transfer
to Karlskrona and Blekinge. Those båtsmän was first
of all taken from Norrland and northern Finland, that
is from the remote provinces. In total 1.350 båtsmän
plus their families were transferred.
The "rotar" in Blekinge and Södra Möre who had to
maintain these båtsmän was "indelta", not allotted.
At the end of the 17th century the Navy Allotment
System consisted of 6 "indelta" båtsman companies
and 21 allotted båtsmäns companies (3 of these
were city companies).
In 1700 the allotted "båtsmän" were
organized into the following Båtsman
companies:
•
Roslag’s 2 Companies
•
Östergötland Company
•
Tjust Company
•
Bohuslän’s 2 Companies
•
Åland and Southern Finland Company
•
Gotland’s 2 Companies
•
The Cities of Skåne’s Company
•
Norrland’s 2 Companies
•
Södermanlands’ 2 Companies
•
Småland Company
•
Västergötland Company
•
Öland’s 2 companies
•
The Stockholm City Company
•
Uppstäderna’s Company
In 1717, just before the Norwegian campaign, the
båtsman companies was reorganized in to 7 Sea
Regiments of which three was Marine Infantry.
However after the death of King Karl XII in 1718 the
båtsman companies went back to the old
organization prior to 1717.
The Indelta "Båtsmän" (Indelta
båtsmanshåll)
The "indelta" båtsmän (indelta båtsmanshåll) were
located within the province/county of Blekinge and
in Södra Möre (in the south-eastern part of the
province of Småland, on the Blekinge borderline). It
is "båtsman" in singular and "båtsmän" in plural.
In total there were 2,301 "indelta" båtsmän
(båtsmanshåll) of which 1,500 were located in
Blekinge and 801 in Södra Möre. There were a few
allotted båtsman "rotar" in Blekinge as well.
Blekinge Båtsman Companies
Prior to 1845 the "båtsmän" in Blekinge province
formed three companies. After 1845 they formed six
companies:
•
1st Blekinge Indelta Company (1)
•
2nd Blekinge Indelta Company (2)
•
3rd Blekinge Indelta Company (3)
•
4th Blekinge Indelta Company (4)
•
5th Blekinge Indelta Company (5)
•
6th Blekinge Indelta Company (6)
There were 1,500 "indelta" båtsmän plus 27 allotted
(roterade) båtsmän in Blekinge. The allotted
båtsmän served in the same companies as the
"indelta".
The Blekinge companies belonged to the
Karlskrona Naval Station, Blekinge.
Södra Möre Båtsman Companies
The "indelta" båtsman "rotar" of Södra Möre was
located within the County of Kalmar.
•
1st Södra Möre Indelta Company (7)
•
2nd Södra Möre Indelta Company (8)
•
3rd Södra Möre Indelta Company (9)
There were 801 "indelta" båtsmän plus 15 allotted
(roterade) båtsmän in Södra Möre. The allotted
båtsmän served in the same companies as the
"indelta".
The Södra Möre companies belonged to the
Karlskrona Naval Station, Blekinge.
The Allotted "Båtsmän" (Roterade
båtsmanshåll)
There were 3,351 allotted båtsman's "rotar"
distributed on 22 båtsman's companies. These
"rotar" were located along the coast of the
provinces of Uppland, Södermanland, Östergötland,
Småland, Öland, Gotland, Halland, Västergötland,
Gästrikland, Hälsingland, Medelpad, Ångermanland
and southern Västerbotten.
In 1845 9 of the companies belonged to the
Karlskrona Naval Station, 10 to the Stockholm Naval
Station and 3 to the Gothenburg Naval Station.
Up until 1810 every "rote" also had to provide a
reserve båtsman (fördubblingsbåtsmän ) at time of
war.
The figures within parenthesis are each company's
company number.
Roslag Båtsman Companies
One company was established in 1641. The
company was in 1645 a part of the 2nd Ship
Regiment.
The company was extended to 2 companies and
later to 4 companies.
Companies 1845:
•
Norra Roslag 1st Båtsman Company (28)
•
Norra Roslag 2nd Båtsman Company (29)
•
Södra Roslag 1st Båtsman Company (15)
•
Södra Roslag 2nd Båtsman Company (16)
67 of the båtsmän in the Roslag companies were
located within the county of Uppsala, the rest within
the county of Stockholm. "Norra" means northern
and "södra" southern.
In total the Roslag companies 529 båtsmän, of
which 125 in Norra 1st, 142 in Norra 2nd, 125 i
Södra 1st and 137 in Södra 2nd.
The Roslag companies belonged to the Stockholm
Naval Station.
Södermanland's Båtsman Companies
One company was established in 1641. The
company was in 1645 a part of the 1st Ship
Regiment.
Companies 1845:
•
First Södermanland Båtsman Company (13)
•
Second Södermanland Båtsman Company (14)
The First Company was located within the county of
Stockholm (137 men), the Second within the county
of Södermanland (142 men), in total 276 båtsmän.
The Södermanland companies belonged to the
Stockholm Naval Station.
Östergötland Båtsman Company
One company was established in 1641. The
company was in 1645 a part of the 1st Ship
Regiment.
Companies 1845:
•
Östergötland Båtsman Company (12)
All of the " rotar" (194 men) were located within the
county of Östergötland.
The Östergötland Company belonged to the
Karlskrona Naval Station.
Tjust Båtsman Company
Companies 1845:
•
Tjust Båtsman Company (10)
All of the " rotar" (118 men) were located within the
county of Kalmar.
The Tjust Company belonged to the Karlskrona
Naval Station.
Småland Båtsman Company
One company was established in 1641. The
company was in 1645 a part of the 1st Ship
Regiment.
Companies 1845:
•
Småland Båtsman Company (11)
All of the " rotar" (121 men) were located within the
county of Kalmar.
The Småland Company belonged to the Karlskrona
Naval Station.
Öland Båtsman Companies
One company was established in 1637. The
company was in 1645 a part of the 1st Ship
Regiment.
Companies 1845:
•
Öland 1st Båtsman Company (17)
•
Öland 2nd Båtsman Company (18)
The First Company was located on the northern part
of the island of Öland (125 men) and the Second on
the southern part (138 men), in total 263 båtsmän.
The Öland Companies belonged to the Karlskrona
Naval Station.
Gotland Båtsman Companies
One company was established in 1647. The
company was in 1645 a part of the 1st Ship
Regiment.
Companies 1845:
•
Gotland 1st Båtsman Company (19)
•
Gotland 2nd Båtsman Company (20)
The First Company was located on the northern part
of the island of Gotland (122 men) and the Second
on the southern part (138 men), in total 260
båtsmän.
The Gotland Companies belonged to the
Karlskrona Naval Station.
Halland Båtsman Companies
Established in 1675. The company was in 1675 a
part of the 2nd Ship Regiment.
Companies 1845:
•
Södra Halland 1st Båtsman Company (25)
•
Norra Halland 1st Båtsman Company (26)
Both the southern company (135 men) and the
northern (229 men) were located within the county
of Halland, in total 364 båtsmän. "Norra" means
northern and "södra" southern.
The Halland Companies belonged to the
Karlskrona Naval Station.
Bohuslän Båtsman Companies
Established in 1661. The company was in 1661 a
part of the 2nd Ship Regiment.
Companies 1845:
•
First Bohuslän Båtsman Company (21)
•
Second Bohuslän Båtsman Company (22)
The First Company (289 men) was located within the
northern part of the county of Göteborg and Bohus
län and the Second Company within the southern
part (188 men), in total 477 båtsmän.
The First Company belonged to the Karlskrona
Naval Station (earlier to the Gothenburg Naval
Station) and the Second Company to the
Gothenburg Naval Station.
Västergötland Båtsman Company
Established in 1638. The company was in 1645 a
part of the 2nd Ship Regiment.
Companies 1845:
•
Västergötland Båtsman Company (27)
All of the " rotar" (87 men) were located within the
county of Älvsborg.
The Västergötland Company belonged to the
Gothenburg Naval Station. When the Gothenburg
station was shut down in the 1850's the company
was transferred to the Stockholm Naval Station.
Norrland Båtsman Companies
In 1638 there was one båtsman company in
Norrland called The Norrland Båtsman Company.
The company was in 1645 a part of the 2nd Ship
Regiment.
All of the "rotar" were located within the provinces;
Gästrikland, Hälsingland, Medelpad and
Ångermanland.
After a reorganization and the establishment of the
Navy Allotment System in 1687 the Norrland
Båtsman Company was split in two;
•
Norrland 1st Båtsman Company
•
Norrland 2nd Båtsman Company
The second Company was recruited within
Ångermanland.
In 1716 the Norrland companies were split a further
time, now into four companies:
•
First Norrland 1st Båtsman Company (141 men)
•
First Norrland 2nd Båtsman Company (173
men)
•
Second Norrland 1st Båtsman Company (173
men)
•
Second Norrland 2nd Båtsman Company (175
men)
in total 662 båtsmän.
In 1875 the names of the companies were changed
into the Norrland First, Norrland Second, Norrland
Third and Norrland fourth Båtsman Company.
Companies 1845:
•
First Norrland 1st Båtsman Company (30)
•
First Norrland 2nd Båtsman Company (31)
•
Second Norrland 1st Båtsman Company (32)
•
Second Norrland 2nd Båtsman Company (33)
The "rotar" of the First Norrland 1st Båtsman
Company (141 men) were located within the
province of Gästrikland (39) plus within the province
of Hälsingland (102 men).
The "rotar" of the First Norrland 2nd Båtsman
Company (173) were located within the northern
part of the province of Hälsingland (64 men) plus
within the province of Medelpad (109 men).
The "rotar" of the Second Norrland 1st Båtsman
Company (173) were located within the southern
part of the province of Ångermanland and the
"rotar" of the Second Norrland 2nd Båtsman
Company (175) within the northern part of
Ångermanland.
Between 1845 and 1853 the Second Norrland 2nd
Båtsman Company carried the name the Second
Norrland Artillery Båtsman Company.
Company names from 1875:
•
Norrland First Båtsman Company
•
Norrland Second Båtsman Company
•
Norrland Third Båtsman Company
•
Norrland Fourth Båtsman Company
When the Karlskrona Naval station was founded in
1682 a great number of båtsmän and their families
were subjected to a compulsory transfer to
Karlskrona and Blekinge. In total there were 448
regular and reserve båtsmän transferred from the
Norrland companies to Blekinge.
The Norrland companies belonged to the
Stockholm Naval Station. Between 1756 and 1823
the Norrland companies were assigned to the The
Stockholm Squadron of the Army Fleet.
City Båtsman Companies
The cities were subjected to the keeping of båtsmän
from the early beginning. The providing of båtsmän
to the Navy were the only obligation the cities had
to do within the Allotment System. There were no
Army "rotar" in the cities.
However, there were quite a lot of vacated båtsman
"rotar" in the cities. Instead of keeping a båtsman,
these rotar paid a vacancy fee to the Navy.
In 1748 a majority of the city båtsman "rotar" were
placed in a vacant state. An exception was the
båtsman "rotar" in Stockholm which remained until
1842.
However at time of war the vacated city "rotar" were
reactivated.
In 1769 there were 892 regular (ordinarie båtsmän )
and 877 reserve (fördubblingsbåtsmän) båtsmän in
the cities.
The city båtsman served in the ordinary båtsman
companies at the naval station they belonged to.
However, the city båtsmän from Skåne and
Blekinge, from the "uppstäder" and from the
Stockholm City served in 3 individual companies.
Stockholm City Båtsman Company
The company numbered more than 100 båtsmän
and was active until 1842 when it was
disestablished. In the company served not only the
Stockholm City båtsmän but also the båtsmän from
the cities of Södertälje, Mariefred, Strängnäs,
Torshälla and Eskilstuna.
Stockholm City alone provided 100 båtsmän.
•
Stockholm City Båtsman Company
Skåne/Blekinge's cities Båtsman Company
Established 1675. The company was in 1675 a part
of the 1st Ship Regiment.
•
The Blekinge/Skåne Båtsman Company
"Uppstädernas" Båtsman Company
Established 1638. The company was in 1645 a part
of the 2nd Ship Regiment.
"Uppstäder" was a term used for cities far away from
the coast. The båtsmän from the "uppstäder" had
less sea experience and their task on board was
mainly to serve at the guns or to serves as rifle
marksmen (bösseskyttar). Therefore these båtsmän
often were referred to as "bösseskyttar".
In 1675 the company numbered 249 men.
•
The "Uppstädernas" Båtsman Company
(Uppstädernas Bösseskytt Company)
Ship Regiments
In 1690 the båtsmän were divided into 17 Båtsman
Companies which formed 3 Shipp regiments.
1st Ship Regiment
•
Södermanland's Companies
1641
•
Östgöta Company
1641
•
Öland's Companies
1637
•
Gotland's Companies
1647
•
Småland Company
1635
•
Blekinge/Skåne Company
1675
2nd Ship Regiment
•
Roslag's Companies
1640
•
Norrland's Companies
1638
•
Västgöta Company
1638
•
Bohuslän's Companies
1661
•
Halland's Companies
1675
•
Uppstädernas
1638
bösseskyttar
3rd Ship Regiment (Finland)
•
Åland Company
1639
•
Åbolän Company
1638
•
Nyland Company
1640
•
Österbotten Company
1637
•
Österbotten's
1675
bösseskyttar
The years are the year of establishment of
respective company.
Related Links
•
The Allotment System
•
The Navy & the Army Fleet
•
Swedish Wars
•
Overview - Navy companies
Source References
Facimil utgåva av "Statistiskt sammandrag af
svenska indelningsverket, 2: bandet av C. Grill från
1856”, utgiven av Svenska
Släktforskningsförbundet 1988.
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