In wartime, the Revenue Marine was placed under the command of the U.S. Navy, and the cutters themselves were often placed into military service.
On the night of 12 June 1813, the small cutter Surveyor, with a crew of 16 and an armament of only six 12-pounder (5 kg) carronades, was anchored in the York River (Virginia), when a 90-man boarding party from the frigate attacked her.