Birthplace
Born November 10 1775 in old tun tavern Philadelphia
“Resolved, that two Battalions of Marines be raised consisting of one Colonel, two Lieutenant Colonels, two Majors & Officers as usual in other regiments, that they consist of an equal number of privates with other battalions; that particular care be taken that no persons be appointed to office or inlisted into said Battalions, but such as are good seamen, or so acquainted with maritime affairs as to be able to serve to advantage by sea, when required. That they be inlisted and commissioned for and during the present war with Great Britain and the colonies, unless dismissed by Congress. That they be distinguished by the names of the first & second battalions of American Marines, and that they be considered a part of the number, which the continental Army before Boston is ordered to consist of.”
- resolution of continental congress November 10 1775
- resolution of continental congress November 10 1775
Purpose
unyielding commitment to protecting the lives of our citizens and the interests of our nation. Our purpose, by congressional mandate, is to be this nation's rapid response force; we are thus called to be "most ready when the nation is least ready." From humanitarian relief efforts to combat operations; from air, land and sea to every clime and place, the Marine Corps is ready to answer our nation's call.
First commandant of the Marine Corps
Samuel Nicholas
Born 1744 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, commissioned in Nov 5 1775 as a captain of marines by the second continental congress, promoted on june 25 1776 to major, served from 1775 to 1783 with allegiance to the continental marines
First Amphibious RaidJust weeks after banding together, the Continental Marines successfully executed their first amphibious landing on a hostile shore.
The British were storing large supplies of gunpowder at Fort Nassau in the Bahamas for use in battle against the 13 colonies. Captain Samuel Nicholas and 234 Marines sailed with the Continental Navy on a mission to capture the supply. Within minutes of the Marines' arrival, the British troops surrendered. Capt Nicholas successfully acquired cannons and other military stores. |
Battle of Trenton
Samuel Nicholas wrote to congress, "The enemy having overrun the Jerseys, and our army being greatly reduced, I
was ordered to march with three of the companies to be under the command of His Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief."
However the marines did not engage in combat while at trenton, but on 26 December 1776 which followed General George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River. They were attached to General Hohn Cadwalader's division, which was ordered to cross the Delaware to Burlington, New Jersey, south of Trenton, in concert with Washington's crossing to the north on the night of 25 December 1776, but was turned back due to ice floes on the river.
was ordered to march with three of the companies to be under the command of His Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief."
However the marines did not engage in combat while at trenton, but on 26 December 1776 which followed General George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River. They were attached to General Hohn Cadwalader's division, which was ordered to cross the Delaware to Burlington, New Jersey, south of Trenton, in concert with Washington's crossing to the north on the night of 25 December 1776, but was turned back due to ice floes on the river.
Disbanding
Treaty of Paris;. At the end of the American Revolution, both the Continental Navy and Continental Marines were disbanded in April 1783 shortly after treaty was signed.
1805Battle of Derna |
To the Shores of Tripoli
In 1805, the United States government refused to continue paying Barbary Coast pirates to refrain from raiding American merchant ships. When negotiations for a treaty failed, President Thomas Jefferson assembled an expeditionary force of Marines to respond. Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon and his Marines marched across 600 miles of the Libyan Desert to successfully storm the fortified Tripolitan city of Derna and rescue the kidnapped crew of the USS Philadelphia. The Marines' victory helped Prince Hamet Bey reclaim his rightful throne as ruler of Tripoli. In gratitude, he presented his Mameluke sword to Lt O'Bannon. The Battle of Derna was the Marines' first land battle on foreign soil and is notably recalled in the first verse of the Marines' Hymn. |
Mameluke sword |
Recruiting Posters
April 12 1861
Civil war began
Quotes"A ship without Marines is like a garment without buttons."
Adm David G. Farragut, 1862 |
"If the Marines are abolished half the efficiency of the Navy will be destroyed. They are as necessary to the well being of a ship as the officers. Instead of decreasing the Corps, I would rather hope to see a large increase, for we feel the want of Marines very much." RAdm David D. Porter in letter to Col Commandant John Harris, 6th CMC, 6 Dec. 1863 |
"Throughout my professional life, I have looked upon the Corps as a most valuable part of our naval organization, and this opinion has only been the more confirmed by every year's additional experience in active service." RAdm S. F. DuPont in letter to Col Commandant John Harris, 6th CMC, 29 Dec. 1863 |
"On board the new Ironsides, I had the Marine guard stationed at the after gun, thirty-five in number, and I think it was conceded that no gun of that heavy battery was worked more efficiently than the "Marine gun" as it was called." Cmdr T. Turner in letter to Col Commandant John Harris, 6th CMC, 29 Dec. 1863 |
References
Images URL:
(As they appear from top to bottom)
(n.d.).[usmc est].[photograph].retrieved from http://www.grunt.com/est-1775-custom-t-shirt-35
(n.d.).[tuntarvern].[photograph].retrieved from http://hspapp06.hsp.org/node/3158
(n.d.).[samuel nicholas].[photograph].retrieved from http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/americanrevolutio1/p/American-Revolution-Major-Samuel-Nicholas-Usmc.htm
(n.d.).[green uniform].[photograph].retrieved from http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/588-the-magruder-usmc-uniform-paintings/
(June 2009.).[blue coat uniform].[photograph].retrieved from http://juliannahaz.wordpress.com/2009/06/
(n.d.).[marines land on fort nassau].[photograph].retrieved from http://devier.net/ROTCmain/History/index.html
(n.d.).[act of naval armament].[photograph].retrieved from http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/OnlineLibrary/photos/iconic/icon-ev/est-usn.html
(n.d.).[mameluke sword].[photograph].retrieved from http://www.militarydisplaysonline.com/German-Certified-USMC-Officers-Sword_p_59.html
(n.d.).[war of 1812].[painting].retrieved from http://warof1812live.com/about/
(n.d.).[seminole war].[painting].retrieved from http://seminolewars.wikispaces.com/
(n.d.).[batte of chapultepec].[painting].retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/fosc/historyculture/mexwar.htm
(n.d.).[recruiting poster].[illustration].retrieved from http://www.johnsnyder.freehomepage.com/catalog.html
(n.d.).[recruiting poster].[illustration].retrieved from http://www.grunt.com/1861-prize-money-recruiting-poster
(n.d.).[civil war].[painting].retrieved from http://www.quia.com/sh/42191.html
(n.d.).[cpl john Mackie].[Photograph].retrieved from http://www.semperfidelisnoah.com/NoahsARKivesUSMCCivilWar.htm
Information
unitedstatesmarines.(2013).retrieved from http://www.marines.com/history-heritage/timeline/-/timeline/grid
Quotes
Continentalcongress.(1775).retrieved from http://www.marines.com/history-heritage/timeline/-/timeline/grid
Farragut,D.(1862).retrieved from http://www.marines.com/history-heritage/timeline/-/timeline/grid
Porter,D.(1863).retrieved from http://www.marines.com/history-heritage/timeline/-/timeline/grid
Dupont,S.(1863).retrieved from http://www.marines.com/history-heritage/timeline/-/timeline/grid
Turner,T.(1863).retrieved from http://www.marines.com/history-heritage/timeline/-/timeline/grid
(As they appear from top to bottom)
(n.d.).[usmc est].[photograph].retrieved from http://www.grunt.com/est-1775-custom-t-shirt-35
(n.d.).[tuntarvern].[photograph].retrieved from http://hspapp06.hsp.org/node/3158
(n.d.).[samuel nicholas].[photograph].retrieved from http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/americanrevolutio1/p/American-Revolution-Major-Samuel-Nicholas-Usmc.htm
(n.d.).[green uniform].[photograph].retrieved from http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/588-the-magruder-usmc-uniform-paintings/
(June 2009.).[blue coat uniform].[photograph].retrieved from http://juliannahaz.wordpress.com/2009/06/
(n.d.).[marines land on fort nassau].[photograph].retrieved from http://devier.net/ROTCmain/History/index.html
(n.d.).[act of naval armament].[photograph].retrieved from http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/OnlineLibrary/photos/iconic/icon-ev/est-usn.html
(n.d.).[mameluke sword].[photograph].retrieved from http://www.militarydisplaysonline.com/German-Certified-USMC-Officers-Sword_p_59.html
(n.d.).[war of 1812].[painting].retrieved from http://warof1812live.com/about/
(n.d.).[seminole war].[painting].retrieved from http://seminolewars.wikispaces.com/
(n.d.).[batte of chapultepec].[painting].retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/fosc/historyculture/mexwar.htm
(n.d.).[recruiting poster].[illustration].retrieved from http://www.johnsnyder.freehomepage.com/catalog.html
(n.d.).[recruiting poster].[illustration].retrieved from http://www.grunt.com/1861-prize-money-recruiting-poster
(n.d.).[civil war].[painting].retrieved from http://www.quia.com/sh/42191.html
(n.d.).[cpl john Mackie].[Photograph].retrieved from http://www.semperfidelisnoah.com/NoahsARKivesUSMCCivilWar.htm
Information
unitedstatesmarines.(2013).retrieved from http://www.marines.com/history-heritage/timeline/-/timeline/grid
Quotes
Continentalcongress.(1775).retrieved from http://www.marines.com/history-heritage/timeline/-/timeline/grid
Farragut,D.(1862).retrieved from http://www.marines.com/history-heritage/timeline/-/timeline/grid
Porter,D.(1863).retrieved from http://www.marines.com/history-heritage/timeline/-/timeline/grid
Dupont,S.(1863).retrieved from http://www.marines.com/history-heritage/timeline/-/timeline/grid
Turner,T.(1863).retrieved from http://www.marines.com/history-heritage/timeline/-/timeline/grid