MARINO
05-14-2008, 11:10 AM
British, American, French and Spanish Marines participated in land campaigns during the Revolution.
In December of 1774 the British landed a battalion of 460 Marines in Boston under the command of MAJ Pitcairn. Prior to Lexington Concord the battalion had been reduced by sickness to 336 all ranks. The men were not well regarded physcially by the Army they supported but improved once they were exercised on land. They were joined in May 1775 by an augmentation force of marines of 2 MAJs, 10 CPTs, 27 subalterns (lieutenants/ensigns), 28 SGTs, 25 CPLs, 29 Drummers and 600 PVTs from Britain who volunteered for service in America. These 600 were regarded as select men. Joined with the original detachment they reformed as two full strength (477 man) battalions including Light Infantry and Grenadier companies (complete with light infantry or bearskin caps and battalion colours - things not normally needed or used by Marines aboard ship). The flank companies participated in Lexington/Concord and the detachment fought at Bunker Hill and the rest of the Boston campaign. Withdrawn with Howe's army to Halifax and subsequently deployed with the fleet to Staten Island. The Marine battalions reinforced by ships Marine contingents to a total of 2000 men participated in the Battle of Long Island in a supporting role. After occupation of Newport and Philadelphia the Marine battalions spent the rest of the 1777 and early 1778 as the garrison of the fortress of Halifax. In March 1778 the detachment was returned to the fleet as the Navy prepared for French and Spanish intervention. The Army attempted to keep the flank companies under its command but that was refused. During the war three British infantry regiments were detached to serve as Marines aboard the British fleets: the 5th from NOV 1778 in the West Indies, 40th from AUG 1781 from NYC , and 69th which arrived in NYC with fleet reinforcements from England in SEP 1781.
Two battalions of Continental Marines were authorized in November of 1775 with a COL, 2 x LTC's, 2 MAJ's other officers and enlisted ranks as per authorization of Continental Army Infantry battalions. It was never raised to that strength. In addition to serving as actual marines in Commodore Hopkins raid in the West Indies, the force served as a detachment under the command of a Major during the Trenton/Princeton campaign. They served as a rifle unit and supplemented the Continental Artillery. Later some of the marines were absorbed into Continental Artillery. Benedict Arnold's fleet on Lake Champlain was also reinforced with detachments from Continental infantry regiments to serve as Marines (who in turn manned gun crews and used small arms from the deck) and fought at Valcour Island. Willings' Independent Continental Marine Company was raised for service on the Missisippi River on board the warboat Rattletrap. A small company of 34 men all ranks it participated in operations against British posts along that river.
Two forces of French Marines served in land campaigns in America, but these were actually French infantry detached to serve aboard the Navy as marines. E'Estaing's entire 4000 man infantry force was composed of detachments of infantry regiments serving as Marines. As this force was very large for his fleet of 12 warships some of these must have been carried on transports in anticipation of land action. D'Estaing's marines particpated in the unsuccessful campaigns at Newport and Savannah.
During the Yorktown campaign the French Admiral De'Grasse landed a force of 800 infantry serving as marines to support siege operations. These reinforced Weedon's VA militia besieging Tarleton's detachment across for Yorktown at Gloucester.
Finally Spanish Marines participated in Marshal De'Galvez' campaigns in the Floridas. A Marine brigade of three battalions under COL Lopez was formed. The 1st and 2nd batalion had 9 companies each and the 3rd had 7. The Spanish Marine Brigade served during the decisive Pensacola campaign participating during the capture of key forts.
Of course all these countries had marines serving aboard warships of Frigate sized or larger during the various naval engagments of the war.
In December of 1774 the British landed a battalion of 460 Marines in Boston under the command of MAJ Pitcairn. Prior to Lexington Concord the battalion had been reduced by sickness to 336 all ranks. The men were not well regarded physcially by the Army they supported but improved once they were exercised on land. They were joined in May 1775 by an augmentation force of marines of 2 MAJs, 10 CPTs, 27 subalterns (lieutenants/ensigns), 28 SGTs, 25 CPLs, 29 Drummers and 600 PVTs from Britain who volunteered for service in America. These 600 were regarded as select men. Joined with the original detachment they reformed as two full strength (477 man) battalions including Light Infantry and Grenadier companies (complete with light infantry or bearskin caps and battalion colours - things not normally needed or used by Marines aboard ship). The flank companies participated in Lexington/Concord and the detachment fought at Bunker Hill and the rest of the Boston campaign. Withdrawn with Howe's army to Halifax and subsequently deployed with the fleet to Staten Island. The Marine battalions reinforced by ships Marine contingents to a total of 2000 men participated in the Battle of Long Island in a supporting role. After occupation of Newport and Philadelphia the Marine battalions spent the rest of the 1777 and early 1778 as the garrison of the fortress of Halifax. In March 1778 the detachment was returned to the fleet as the Navy prepared for French and Spanish intervention. The Army attempted to keep the flank companies under its command but that was refused. During the war three British infantry regiments were detached to serve as Marines aboard the British fleets: the 5th from NOV 1778 in the West Indies, 40th from AUG 1781 from NYC , and 69th which arrived in NYC with fleet reinforcements from England in SEP 1781.
Two battalions of Continental Marines were authorized in November of 1775 with a COL, 2 x LTC's, 2 MAJ's other officers and enlisted ranks as per authorization of Continental Army Infantry battalions. It was never raised to that strength. In addition to serving as actual marines in Commodore Hopkins raid in the West Indies, the force served as a detachment under the command of a Major during the Trenton/Princeton campaign. They served as a rifle unit and supplemented the Continental Artillery. Later some of the marines were absorbed into Continental Artillery. Benedict Arnold's fleet on Lake Champlain was also reinforced with detachments from Continental infantry regiments to serve as Marines (who in turn manned gun crews and used small arms from the deck) and fought at Valcour Island. Willings' Independent Continental Marine Company was raised for service on the Missisippi River on board the warboat Rattletrap. A small company of 34 men all ranks it participated in operations against British posts along that river.
Two forces of French Marines served in land campaigns in America, but these were actually French infantry detached to serve aboard the Navy as marines. E'Estaing's entire 4000 man infantry force was composed of detachments of infantry regiments serving as Marines. As this force was very large for his fleet of 12 warships some of these must have been carried on transports in anticipation of land action. D'Estaing's marines particpated in the unsuccessful campaigns at Newport and Savannah.
During the Yorktown campaign the French Admiral De'Grasse landed a force of 800 infantry serving as marines to support siege operations. These reinforced Weedon's VA militia besieging Tarleton's detachment across for Yorktown at Gloucester.
Finally Spanish Marines participated in Marshal De'Galvez' campaigns in the Floridas. A Marine brigade of three battalions under COL Lopez was formed. The 1st and 2nd batalion had 9 companies each and the 3rd had 7. The Spanish Marine Brigade served during the decisive Pensacola campaign participating during the capture of key forts.
Of course all these countries had marines serving aboard warships of Frigate sized or larger during the various naval engagments of the war.