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Supposed "First battle of US Marines"

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13 comments

  • Spider7115
    That wasn't their first battle - that was simply the Marines' involvement in the battle at "1st Manassas" during the American Civil War. The Marines' first battle was in the Bahamas in 1776.

    On November 10, 1775, the Continental Congress passed a resolution stating that "two battalions of Marines be raised" for service as landing forces with the fleet. This established the Continental Marines and marked the birth of the United States Marine Corps. Serving on land and at sea, early Marines distinguished themselves in a number of important operations, including their first amphibious raid on foreign soil in the Bahamas in March 1776, under the command of the Corps' first commandant, Capt. Samuel Nicholas. The 1783 Treaty of Paris ended the Revolutionary War and as the last of the Navy's ships were sold, the Continental Navy and Marines disbanded.

    Following the formal re-establishment of the Marine Corps on July 11, 1798, Marines fought in conflicts with France, landed in Santo Domingo and conducted operations against the Barbary pirates along the "Shores of Tripoli."
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  • The Dutchman
    Didn't they go ashore in North Africa against the Barbary Pirates?
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  • Spider7115
    quote:Originally posted by The Dutchman
    Didn't they go ashore in North Africa against the Barbary Pirates?

    Yes - Tripoli is in Libya. "The shores of Tripoli" refer to the Mediterranean sea on the shores of Libya in North Africa.
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  • fishkiller41
    quote:Originally posted by Spider7115
    quote:Originally posted by The Dutchman
    Didn't they go ashore in North Africa against the Barbary Pirates?

    Yes - Tripoli is in Libya. "The shores of Tripoli" refer to the Mediterranean sea on the shores of Libya in North Africa.
    THAT is what i thought, that's where "The halls of Montezuma,tothe shores of Tripole" came from. Yet, GOOGLE it as "The first battle ever fought by the US Marines", and what i posted, is what you get. I believe that's what BG read.
    Still no excuse to come-off like a JURGOFF!
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  • ljwrench
    I think that "The Shores of Tripoli" refered to the Marines fighting the Barbary Pirates which happened in the late 1700's or early 1800's. The countries on the southern and eastern shores of the Med required a bribe/tax on foriegn ships and the U.S. wouldn't pay although most of the european countries did (imagine that!). I think it was Pres. J. Adams that stood up to them. I might be getting my history mixed up.
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  • Spider7115
    quote:Originally posted by fishkiller41
    quote:Originally posted by Spider7115
    quote:Originally posted by The Dutchman
    Didn't they go ashore in North Africa against the Barbary Pirates?

    Yes - Tripoli is in Libya. "The shores of Tripoli" refer to the Mediterranean sea on the shores of Libya in North Africa.
    THAT is what i thought, that's where "The halls of Montezuma,tothe shores of Tripole" came from. Yet, GOOGLE it as "The first battle ever fought by the US Marines", and what i posted, is what you get. I believe that's what BG read.
    Still no excuse to come-off like a JURGOFF!

    Marines served under the Department of the Army during the Civil War through World War I. In fact, when Robert E. Lee was sent to Harper's Ferry to capture abolitionist John Brown, he took a detachment of Marines from Marine Barracks in Washington, DC, not US Army soldiers.
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  • Rack Ops
    quote:Originally posted by bgjohn
    Is it true that the marines were routed in their first battle? I heard the British opened fire and the marines ran like rabbits.
    JM[?]


    If he's referencing Bull Run, he obviously failed history class.

    Last time I checked, the Red Coats weren't marching with the Confederate Army
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  • allen griggs
    While the Union Army was routed at Bull Run, I have never heard of any role played by the Marines in this battle. If there were Marines involved, there were not very many of them.
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  • Spider7115
    quote:Originally posted by allen griggs
    While the Union Army was routed at Bull Run, I have never heard of any role played by the Marines in this battle. If there were Marines involved, there were not very many of them.

    One batallion of Marines served at Bull Run under the command of Major Jacob Zeilin. Although they were assigned as artillery escorts, they engaged in some of the fiercest fighting, suffering approximately 18% casualty rate. Major Zeilin went on to become the seventh Commandant of the Marine Corps in 1864.
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  • kimi
    quote:Originally posted by Rack Ops
    quote:Originally posted by bgjohn
    Is it true that the marines were routed in their first battle? I heard the British opened fire and the marines ran like rabbits.
    JM[?]


    If he's referencing Bull Run, he obviously failed history class.

    Last time I checked, the Red Coats weren't marching with the Confederate Army


    He might have the Marines confused with the Brits according to Johnny Horton's song The Battle of New Orleans:

    Yeah, they ran through the briars and they ran through the brambles
    And they ran through the bushes where a rabbit couldn't go.
    They ran so fast that the hounds couldn't catch 'em
    Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.
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  • 0341USMC
    May 9th 1775
    Lake Champlain
    Soldiers from Brigadier General Benedict Arnold's
    Massachusetts force capture a british sloop at Skenesborough on
    Lake Champlain and rename Liberty.Massachusetts soldiers,turned
    sailors and Marines,man her.


    Scott
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  • oldgunner
    Don't know about the first battle, but I'd like to say, "Happy Birthday" to all you marines and ex marines.
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  • TRAP55
    quote:Yes - Tripoli is in Libya. "The shores of Tripoli" refer to the Mediterranean sea on the shores of Libya in North Africa.
    Islamic terrorism has been around for a while, and the marines are still kickin their azz! Happy Birthday Marines!
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