Commandant Gale
18 October is the Anniversary of the cashiering from the Marine Corps
of our 4th Commandant.
Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Wayne Gale
Fourth Commandant of the Marine Corps
Anthony Gale was one of the first officers commissioned when the Marine Corps was re-established in 1798. Gale was Ship's Company Commander aboard USS Ganges in November 1799 when Navy Lieutenant Allen McKenzie had one of the Marines put in irons without first consulting Gale. When Gale inquired about the incident McKenzie called him a "rascal." The rest of the story is related in correspondence by then Commandant of the Marine Corps, Lieutenant Colonel William Ward Burrows "The Captain took no notice of the business and Gale got no satisfaction on the cruise. The moment he arrived he called (McKenzie) out and shot him. Afterwards politeness was restored." McKenzie died of his wounds but Burrows went on to say, "It is hoped that this may be a lesson to the Navy Officers to treat the Marines, as well as their Officers with more respect."
In 1815 Burrows successor as Commandant, Lieutenant Colonel Franklin Wharton, was charged by Congress with over-spending on the construction of Marine Barracks Philadelphia. He, in turn, accused the Commandant of the barracks, Anthony Gale, of building "extravagant" officers' quarters. Gale was ordered to stand before a Court of Inquiry but was exonerated.
It was shortly after this that Wharton was again called to account to Congress. This time he was accused of fleeing Washington rather than leading his Marines into the Battle of Bladensburg. When it convened his Court Martial consisted of three Navy Captains and Captain of Marines, Anthony Gale. The Court decided that Marines ashore were subject to Army, not Navy, Courts under the Articles of War, and the charges were ultimately dropped. His duties on his Commandant's Court Martial complete Gale was promoted to Major and transferred to command Marine Barracks New Orleans.
Soon afterwards a letter to the Secretary of the Navy reported that Navy officers had, "frequently seen Major Gale intoxicated at New Orleans and that his associates were of such a description and his habits of such a nature as to prevent the respectable officers of that station from having any social or friendly intercourse with him." Of Gale's Marines, Daniel T. Patterson, Commander of the New Orleans Naval Station wrote to the Secretary, "It is reluctantly and with extreme regret that I have again to address you relative to the Marines of this station, but longer to remain silent would be to neglect my duty. The Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates are, without exception, the most depraved, abandoned, and drunken set of men ever collected together."
While Gale was preparing to go to Washington to answer the preceding charges, Commandant Wharton died. At his Court Martial Gale was found not guilty and returned to duty. As he was the next senior officer in the Marine Corps he was nominated to become Commandant. Despite the vigorous protests and political maneuvering of the Paymaster of the Marine Corps and Major Archibald Henderson (each of whom felt themselves better qualified for the position), on 5 March 1818 Gale was confirmed as the fourth Commandant of the Marine Corps. With it came promotion to Lieutenant Colonel.
His tenure was to be brief. Little more than 18 months later, on 18 September 1820, Lieutenant Colonel Gale's Court Martial convened at Marine Barracks Washington. The first charge was that he was publicly intoxicated in the city of Washington on six specified dates---during the month of August. There were also several specifications under the charge of "Conduct Unbecoming an Officer," first, that he had visited a house of prostitution near the barracks, "in an open and disgraceful manner." Second, that on 1 September he had, before witnesses, called the Paymaster of the Marine Corps, "a damned rascal, a liar, and a coward." Other charges concerned his breaking house arrest and maintaining a Marine as a personal servant.
Gale's unsuccessful defense was temporary insanity. He was cashiered from the Marine Corps on 18 October 1820, leaving 46 other officers on active duty in the Corps. Archibald Henderson succeeded him as Commandant. Several years afterwards Gale successfully petitioned the government for a pension, and after that, for a raise to the pension. He died in Stanford Kentucky in 1843. Today no trace of his grave exists and Anthony Wayne Gale is the only Commandant of whom the Marine Corps has no portrait.
of our 4th Commandant.
Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Wayne Gale
Fourth Commandant of the Marine Corps
Anthony Gale was one of the first officers commissioned when the Marine Corps was re-established in 1798. Gale was Ship's Company Commander aboard USS Ganges in November 1799 when Navy Lieutenant Allen McKenzie had one of the Marines put in irons without first consulting Gale. When Gale inquired about the incident McKenzie called him a "rascal." The rest of the story is related in correspondence by then Commandant of the Marine Corps, Lieutenant Colonel William Ward Burrows "The Captain took no notice of the business and Gale got no satisfaction on the cruise. The moment he arrived he called (McKenzie) out and shot him. Afterwards politeness was restored." McKenzie died of his wounds but Burrows went on to say, "It is hoped that this may be a lesson to the Navy Officers to treat the Marines, as well as their Officers with more respect."
In 1815 Burrows successor as Commandant, Lieutenant Colonel Franklin Wharton, was charged by Congress with over-spending on the construction of Marine Barracks Philadelphia. He, in turn, accused the Commandant of the barracks, Anthony Gale, of building "extravagant" officers' quarters. Gale was ordered to stand before a Court of Inquiry but was exonerated.
It was shortly after this that Wharton was again called to account to Congress. This time he was accused of fleeing Washington rather than leading his Marines into the Battle of Bladensburg. When it convened his Court Martial consisted of three Navy Captains and Captain of Marines, Anthony Gale. The Court decided that Marines ashore were subject to Army, not Navy, Courts under the Articles of War, and the charges were ultimately dropped. His duties on his Commandant's Court Martial complete Gale was promoted to Major and transferred to command Marine Barracks New Orleans.
Soon afterwards a letter to the Secretary of the Navy reported that Navy officers had, "frequently seen Major Gale intoxicated at New Orleans and that his associates were of such a description and his habits of such a nature as to prevent the respectable officers of that station from having any social or friendly intercourse with him." Of Gale's Marines, Daniel T. Patterson, Commander of the New Orleans Naval Station wrote to the Secretary, "It is reluctantly and with extreme regret that I have again to address you relative to the Marines of this station, but longer to remain silent would be to neglect my duty. The Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates are, without exception, the most depraved, abandoned, and drunken set of men ever collected together."
While Gale was preparing to go to Washington to answer the preceding charges, Commandant Wharton died. At his Court Martial Gale was found not guilty and returned to duty. As he was the next senior officer in the Marine Corps he was nominated to become Commandant. Despite the vigorous protests and political maneuvering of the Paymaster of the Marine Corps and Major Archibald Henderson (each of whom felt themselves better qualified for the position), on 5 March 1818 Gale was confirmed as the fourth Commandant of the Marine Corps. With it came promotion to Lieutenant Colonel.
His tenure was to be brief. Little more than 18 months later, on 18 September 1820, Lieutenant Colonel Gale's Court Martial convened at Marine Barracks Washington. The first charge was that he was publicly intoxicated in the city of Washington on six specified dates---during the month of August. There were also several specifications under the charge of "Conduct Unbecoming an Officer," first, that he had visited a house of prostitution near the barracks, "in an open and disgraceful manner." Second, that on 1 September he had, before witnesses, called the Paymaster of the Marine Corps, "a damned rascal, a liar, and a coward." Other charges concerned his breaking house arrest and maintaining a Marine as a personal servant.
Gale's unsuccessful defense was temporary insanity. He was cashiered from the Marine Corps on 18 October 1820, leaving 46 other officers on active duty in the Corps. Archibald Henderson succeeded him as Commandant. Several years afterwards Gale successfully petitioned the government for a pension, and after that, for a raise to the pension. He died in Stanford Kentucky in 1843. Today no trace of his grave exists and Anthony Wayne Gale is the only Commandant of whom the Marine Corps has no portrait.
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