Ancient Marines, Pt 2/3

Part 2 of 3

During the naval supremacy of Rome, the quinquireme only, as a rule, was admitted into the line of battle. Polybius gives the number of rowers in these vessels as three hundred, and that of the Marines (dasiarii militcs) as one hundred and twenty. In regard to the manner of fighting, it may be observed that the Epibata used arrows and darts at a distance, spears and swords in close combat, and as ships increased in size they added balistce, and turres, or turrets (naves turritee), and fought from them as from castles on land.

In the earlier period of naval history, when opposing fleets, drawn up in parallel lines, closed at once and decided the issue of the battle by a hand-to-hand contest, the number of Marines aboard each vessel was as large as could be accommodated. But when, in the process of time, military science became better understood, and its principles came to be applied to the management of fleets, naval tactics grew to be an art in which the Athenians rendered themselves preeminently successful. Skilful manoeuvres and evolutions performed with wonderful celerity and precision took the place of the old style of rushing headlong into battle. To maim and disable an enemy, without receiving any injury in return, was now the evidence of an expert trierarch and a well-drilled crew; this feat once accomplished, and the enemy's vessel reduced to a helpless wreck upon the water, the survivors were easily despatched by the Marines. Hence, with the improved tactics came a reduction of the number of Marines
allowed to a Greek trireme, the precise number being finally settled at ten, as already stated, the entire complement of the trireme being two hundred.

The true functions of the Marine of modern times were little understood, his great value to the Navy to which he belonged little appreciated, till within a recent period. According to their own writers, the Corps of Marines of Great Britain was originally instituted in 1664 ; and, curiously enough, partly with a view to forming a nursery of seamen for the fleet. The privates were encouraged to qualify as able seamen, and were allowed every opportunity of doing so. *
"It having been found necessary on many occasions to embark a number of soldiers on board our ships of war * * it was judged expedient to appoint certain regiments for that service, who were trained to the different modes of sea-fighting, and also made useful in some of those manoeuvres of a ship where a great many hands were required. These, from the nature of their duty, were distinguished as Marine soldiers, or Marines." ("Grose's Military Antiquities of the English Army," Vol. I.) They were expected to be more or less familiar with the duties of seamen, and it is still more curious to observe that this total misapprehension as to the nature of the duties of Marines was transmitted to the colonies in America, and found definite expression in the first act of the Continental Congress establishing a Marine Corps.

In 1740 three additional regiments were raised in America and assembled at New York. All the officers, excepting the captains of companies, who were colonists nominated by the provinces, were appointed by the Crown, and Colonel Spotiswood, of Virginia, was colonel-commandant of the whole, t
• " Royal Marines," by T. Smith, R. M. Colburn's "United Sen-ice Magazine ""for May, and following numbers, 1874.

The history of the Royal Marines is not without its page of romance. One Hannah Snell, of Worcester, England, it appears, fought in the ranks as a Marine. She belonged to the guard of the Swallow, one of the squad.

In 1760, the strength of the Corps being increased to eighteen thousand, three hundred and fifty-five men, application was made for an increase of the number of field officers, etc.

Nicolas, in his history of the Royal Marine forces, gives very full accounts of all the battles in which that Corps participated, but although the British Marine had in many a hardfought action acquitted himself with credit, yet on no occasion had he proved himself of more value to the Navy to which he belonged, or reflected more honor on his Corps, than during the momentous period covering the great mutinies at Spithead, the Nore and Bantry Bay. The seamen of the fleet fully understanding the advantage, in the stand they had taken against the Government, of engaging the Marines as their allies, took care to include them in their demand for redress of abuses. In their answer to the Lords of the Admiralty, dated on board the Queen Charlotte at Spithead, April 19, 1797, they say,— "and as a further proof of our moderation, and that we are actuated by a true spirit of benevolence towards our brethren, the Marines, who are not noticed in your lordship's answer," etc. But neither had they, in their first statement of grievances, beginning, " We, the seamen of His Majesty's Navy," alluded, even remotely, to the Marines, showing that the alliance was an after thought. The Marines were mentioned, however, in the petition to Parliament. But although their " brethren the Marines " doubtless had their own grievances, yet they, as a rule, remained true to their duty, and by their steadfast courage and good discipline suppressed more than one mutiny. One remarkable instance
ron under Admiral Boscawan, was distinguished for bravery, wounded twelve times in various actions; and was finally discharged without her sex being discovered. This brings to mind the story of the lady whose devotion to the fortunes of one William Taylor induced her to follow that hero to sea. She assumed the name of Richard Carr, behaved with great gallantry, and notwithstanding the secret of her sex being revealed, she was actually promoted to be first lieutenant of the Thunder bomb. (See "Universal Songster," London, 1827, Vol. I., page 65.)
among many of a similar character, is related of the crew of the Impetueux, Captain Sir Edward Pellew, afterwards Lord Exmouth. The mutineers had in vain attempted to win over the Marines, and Sir Edward, rinding he had them on his side, at once took such energetic measures that the mutiny was put down. The Marine Guard of the Castor frigate summarily suppressed a mutiny on board that ship December, 1801. In the same year the mutiny in the squadron in Bantry Bay broke out; this also was put down by the aid of the Marines. On each occasion the good conduct of the Marines was recognized in the official report of the affair, and it was probably due to the reputation for loyalty then acquired under the most trying circumstances, rather than their conduct in battle, that gave rise to the complimentary order of the Admiralty, of April 29, 1802, conveying His Majesty's directions "that the Corps shall be styled Royal Marines." The last serious mutiny necessary in this connection to notice, occurred on board the Excellent, 74, in the West Indies.

Lord Hood, in general orders, dated " Blenheim, Barbadoes, December 30, 1802," says: "The commander-in-chief (as well as the members of the Court Martial), are highly sensible of the active exertions of the officers of H. M. ship Excellent, in quelling the late mutiny on board that ship; and also the officers, non-commissioned officers, and private Marines belonging to the said ship: who, by their firmness in resisting the attempt to seduce them from their duty, and in opposing men in actual mutiny, have increased, if possible, the high character the Corps has so justly acquired," etc., etc. It is evident that the worth of the British Marine had begun to be acknowledged, and yet it was not till 1837 that the " iniquitous system " * of rewarding distinguished naval officers by appointing them to the sinecures of generals and colonels of Marines was abolished.

The value of the Royal Marine as exhibited in his loyalty during a series of mutinies of ships' companies, extending over a period of five years, — or from 1797 to 1802, — some of which shook the throne of Great Britain to its very foundation, was found to be in the total absence of sympathy between him and the seaman ; an inimical feeling, perhaps, which the appointment of naval officers, of whatever class, to positions in the Corps, had a decided tendency to break down. Hence it may be assumed as a general proposition, subject to little qualification, that the value of a Marine Corps to a Navy, or of a Marine Guard to a ship, is in direct proportion to the thoroughness of its military training, its esprit de corps, and the strict observance of that line of demarkation which separates the military from the naval element.

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Part 3 comes tomorrow!