The Royal Marine Corps also has an interesting history and background. Gillespie provides insights into that institution which can help understand the USMC.
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Part 1 of 2
At a period when the commerce of this Country bore no proportion to its present state, the supplies of Seamen, under a system of impress, were extremely precarious, and often inadequate to the public emergencies. Experience had alfo shewn, that raw landsmen were most improper substitutes for this want, as the sudden change of life rendered them subject to immediate disease, and sea-sickness, at a time when their active services were required. These united causes originally suggested the expediency of forming an establishment of Marines, who were raised and embodied with the sole view of being a nursery to man our fleets. They were always quartered in the vicinity of our principal sea-ports, where they were regularly trained to the different methods of ship fighting, and to these various manoeuvres of a vessel, in which numbers were necessary. Being thus locally placed, their value was early felt by their exertions in equipping the squadrons fitted out, when but little confidence could be placed in the sailor, perhaps just impressed into the service.
The general principles and regulations that were instituted for the conduct of the Marine regiments, from their formation, to the close of the reign of King William III. evidently shew that they were entirely devoted to naval purposes. As each individual became properly qualified to act on board of ship as a foremast-man, which was uniformly encouraged, he was discharged from his regiment, entered upon the books as such, and levy-money was granted to the officers of his corps, in order to supply the vacancy of him who was thus transferred.
The first authentic instance of any regiment of this description appears in the Army List of 1684, and from the return of the general review on Putney Heath, upon the first day of October in that year. Neither the exact sera of its establishment, or that of the other maritime forces, is clearly ascertained ; and it would be absurd to speculate upon dates which can yield no material result.
The return which I have mentioned runs thus, and is annexed at large : The Lord High Admiral of England, his Royal Highness the Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot, commanded by the Honourable Sir Charles Littleton, called also the Admiral Regiment.
State Major, or the Staff Officers of the Admiral Regiment,
Richard Beauvoir, Adjutant.
Tobias Legrofs, Quarter-Mafter.
Samuel Tatham, Chirurgeon.
John Tatham, Chirurgeon's Mate.
This regiment consisted of twelve companies, without any grenadiers, had yellow coats lined with red, and their colours were a red cross, with rays of the sun issuing from each of its angles.. It stood the third in seniority in the line of that day; and it may be presumed, from its subsequent reduction, that a step was obtained in it by the 4th, then the Regiment of Holland, commanded by John, the second Lord Mulgrave, and now entitled The Old Buffs.
Betwixt 1687 and 1698, there were several maritime regiments raised for the purposes, and under the regulations I have stated. They were Colonels Mordaunt, Colt, Seymour, and Brudenell s; also, Sir Cloudesley Shovel's, my Lord Torrington's, and the Marquis of Carmarthen's ; all of which were disbanded during the currency of 1697 and 1698.
The expences incurred by the maintenance of the maritime troops were classed with the estimates of the navy, and money was issued from time to time, by warrant from the Lord High Treasurer to the Treasurer of the Navy, who placed it in the hands of a person especially appointed to receive and pay it. Under this system, the Admiralty and Navy Boards were subjected to much trouble, in forming and directing its different arrangements.
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