| 1860 sees the election of Abraham
Lincoln as President with 33 states in the Union. The Southern states seeing
this event as the expiration of their last hope for continued attachment
to the Union began to declare succession. On 20 Dec. 1860, South Carolina succeeds. By the inauguration of Lincoln,
seven states had left the Union. Before long South Carolina, Mississippi,
Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas,
and North Carolina had left. On Feb. 18th Jefferson Davis was elected President of the Confederate
States. At 4:30 on 12 April the shelling of the Federal fort in Charleston
Harbor, (Fort Sumter) begins. This conflict was one of the most pivotal in American history. It
changed America from a "we will" to "we are" status in the eyes of world,
made America a country-not a grouping of states, abolished slavery, left
600 thousand Americans dead, introduced the world to modern warfare- with
railroads supporting military operations, naval mines, submarines, trench
warfare, introduced electronic warfare communications, land mines, machine
guns, and total war. While the U.S. Marine Corps was but a small part of the Federal forces
arrayed against the Confederacy, as a result of the Northern strategy of
blockade of the Southern sea ports,; it was destined play a minor but important
role in the successful end to the Civil War. Just as emotions associated with the Civil War tore the country apart,
so did the Marine Corps fracture. While few enlisted men left the Corps;
the officer ranks were decimated with more than 20 of 63 men resigning their
commissions and "going south." Many of these were the best field officers
of the Corps of the time. (Interestingly, even today, the majority of the
Corps is composed of Marines from the south and south eastern United States.)
Leathernecks promptly garrisoned forts and batteries around Washington
and Leathernecks assisted in holding Fort Pickens outside of Pensacola Fl.,
which prevented the Confederates from making full use of the captured Federal
facilities and Naval Yard. Marines sabotaged Federal ships, buildings and equipment at the Navy
Yard at Norfolk Va. to prevent them from falling into Confederate hands. However, the Marine's first combat action was not among it's most
shining. A battalion of 12 officers and 353 enlisted men, commanded by Brevet
Maj. John Reynolds marched south in Jul. of 1861. While some of the officers
were well tried with experience in the Mexican War and other Marine Corps
deployments, the majority of the enlisted men had less than 3 weeks in uniform
and little training. Along with the rest of the Federal troops, the Marines advanced to
Bull Run (or Manassas). Original Federal advances went well, but reinforced
by rail, the Confederate line held upon the crest of Henry House Hill. Faced
with a cavalry charge led by Col. J.E.B. Stuart the Federal forces folded.
Marines saw service aboard naval ships, and as security at naval
stations, plus boarding parties, landing forces and as crew at shore based
artillery batteries. The Corps' first Medal of Honor would be won in action, (as luck
would have it against Confederate Marine Corps forces) at Drewry's Bluff
on the James River in VA south of Richmond, by Cpl. John Mackie.
Marines assaulted positions along the coast and participated in the Mobile Bay, New Orleans and Mississippi River campaigns.
Marine boarding parties assisted, as noted earlier, in blockade interdiction
and were part of an incident which almost drew Britain into the war on the
side of the south. On 8 Nov. 1861, Marines boarded the Royal Mail Steam Packet
ship Trent to capture Confederate envoys to England and France. Marines
escorted Confederates Mason and Slidell to captivity. Britain demanded their
release and to avoid an opening for the English to enter the war, Lincoln
released the men to a British ship. Leathernecks were also involved in two ill fated operations, the
attempted recapture of Fort Sumter and the amphibious/land assault on Fort
Fischer. Campaigns and dates:
Confederate States Marines
- President: Jefferson Davis
- Commandant of the CSMC:
- Colonel Commandant Lloyd J. Beall
- Manning of the CSMC: 58 Officers,1,200 enlisted
- CSMC Causalities: Unknown
- Weapons Used:
- British Enfield caliber .59, with sword bayonets
- US Musket caliber .69
-
Maynard breech loading rifle
Primary sources of information for this Battle History has been: The Confederate States Marine Corps: Rebel Leathernecks, written by Ralph Donnellly, and Nofi's book of Marine Corps Lists, and an article published in "America's Civil War" written by Civil War USMC authority David M Sullivan.
Established by legislation on March 6 1861, the CSMC was authorized a battalion strength with 6 companies. After Fort Sumter, an amendment passed on May 20 1861 which expanded the authorized strength to Regimental size. However, it is not thought that the CSMC ever truly reached its full authorized strength.
The CSMC, not surprisingly, mirrored the Federal Marine Corps in regulations and laws. Commanded by Colonel Commandant Lloyd James Beall a former soldier, West Point graduate and Quartermaster in the US Army, 21 officers of the USMC resigned their commissions and "went south" with 18 of them ending up in the CSMC. Two of these were of particular interest, 1Llt Israel Greene of Harper's Ferry fame, and the son of late Commandant Archibald Henderson, USMC 1 Lt. Richard H. Henderson. Only 4 known USMC enlisted men deserted for the Confederacy and the CSMC.
Originally, enlisted training was conducted at Pensacola, FL. The first two ship's guard detachments were deployed aboard the CSS Sumter and McRae almost immediately.
By 1861, CS Marines were being transferred to other Confederate posts in Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Virginia., with a heavy concentration at Drewry's Bluff on the James River, protecting the riverine approach from the Hampton Roads into Richmond.
The CSMC served on the following CS Navy ships: Atlanta, Alabama, Baltic, Charleston Chicora, Columbia, Dalman, Drewry, Fredricksburg, Gains, Gallego, Huntress, Indian Chief, Isondiga, Jamestown, Macon, McRae, Morgan, Nashville, North Carolina, Palmetto State, Patrick Henry, Raleigh, Resolute, Richmond, Sampson, Savannah (Steamer) Savannah (Ironclad), Tennessee, Guard Ship Time, United States, Virginia (Merrimack) Virginia II also, Chickamauga, Sumter, Tallahassee, Shenandoah, Georgia, Rappahannock, Stonewall, Floating batteries Artic, and Georgia.
Shore stations for the CSMC were: The Navy Yards at Richmond VA. Drewry's Bluff VA., Navy Yard Gosport (Norfolk) VA., Wilmington (Fort Fischer) NC., Savannah GA., Pensacola FL., Mobile AL., and possibly at the Navy Ordnance Works, Charlotte NC., The CSMC also maintained a battalion organization at the Headquarters in Richmond VA. as a ready reactionary force.
The CSMC would provide disciplined and loyal service just as the Federal Marines did, fighting hard at places like Ft. Fisher and Drewry's Bluff, aboard the blockade runner Alabama, and were among the last Confederate forces to surrender after a hard fought battle at Sayler's Creek in 1865 after acting as a component of the rear guard of the fleeing Confederate States Army. The last organized Confederates to surrender after General Lee surrendered in Virginia was a group of CS Marines around Mobile, AL. on May 10th, 1865.
Little is known about the CSMC in comparison to the USMC of the same period. Col. Commandant Beall took most of the documentation of the CSMC to his home after the war, and they were subsequently destroyed in a house fire. However what does exist points to an almost mirror organization with training, missions, discipline and uniforms (gray) all similar to that of the Federal Marines, those scraps also allow a view of what the CSMC members were issued and how they operated.
Basic uniform issue for 4 years for a CS Marine 1861:
1 Uniform Cap
2 Uniform Coats
1 pair epaulettes or counter straps
8 pair linen overalls
4 pairs woolen overalls
16 shirts
2 stocks
24 pairs of brogans
2 blankets
8 pairs socks
3 fatigue caps
4 fatigue jackets
8 flannel shirts
1 Great Coat
3 pompons
2 knapsacks
6 fatigue overalls
5 linen jackets.
(note that the brogan shoe issue allows for a life use of only two months per pair!)
Today, the only known existing example of an original period CSMC uniform is maintained at McElreath Hall, Atlanta, GA. at the Headquarters of the Atlanta Historical Society. This uniform is documented to have belonged to 1 Lt. Henry Lea Graves and according to Donnely, "..appears to conform to the 1859 USMC regulations..." in regards to cut and style with Army type rank devices.
The CSMC did not wear the white buff cross belts of the USMC of the period, rather they wore a black leather waist belt with cartridge box, bayonet scabbard and cap box all of black leather attached to the belt by slides with a back pack also in black, all on the British pattern.
Of the quality of service of the men of the CSMC, the following gives evidence that they were true Marines, in the tradition of the Federal Marines:
GENERAL ORDER.
Confederate States of America )
Headquarters Department No. 1 )
New Orleans, La., July 12, 1861)
The Major General commanding this department, thankfully acknowledges the valuable and efficient services rendered by the officers, seamen and marines of the C.S. Navy, on the late expedition which resulted in placing Ship Island in our possession, and driving off the vessels stationed there. Their gallantry in volunteering for the service, the prompt manner in which they executed it, the patience and cheerfulness with which they submitted to labor and exposure, and the coolness and courage displayed by them in the action with the enemy, call for unqualified admiration. To Lieutenant commanding. T.B. Huger, of the Confederate Steamer McRae, for his hearty cooperation in allowing his officers and men to join the expedition, the Major General tenders his special thanks.
By order of Major General Twiggs.
EDWARD HIGGINS,
Captain La. Artillery C.S.A., and Aid-de-Camp
The CSMC and USMC tangled at least 3 times, with one action leading to the first
Medal of Honor for a US Marine, (see Cpl. John Mackie.). These actions were:
• Battle of Drewry's Bluff, VA., 15 May 1862
• USS Kearsarge vs. CSS Alabama, Cherbourg, France, 19 June 1864
• Battle of Mobile Bay, 5 August, 1864.
Major operations of the CSMC:
• Defense of Ship Island, LA., 9 July 1861
• Battle of Hampton Roads (CSS Virginia against the USA squadron and
the USS Monitor, 8-9 March 1862
• Defense of Drewry's Bluff VA., 15 May 1862
• Cutting out of USS Underwriter, New Bern NC., 2 February 1864
• Defense of Drewry's Bluff, VA., 12-16 May 1864
• Battle of Mobile Bay, AL. 5 August 1864
• Defense of Fort Fisher, NC., 24-27 December 1864 and 6- 15 January
1865
• Battle of Sayler's Creek, VA., 6 April 1865
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