The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-02-03


The first object is, TO instil into them these
sound military principles -obedience, subor-
dinailon, and respect, that they may be emil
tied 10 confidence in the discharge OF their
duties, as sentinels to watch over your maya
zines, spirit-rooms, store-rooms, gangways,
galleys, and look-outs to preserve order, and
prevent interruption TO the cooking duties, and
to guard your prisoners Of war, who some
times outnumber the crew. In port. they
constitute the ck-guard, and at sea they are
(at least, large portion OF them,) always
near their arms thus they prevent surprise
from without, and check mutiny within. In
the ordinary duties at sea, the marine watch
perform the same duties ondeck which would
be required of any other body of men, except
going aloit consequently, their usefulness
and force as men are not lost for there must
be some men kept on deck, in reefing and
furling, to haul the rigging, and manage the
cordage ior those who are aloit, In battle,
when the ship is engaged on both sides, or
when otherwise necessary, they can be dis
tributed among the carriage guns, for working
the artillery Should any operation, wholly
military be required of them on shore, they
would be more efficient and competent to It's
performance.
Should the combined efforts of scamen and
marines be required for the surprise of posts,
or the escalade of a fortress, the marines, as
a supporting column ofregular infantry, would
security Of the other classes who are appoint
ed TO make the grand effort, and would yield
them steady column and military support in
case of failure, when they would constitute
the reserve and cover the retreat and embark
alton of the seamen. The latter are class Of
men, whose onset and first efforts are trcmen-
dous and formidable but, if resisted and dis
comfted, they break into hundred groups,
which cannot be rallied, and they become a
mere mob, who, without BODY of regulars TO
sustain them, must fall sacrifice. Seamen
have particular aversion to the Infantry drill,
and, generally speaking, can be brought to
little more in that art than to load and fire.
That strict subordination and obedience to
orders, and the pride of feeling, intuitiv We in a
regular soldier, cannot be attained by a sea-
man hence the entire confidence of the Off
GERS, for the performance Of the ordinary du-
ties on posts, cannot be yielded them: fire.
quent punishments would cnsue for neglect
and irregularities, and disgust to the service
would follow. But, sir, there is another evil
in attempting to make marines of sailors: the
scarcity of seamen, and ordinary seamen,
would embarrass more and more the manning
of our ships of war, if those who act as ma
rines be substituted from the other classes.
TO take them from andsmen, no advantage
would be gained as regards the increased
nautical efficiency Of our ships; but much
would be lost with respect TO the military por-
tion-we should have the men without the
seaman's or the soldiers profession. In the
above observations, have referred to the pos
sibility of mutiny in ournational ships of war.
That mutiny has occurred in our navy, there
is no doubt. One instance took place on board
the Constitution, in the bay of Leghorn, inthe
year 1907 The mutiny broke out, | think,
in July, and was near becoming serious. BY
the formidable appearance of a column of ma
rinc bavonets, supported by nearly hundred
gallant officers armed, it was not only sup
pressed, buttwenty ofthe ringeaders were Sc
cured, aud sent home in the ship ironed, for
pnnishment but the Government deemed it
most advisable not to punish them, as They
,oere righi, and The commander pas ,crong. 1t
appeared that the period for which the men
had engaged had erpired. This practice of
keeping the ships of war absent beyond the
period for which their crews are engaged, is
becoming fruitful source of mutny. Com
manders, anxious to execute all the objects Of
the Government in sending them abroad, lose
sight of their obligations TO obey the lar, there
by rendering themselves liable to encounter
death at sea- in the shape Of mutiny, and ciUH
prosecutions on shore for OBTAINING these men
beyond the period for which engaged Their
paramount duty is TO return to the IT, States,
and discharge their crews, after they have
faithfully performed their part Of the contract
The Government should faithfully perform
theirs, by returning them to their country and
homes, and not suffer them TO be discharged
pennylcss in distant seas, 10 encounter starva-
ton, or to beg or become pirates.
Very many persons are under the impress
sion that most of the mutinies in the British
navy originate in their practice Of Impress
ment; but believe there is scarcely an in
stance of the kind on record. Their mutnies
originated from oppreSS'on and not Impress
mont. | also believe there is no case where
the marines, as body, participated in the mu-
tiny of the seamen. If we refer to the very
serious mutiny of the Channel fleet at the
More, in 1888, | think we will find Il speak
from impressions on the memory only) that
nothing was stated by the mutineers as griev-
ance for redress on the part of the impressed
men, except that sentence OF death for descr-
ton, committed by an impressed man, was
urged on the King as TOO severe punishment;
and those who volunteered forthe service, and
took the bounty, insisted on being discharged
every seven years. About the same period, a
bloody mutiny took place on board the British
friga,e, the Ilermoine, on the West India sta
ton. This mutiny originated in the oppres-