The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1898-05-22
OUR BRAVE MARINES.
Were in Our First Naval ScraD and
Have Been "In 1t" Ever
Since,

"Tell it to the marines" But be sure
you tell it politely, For the United
States Marines are fighting corps, and
you might fare as badly as some of those
Spaniards are sure to ii the marines once
take aim and fire upon them.
There's the marine squad of the cruiser
Philadelphia, one OF Admiral Dewey's
squadron, which will fight in the Philip
pines. They have record of making
81 hits out OF 32O shots at long range
and OF hitting the target every time at
short range.
In all our wars the United States Ma
rine Corps has made record for itself to
be proud of. 1t has often earned the
thanks of Congress; many of its Of
licers have been promoted or brevetted
for gallantry, and sergeants, corporals
and privates have received medals Of
honor.
1t is one Of the Oldest fighting organi-
cations in this country, for one of the
first acts Of the Continental Congress, be.
fore single vessel of the navy was sent
to sea, was to organize two batlaions OF
Anne, lean Marines and i'll one of the
first naval scraps Of the Revolution,
Captain Nichols, in the descent on New
Providence in the Bahamas, led de-
tachment of marines which captured the
forts by assault. Thus, in the very first
event in which the regular American
navy was engaged the marines parici-
pated with honor.
During the tombardment OF Tripoli
and in the desperate hand-to-hand fight
ing which occurred between the vessels
on both sides Decatur boarded one of
the TripoIitan gunboats and engaged
the captain in a hand-to. hand sword
duel. One OF the enemy coming up
from behind was about to cleave Dcca-
tur's skull with sword, when a ma
rine interposed his arm. The arm
saved Decatur but it was severed to the
skin.
In the same battle Lieutenant Trippe,
of the Vixen, boarded Tripolitan gun
boat and singled out the commander for
personal conflict. A Turk aimed
blow at the lieutenant, but before he
could strike Sergeant Meredith, of the
marines, ran him through the body with
his bayonet.
1t was an officer of marines, Lieutcn-
ant OBannon, who. with Midshipman
Mann, hauled down the Tripolitan en-
sign after having storned the principal
defenses Of Derne and hoisted the flag of
the Republic on that fortress OF the Old
World.
Major Richard 5. Cullum OF the United
States Marine Corps, relates in his his
tory of the corps that in the fight be-
tween the Hornet and the Penguin dur.
ing the last year of the war of 1872 a
marine named Smith was shot through
the upper part Of the thigh, and almost
at the same moment had his leg broken
by the Hornets spanker boom. Yet,
while lying bleeding upon the deck and
unable to rise, he was seen to aim and
discharge his II usket at the enemy in tie
top.
In the famous expedition against Quail
lah Batto, under Commodore DoWnes,
the marines formed the van OF the land
lug party, and were in the thickest of
the fight with the Malays. The Marine
Corps also participated with brilliant re-
suits in the FI,ri0a-lndian War During
the Mexican War they rendered dis
service.
In fact, General Scott himself is au-
thority for the statement that they We're
placed where the hardest work was to be
done. At the storming OF the fortress OF
Chapultepec Major Levi Twiggs OF the
marines, lead the a.ssaulting party and
was killed. This fortress having been
the marines in General Quit
mans division moved directly on the
city of Mexico and entered the city with
Iheir division.
To this division was accorded the
honor OF first entering the palace and
hosting the American flag, fact which
explains the motto upon the coors Of the
,orps, From Tripoli to the Halls Of the
III,
. The marines also distinguished them
Ives in the Civil War. In the fight be- \