The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1899-09-07

| corps, and the close of the war. wher
the continental army was bisbapded
and the navy placed out OF commits
sIon' the marine corps was retained
AMI thus became the only body o
troops IN the regular service
The army and the navy were organ.
lzei later. The marines have never
lost sight of this priority of establish
ment and continuity of service.
In the popular mind, marines are
synonymous with sailors. AS matter
OF fact they are not sailors at ALL but
soldiers serving in ships. They are a
part ct the naval force, under the iur-
lsdlc'ion of the Secretary of the Navy,
Dut they are nevertheless a distinct
organization from the navy proper.
Inc marines serve under their own
oi1cers and wear uniform different
widely from that of the blue Jackets.
In fact, the uniflrm of the marine
corps closely resembles that of the
army, consisting of the familiar sky
blue trousers and closely buttoned dark
coat with red trimmings.
The marines take the greatest pride
IN their personal appearance. Each
member of the guard strives to be at
all times the pink of perfection. His
clothes always appear new, with the
trousers creased as though fresh from
the hands Of tailor. His belt is pipe
clayed to dazzling whiteness and his
rifle is equally ready for parade or &C
ton. This conscientious striving to-
ward scrupulous cleanliness has borne
good fruit. Whenever this country
has been called upon to send detach-
ment OF soldiers to compete with fore.
ign troops the marines are selected,
because it is recognized that they will
reflect credit upon the nation. AT the
last Paris Exposition the United States
was represented by company of ma
rlnes under the command of Capt.
Henry Clay Cochrane and Lieut.. Paul
St. Clair Murphy. Here they came
into competition with all the crack
troops OF Europe, including many of
the famous royal guards. For neatness
OF appearance, solderly bearing and
precision of drill the marines bore off
the palm, being unanimously voted the
superlors of all their competitors by
the Paris papers of the day.
1t caused the heart of every visiting
American to beat with pride to see
American troops pointed out as model
soldiers. So marked was this superior
lty that the officers in charge were dec
GRATED with crosses of the Legion of
Honor. In the greatest of American
maritime wars, that known as the War
of 1872 with England, a marine guard
formed part of the complement of
every ship in the American Navy. At |
that time the marines were detailed as
infantry, and in battle were placed in
prominent positions, especially alott to
enable them by their accurate marks
manship to pick off exposed men on
the enemy's decks and thereby cripple
the guns crews. In those days ships
fought, not as now, at ranges varying
from three miles to half Il mile, but
yardarm to yardarm, and much de-
pended upon the GOODNESS and skill of
the marines in the tops, upon the few
occasions when the English succeeded
In boarding American vessels in ac-
ton, they were met with a wthering
hre from the marines, drawn up in a
body. 1t was impossible to withstand
these well directed volleys, and as the
enemy broke and fled, as they almost
invariably did, their retreat was made
disastrous by the charge across the
deck OF the sailors, cutlass in hand,
backed up by the fixed bayone:s of
the marines. The marines contribut-
ed greatly to the American victories
that characterized that war upon the
ocean. They took part in the engage
ments between the Wasp and Frolic,
the United States and the Macedonian
and the Constitution and the lava,
and in every instance the captains of
the American ships testified to their
valor and patriotism. Indeed their
prowess contributed very materially
toward the achievement of most of
these victories. In the fight between
the Constitution and the Guerrero,
Lieut.. Bush of the marines sprang up
on the taffrail of Old Ironsides in a
gallant attempt to board the enemy
and was instantly shot by an English
only American officer
killed IN the action. In the engage
ment between the Shannon and the
Chesapeake, which resulted in the de-
feat OF the American frigate and in the
death of the immortal Lawrence, the
marines covered themselves with glory.
AT the beginning of the action there
were forty -four men in the Chesapeake