Evening journal., 1899-09-12

, general and admiral at sea, while the
crews of the vessels in his feet we're In
part made up OF sailors, who handled
the sails and attended t. the naviga-
tion, and In part Of soldiers atioat, ma
rines, who did the fighting, and whose
prowess destroyed the maritime su-
premacy of Holland and swept from
/ the seas the fleets OF the Dutch admi-
rails, Van Trompe and De Ruyter. Even
/ Nelson himself at one time held a
commission as a colonel OF marines
To return to the marine corps, after
this glimpse of the past lt has shared
gloriously in every war in which the
navy has played part, during the mi
nor wars with the pirates u the Bar
bary States, and during the naval war
with France at the close of the last
century. The marine guards upon the
American ships invariably fought with
tireless energy and superb courage. In
the greatest OF American maritime
wars, that known as the war Of 1912
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 promi-
nent positions, especially aloft to en-
sole them by their accurate marksman-
ship to pick off exposed men on the
enemy's decks, and thereby cripple the
gun crews. In those days ships fought,
not as now, at ranges varying from
three miles to half a mile, but yard
arm to yard arm. and much depended
upon the ooolness and skill of the ma
rines In the tops. Upon the few occa-
siOns when the English succeeded Ia
boarding American vessels In action
they we're met with a withering fire
from the marines, drawn up in a body.
1t was impossible to withstand these
well-direoted volleys, and as the enc
my brolee and fed, as they almost in
variahly did their retreat was made
disastrous by the charge across the
deck, OF sailors, cutlass in hand, back
ed up by the fixed bayonets of the ma
rines.
The marines contributed greatly to-
the American victories that character
lied that war upon the ocean. They
took part in the engagements between
the Constitution and Guerriere. the
Wasp and the Frolic, the United States
and the Macedonian and the Constitu-
tion and the Java, and in every in
stance the captains OF the American
ships testified to their valor and pa. |
triotism. Indeed, their prowess con
tributed very materially toward the
achievement of most OF these victories. |
In the fight between the Constitution
and the Guerriere lieutenant Bush. ofl
the marines, sprang upon the taffrail
ofold lronsides In a gallant attempt to |
board the enemy and was instantly |
shot by an English marine, the only
American officer killed in Che action. |
In the engagement between the Shan |
non and the Chesapeake, which result. |
ed In the defeat of the American frigate
the marines covered themselves with
glory
AT the beginning of the action there
were forty-four men in the Chesa-
peake's marine guard Fourteen. in
cluding Lieutenant James Brown. were
killed outright and twenty others were
wounded. When the British boarded
TO take possession It is stated that the
only men who behaved we'll were the
marines" And yet there were only ten |
left to meet the British tars who we're
pouring over the decks in great num-
bers.
In the war with Mexico the marines
rendered meritorious service. The
naval force in the Pacific, under Com
modores Sloat and Stockton, conquered
California, and thereby added a vast
domain to the American republic. Dur
ing these campaigns the marines under
Lieutenant Gillespie. underwent many |
hardships, made long marches through /
a mountainous country and success
fully combatted an enemy outnumber- /
ing them three to one. The services
Of Lieutenant Jacob Zielin, OF the ma
rines, who afterward became command /
ant with the rank OF brigadier- general.
were particularly valuable. Lieutenant
Haywood, who is now brigadier-gen-
eral and cOmmandant Of the corps. also
achieved distinction. He commanded /
the garrison at San Jose and although /
fercely attacked by an overwhelmingl
force of Mexicans, defended his posi- j
tion with such skill that he baffled AID |
attempts TO dislsdge him. These ma
rines not only succeeded in retaining
their stronghold. but In a series OF bril- |
llant sortiers inflicted great loss upon
the enemy. They were besieged for |
Ia ~ olA lnouAu6f uul so great WaSl
heywood's fertility OF resource and 80
ureless were his subordinates in theirl
Efforts to keep at bay the enemy that
the Mexicans never gained a single ad- |
vantage and were finally forced TO re,
tire.
In the naval operations on the east
ern coast OF Mexico the marines alsol
rendered good service and later de-
tachment commanded by Lieutenant
Colonel Watson accompanied General
SCOTS army in the field. The party
that stormed Chapultepec was largely
made up Of volunteers srom the ma
rines under Major Levi Twigg. of that
corps. The first advance was led bv
captain Reynolds, also Of the marines }
Major Twigg lost his life in the fierc q
hand-to-hand conflict and Gene,..i
scott highly commended the consr.lcr-
Gus bravery shown by the marir .es in
this action, and in the charge. alone
the causeway leading to the gates of
Mexico, into which city they rushed in
advance OF the army, and planted old
Glory in the Halls OF the Monteznmas
From Iripoii 10 the Hollis OF Nonte-
zumas' is inscribed on their colors
When Commodore Perry onenea