The Washington herald., 1907-01-20
THE MARINE.
A landlubbeT sailors cali him,
The soldiers receive him not;
But wnen there Is anything doing.
He's Johnuy-ou-Jhe-spOt.
Gen. Felix Agnus
TIE MARINE.

A laHdlubbeT, sailors cali nm,
The soldiers receive him not;
But Knen there Is anything doing,
Gen. Felix Agnua.
If the question were asked which is
the elder branch Of the fighting service
OF the United States few citizens would
expect the answer to be The Marines"
yet that is the truth. The first authentic
record Of the marines in America bears
the date Of 17sO. In 1775. on the sth of
June, the Continental Congress resolved
THAT the compact between the crown
and the people of Massachusetts Bay Is
dissolved and on the 10th OF November,
before a single vessel of the navy was
sent 10 sea, the Marine Corps was organ
lied.
To say that the marines are not proud
Of the fact that they antedate both the
army and navy would be untrue. The
date 1850 is a magic one to the corps, and
II you encourage them they will go on to
tell you how the employment Of marines
was common to the Phoenicians and all
the maritime states OF Greece at least
five centuries before the beginning Of the
Christian era. They can also tell you
about the marines lighting at the battle Of
Lade in the time of Darius. King of
Persia. about 4g7 B. c.
All this is mentioned as a prelude to an
interview with Brig Gen. Elliott, com
mandant of the Marine Corps. a man who
has seen thirty-seven years service. ex-
tending all over the world, and is designed
10 show that the men, soldier and sailor,
too. whom Kipling designated as
''blOomin' cosmopolites," have noble ira
diuOns, extending back into remote an
tieuity, and which are bravely upheld by
the corps to-day.
George F. Elliott was born in Eutaw.
Ala. in 1876 He was a cadet at West
Point for two years and a half, and in
October. 1870. was appointed by President
Grant second lieutenant in the Marine
Corps Asked 10 tell about his career, ne
says: gOh, mine has been an uninterest-
ing carrier; I've simply had all sorts Of
service IN various parts of the world"
His first service was on his appoint
ment when he was assigned TO the flag
ship of Vice Admiral Owens, and with
him went North to the rescue of the Ty-
son party, who with two Eskimo fam
lilies, had spent an Arctic winter
adrift on an ice-hos. They came up with
the party at St. Johns, New Brunswick,
and brought them back to this country.
He was then transferred to the L. S. S.
MonOngahela, commanded by Capt James
Thornton. the same who was FaTraguts
aid on the Hartford in the capture OF
New Orleans. Then he went 10 the South
Atlantic station, and in 1874 found himself
in Cape Town. South Africa. Those We're
the days before the breakwater was
built, and those svho only know the Cape
Town Of the present. with it's safe haTbOr
and its extensive docks. can hardly real
ize what a dangerous port IL was in the
old times. The breakwateT." says Gen
Elliott was then being constructed by
thousands of Kafirs. aided by innumer-
able white prisoners. many of them run
away sailors. AfteTwaTd these prisoners
were increased by many I. d. BIS; men
sentenced 10 long terms fer Illicit diamond !
buying. Coming hack, they visited chr
coast of South Africa. and saw little /
service at Key West Fla Here were /
gathered many of the ships Of the United
States navy in anticipation Of war with
Spain, growing out Of the Virginius af-
fair
-.
and during this period young Elliott saw
service in the labor riots The marines !
guarded the bridges over the Anacostia
and Potomac rivers On the trains that
ran during this trouble marines were
placed as guards in the cabs OF all loco
motives.
On going to sea again Gen. Elliott was
assigned TO the Alliance for her arctic /
cruise, and on this voyage they reached /
50 degrees 10 minutes y, the highest /
point toward the pole that had been /
reached up to that time. On returning
TO the United States a battalion of ma
rines was ordered to Colon. The United /
States had guaranteed protection Of traf- /
fc across the isthmus. and a revolution |
down there made it necessary to send /
troops TO preserve order. Panama was |
in the hands OF the revolutionary forces. /
and was about to be attacked by the regu- |
lar Colombian troops. Says Gen. Elliott: |
I had the rank of first lieutenant then. I
and l was placed in charge Of the post |
at San Pablo. When we got established /
I found out that an attempt was to be /
made by the reyolutionists TO blow up |
my command with dynamite. and Private /
Edwards. of my company, and myself |
captured a native. who had the explo- |
sives all set and was about to light the /
fuse. He had been hired to do the work /
by the revOlUtiOnists They wanted to |
hang him after We had captured him, but |
I would not allow that"
There was some pretty sharp fighting 1
on the isthmus, and James f. Jouett, rear
ADMIRAL commanding the expedition, in |
his report said: THE marine battalion 1
has been constantly at the front"
After this followed three more years
Of duty on shore at the navy yards at /
Boston and Norfolk Then followed /
thiTty-eight-months' cruise. Capt. Elliott /
sailed in the L. S S. vandalia down /
the east coast of South America. over to /
Honolulu, and thence back to san Fran /
cisco. Here came a narrow escape - |
says Gen. Elliott. "As son as I got into
port I went ashore, and while I was com
ing from church I met the admiral who /
waving telegram. told me that the /
Nandalia had been ordered 10 proceed /
Immediately 10 sea again. She had only
been at home two hours. The admiral /
asked me if I could get my men of in /
time. and, of course, I did; the men were
eager 10 get ashore after thirty-eight |
months. Our places were taken by an
other marine guard and away she went
TO Samoa. She reached there in time to
be IN the disaster at Apia. and was n /
total loss. The lieutenant of marines and +
thirteen Of his privates were lost with |
her"
There came three years more ashore on
duty at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. after
which Gen Elliott was assigned to the
L = G ancasfar and aFterv.o~5 y. 81.