The sun., 1918-12-29
The Story. of the 80.
u. IS. Marine Corps

~ United States Marine Corps in the
'90s Of the last century no work has ap-
peared that we can recall to bring the
record of the best known branch of the
military establishment Of our country up
to date. This task has been attempted
and achieved by Willis J: Abbot, who in
his Soldiers Of the Sea, retells the previous
spirited and varied story of the corps
up to the point where Collum stopped and
continues it through the Spanish -Ameri-
can war, in the Philippines, in the fight
ing in Samoa in 1899, through the relief
of Pekin expedition in 1900. the occupa-
ton of Cuba in 1906, the Niearaguan ex-
petitions of 1909 and 1912, and the pole
ing of Hayti and SantO Domingo from
1914 to 1916, when the marines settled
down in those troubled lands as 'Iguides.
philosophers and friends to the people"
The corps also had several spirited en-
gagcmentS with Cacos in Hayti that re-
suited in casualties. What the marines
did in the Vera Cruz incident in 1914 is
briefly described and the Gnal chapter is,
devoted to the work of the marines in
the present war
Here we think Mr.. Abbot has been car
rled away with his enthusiasm for his sub
ject. His statement that after the dec
laration Of war the first transport to leave
the American shores was loaded to the
guards with United States marines"
wOulH give any ono uho ha1 not foIln,uoJ
the details of our American expedition
airy forces movements overseas closely the
impression that the marines were the first
OF our forces TO go to France, which is
not fact, since both navy and medical
units preceded them, and the marines were
only a part of the first division of the
army with which they were brigaded, as
IS customary in war times. No one Wishe,
to minimize the gnllantry Of the marines,
but the infantry and the artillery of the
Second Division of the A. L. f. were also
in the figh. at Bouresches as well as at
the 8elleau Wood and Vaux fights that
followed. There are many times these
days in reading the papers when one gets
iihpiNoTtph tIdL tLiS SlRulH8 VI tue
armistiee was brought about, so far as
Americas contribution went to that event,
solely through the efforts of the marines
and the 165th Regiment of Infantry.
which must always be alluded to as 1.-THE
gallant SIxty-n!nth." But we must re-
member that there were other units in
France which fought gallantIS and well
and who counted in the winning of vic
tory
In the earlier chapters of the book Mr..
Abbot describes the beginnings Of the
Marine Corps in this country in 174O,
when three regiments of American marines
were raised in the colonies for service
with the British navy under Col SpOttis-
wood of Virginia. He tells of their work
in the Revolution, this on the American
side Of course; their adventures with the
Barbary pirates when they marched
across the African desert (they had an
other African adventure seeking King
Menelik in the beginning of this century,,
their participation in the war of 1872 as
real soldiers of the sea" and the affair at
Nukahiva in the South Pacific in the same
era.
We read once more that classic of old
time school readers, ''the revolt of the
CharlestOwn convicts," and how it was
quelled by the military bearing of q force
of marines; the subjugation of the pirates
Of Quallah Batoo; of when the marines
were used in the Indian campaigns, and
how a few Of them went with Wilkes TO
the Antarctic. There is no gap in the
widely diversified record of this gallant
corps who have not only been "frst to
fight" but also have been admirable sd-
minisirators and upbuilders in countries
that needed constructive assistance fnore
than war.
And Mr.. Abbot has set down their
record faithfully and with color and spirit.
1t is curious that nowhere in his pages
HAoS bc rnnDfin,, tho unnfFo Of fbn