Henderson daily dispatch., 1936-11-09
Birthday OF u. S. Marines |
Recalls Daring Exploits
GlobeTrotng Sea Soldier Have Visited All Parte IF
United States Governments

part In scores of battles ashore or
aIlcat, and that great conflict wa 9
scarcely over when they were landod
in Formosa in 1867 to punish savoros
VINO mad murdered the crew of an
4,ineiican vessel. Four years later
lney TOOK part. in similar mission,
capturing a series of forts from the
Koreans. ZIG
Then came disturbances in Eevnt
IN 1882, with the u. S. Marines. Land
ing with British forces at Alexandria
Tor the purpose of preserving order
and preventing pillage.
Panama has witnessed the landino
OF marines at least five or six times.
once when it was part of Columbia
IN 1885, and on various other oc-
casions up until 1903, when the Unit
ed States took over the control Of
the lsthmus and pushed the canal
through to completion.
On no fewer than fourteen occas-
IONS marines have landed in China TO
protect American lives and property.
first at Shanghai in 1854. and later
at Canton, Tientsin and elsewhere. A
noteworthy occasion was the march
of the marines to the relief Of Pek-
ing in 1900, and in later wears fire.
quent landings at Shanghai, where
large force of sea soldiers was sent
IN 1927, number of them still re-
naming on duty there.
Many important expeditions were
launched by the sea soldiers in the
latter years of the last century. a.
mong them the suppression of a re-
volution in Hawaii in 1893, and again
at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. in 1898.
one battalion holding the naval base
there against the attacks of some g.
600 Spaniards.
In the Twentieth Century alone the
Marines have embarked on missions
to the Philippines, Cuba, Mexico.
Haiti, Santo Domingo and Nicaragua,
apart from their landings in China.
and their participation in the World
War; where the Fourth Brigade of
Marines won the highest honors and
suffered approximately 10000 casual
ties.
Each of THESE episodes carries it's
own story, filled with Individual acts
of bravery, and reflecting creditably
upon the long and diversified service
of the u. S. Marines.
One of their exploits illustrates the
strange tasks which sometimes fall to
the lot Of the sea soldiers. It happend
in the Canton River, about sixty miles
from Hong Kong, China, in Septem-
Der, 1858.
Lying IN the river was the U. S.
steam frigate Mississippi, with a Siam
csc man-of-war not far distant. While
Commander Sidney Smith Lee, of the
Mississippi, was asleep in his cabin
shortly after midnight, the captain
Of the Siamese vessel came aboard
and stated that a serious mutiny had
broken out on his ship. He begged as
sistance of the American officer in
regaining control of his crew.
Here was a situation which called
for both tact and diplomacy. 1t also
harbored the threat of international
complications, which might follow the
landing of American Marines on a
war vessel of friendly nation. Fur
thermore, Commander Lee had no
knowledge of Just how many Siamese
were involved in the mutiny. How
ever, he made quick decision. He or
dered ten members of his Marine De-
tachment to repair to the quarter
deck, ships cutter to be made ready
and then, together with the greatly
excited Siamese officer, they rowed
to the vessel in distress.