Naval infantry for the American side in the American Revolutionary War
For the current active service branch, see United States Marine Corps.
Not to be confused with American colonial marines.
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Continental Marines
Standard used by the Continental Marines
Active
November 1775 – April 1783
Country
Thirteen Colonies (1775–76) United States (1776–1783)
Branch
Continental Navy
Type
Marines
Role
Services on board armed vessels of the Navy Amphibious operations Land warfare in support of the Army[1]
Size
2,131 at peak
Colors
Green
Engagements
American Revolutionary War
Battle of Nassau
Battle of Trenton
Battle of Princeton
Penobscot Expedition
Commanders
Notable commanders
Samuel Nicholas
Military unit
American Revolutionary War
Armed Forces
United States
Continental Army
→ Commander-in-Chief
→ Regional departments
→ Units (1775, 1776, 1777–1784)
→ Manual
Continental Navy
Continental Marines
State forces
→ List of militia units
→ List of state navies
→ Maritime units
Great Britain
List of British units
France
List of French units
Related topics
List of battles
Military leadership
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The Continental Marines were the amphibious infantry of the American Colonies (and later the United States) during the American Revolutionary War. The Corps was formed by the Continental Congress on November 10, 1775 and was disbanded in 1783. Their mission was multi-purpose, but their most important duty was to serve as onboard security forces, protecting the captain of a ship and his officers. During naval engagements, in addition to manning the cannons along with the crew of the ship, Marine sharpshooters were stationed in the fighting tops of a ship's masts specifically to shoot the opponent's officers, naval gunners, and helmsmen.
In all, there were 131 Colonial Marine officers and probably no more than 2,000 enlisted Colonial Marines.[2] Though individual Marines were enlisted for the few U.S. Naval vessels, the organization would not be re-created until 1798. Despite the gap between the disbanding of the Continental Marines and the current organization, the Continental Marines' successor, U.S. Marine Corps, marks November 10, 1775 as its inception.
^Roe, Thomas G. (1962) A history of Marine Corps roles and mission: 1775–1962. Washington, D.C.: Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, pp. 4–6
^Simmons, Edwin Howard (2003). The United States Marines: A History (4th ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-790-5.
and 26 Related for: Continental Marines information
The ContinentalMarines were the amphibious infantry of the American Colonies (and later the United States) during the American Revolutionary War. The...
from the aircraft carriers. The history of the Marine Corps began when two battalions of ContinentalMarines were formed on 10 November 1775 in Philadelphia...
The history of the United States Marine Corps (USMC) begins with the founding of the ContinentalMarines on 10 November 1775 to conduct ship-to-ship fighting...
by marines have included raiding ashore in support of naval objectives, and the boarding of vessels during combat or capture of prize ships. Marines also...
1 Journal of the Continental Congress (November 10, 1775). "Resolution Establishing the ContinentalMarines". United States Marine Corps History Division...
century. On 5 September 1776, the Naval Committee purchased the ContinentalMarines uniform regulations specifying green coats with white facings (lapels...
marine and military officer who was the first officer commissioned in the United States ContinentalMarines (predecessor to the United States Marine Corps)...
day when the Second Continental Congress established the ContinentalMarines with the following decree: That two battalions of Marines be raised consisting...
flying it from the mainmast of the flagship while he was aboard. The ContinentalMarines also flew the flag during the early part of the war. The rattlesnake...
2007. Journal of the Continental Congress (10 November 1775). "Resolution Establishing the ContinentalMarines". United States Marine Corps History Division...
The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary...
capabilities before the Continental Navy reached a significant level of strength. After its establishment, state navies, and the marines serving in them, participated...
October 13: Congress establishes the Continental Navy November 10: Congress establishes the ContinentalMarines 1776 January 10: Thomas Paine publishes...
A continental shelf is a portion of a continent that is submerged under an area of relatively shallow water, known as a shelf sea. Much of these shelves...
Colonial Marines may refer to: American colonial marines, Patriot naval infantry consisting of militiamen which served in various units during the American...
Continental Army, the Continental Navy, and even a small contingent of ContinentalMarines. A new flag was needed to represent both the Congress and the United...
authorized the creation of the ContinentalMarines, which ultimately evolved into, and was named, the United States Marine Corps. John Paul Jones became...
arriving at The Bahamas on March 1. Two days later, two hundred ContinentalMarines came ashore, seizing Fort Montagu but not advancing upon the town...
Security. In 1775, the Continental Congress established the Continental Army, the Continental Navy, and the ContinentalMarines. This newly formed military...
it derives partially from ornaments worn by the ContinentalMarines and the British Royal Marines and is usually topped with a ribbon reading "Semper...
Later that year, Congress would charter the Continental Navy on October 13, and the ContinentalMarines on November 10. Upon the seating of the 1st U...
expeditionary force of more than 1,000 American colonial marines (not to be confused with the ContinentalMarines) and militiamen. Also included was a 100-man artillery...
The Journals of the Continental Congress are official records from the first three representative bodies of the original United Colonies and ultimately...
Continental Airlines (simply known as Continental) was a major airline in the United States that operated from 1934 until its merger with United Airlines...
denying African Americans the opportunity to serve as Marines. For more than 140 years, the Marines recruited primarily European Americans and Hispanic...
Global Information
Thirteen Colonies (1775–76)
United States (1776–1783)
Continental Navy