Organization Confederate States Marine Corps

1 organization

1.1 source of men
1.2 manpower composition
1.3 unit organizations

organization

the c.s. marine corps formed in days of civil war 3 sources:

sixteen officers (and 100 enlisted men) resigning or deserting u.s. marine corps
the amalgamation of state organizations such virginia state marines
active recruitment

source of men

rank insignia of csmc captain

the commandant of csmc, colonel-commandant beall, said csmc composed of enlisted men, many of whom old soldiers , commissioned officers, number of whom had seen service before in u.s. marine corps , elsewhere. record of marine officers resigned , tendered swords confederate government were:

these officers assembled csmc stood in richmond, virginia, exception of captain tansill, had resigned while still on board uss congress @ sea. captain tansill arrested order of secretary welles of u.s. navy when arrived in new york on august 23, 1861 , held without charge, hearing or trial. released on jan 10, 1862 part of prisoner exchange, , subsequently joined csmc in virginia. gross injustice done him recognized in act of confederate congress of april 11, 1863, provided officers of navy , marine corps resigned navy , marine corps of united states in consequence of secession, , arrested , imprisoned in consequence of such resignation, , subsequently joined navy , marine corps of confederate states, should receive leave of absence, pay , during term of such imprisonment, , time of appointment in navy , marine corps of confederate states.

manpower composition

the breakdown of officer manpower composition was:

one colonel-commandant
one lieutenant colonel
three majors (a quartermaster, paymaster, , adjutant)
ten captains
ten first lieutenants
twenty second lieutenants

the breakdown of enlisted manpower composition of sep 24, 1862 was:

one sergeant major
one quartermaster sergeant
sixty sergeants
sixty corporals
840 privates
thirty drummers
thirty fifers
two principal musicians , 2 musicians

although csmc had authorized manpower of 1,026 men, enrollment never approached number; figures october 30, 1864 list 539 officers , enlisted men. though officers former u.s. marine officers, head of corps, colonel-commandant lloyd j. beall, former u.s. army paymaster no marine experience. major lloyd j. beall, usa graduated united states military academy, , had served in first infantry , second dragoons before becoming paymaster 1844 until outbreak of war. resigned commission on april 22, 1861 , appointed colonel-commandant of cs marine corps on may 23, 1861. colonel beall served throughout war commandant of marine corps.

unit organizations

the c.s. marine corps organized several lettered companies , numerous shore-based , shipboard detachments. companies a, b, , c formed between april 10 , june 29, 1861 @ new orleans, la. company d, recruited in memphis, tn , mobile, al (august - september 1861) served in pensacola, fl before being disbanded there , reformed @ mobile in november, 1861. company e formed @ savannah, ga in july 1862. there company f, formed @ new orleans in spring of 1861, served brief period before being disbanded; later reformed @ mobile in april 1863 , disbanded second time in june 1864.

companies a, b, , c individually transferred new orleans pensacola april through june 1861. company subsequently transferred savannah in september 1862 before being transferred camp beall, va, join companies b , c, there. company b briefly transferred mobile, al in february 1862 before being transferred camp beall few weeks later join company c, had been transferred there in november, 1861 form nucleus of become organization (with addition of companies , b) known field battalion.

the battalion served in defense of richmond against riverine attack, provided ship s detachments warships based in norfolk area, , participated in general confederate retreat richmond, performing notable combat action in rear guard of general lee s army marine battalion of brigadier general (formerly rear admiral , commander of charleston squadron, csn) john r. tucker s naval brigade @ battle of saylor s creek (virginia) on april 6, 1865. majority of battalion surrendered @ saylor s creek on april 7, 1865 of remainder surrendering army of northern virginia on april 9, 1865 @ appomattox, virginia.

company d, stationed in pensacola disbanded in december, 1861 after being used fill-out companies b , c, serving @ station. company d reformed @ mobile , served there, remained until city fell u.s. forces. company d last organized unit of csmc surrender; elements of company surrendered on may 9, 1865 @ citronelle, al , remaining platoon, under command of 1st lieutenant david g. raney, jr., surrendered @ nanna hubba bluff, al on may 10, 1865.

company e, formed in savannah, subsequently evacuated charleston, sc. detachment of company sent wilmington, nc , participated in unsuccessful defense of fort fisher. remainder of company e, still @ charleston, evacuated north carolina , joined general joseph e. johnston s army of tennessee near raleigh, nc , surrendered brigadier general (formerly rear admiral , commander of james river squadron, csn) raphael semmes s naval brigade @ greensboro, nc on april 28, 1865.

company f served @ new orleans depot company (i.e., recruiting , training unit) before being disbanded. later reformed @ mobile, again depot company, supplying marines company d , battalion @ camp beall, being disbanded final time in june 1864.

cs marine corps units stationed @ confederate naval bases, helping garrison shore fortifications such fort fisher in north carolina. marines served on confederate warships, such css alabama. in famous battle between ironclads uss monitor , css virginia, company c, confederate states marine corps, served aboard css virginia, helping man several of guns.

in summer of 1862, cs marine corps troops organized squad-sized units , dispersed throughout south. dispersed marine units intended provide training overcome shortage of trained naval gunners, greater overall effect service single naval artillery battalion. detachments spread @ every major confederate naval installation, headquarters confederate states marines established @ fort darling , camp beall, located @ drewry s bluff on james river in virginia. described above, 3 companies (a, b, , c) stationed semi-permanently field battalion @ csmc headquarters. new csmc officers trained in battalion prior assignment 1 of detached companies (viz., d or e) or directly 1 of shore-based or shipboard marine detachments. field battalion marines helped repulse attack made on bluff u.s. naval forces including uss monitor , uss galena in summer of 1862.

despite desertions , near-mutinies, marines served competently , deserved navy secretary stephen r. mallory s praise promptness , efficiency. corps weakness due largely internal squabbles on rank, shore duty, , administrative assignments. also, no funds bounties, corps not enlist recruits. until 1864 monthly pay of enlisted men $3 less of equivalent army grades. late in war marines allowed draw army conscripts augment ranks.