hm_jollies | Marines & Mutiny, HMS Excellent

As the need arose during the turbulent years around the turn of the century the marines were called upon to suppress shipboard rebellions ¹ and, on the whole, they performed this unpleasant duty admirably. The members of the court which tried the mutineers of the Excellent, for example, were so impressed with the conduct of the marines during the uprising that they sent the commander-in-chief the following memorandum:

The court is highly sensible of the active exertions of the officers
of His Majesty's ship Excellent in quelling the late mutiny on 
board her, and also of the officers, non-commissioned officers 
and private marines of his Majesty's ship Excellent who by their 
firmness in resisting the attempts to seduce them from their duty 
and in opposing men in actual mutiny have proved themselves to 
be well deserving of the late distinguished mark of his Majesty's favour.²

1 - Field, 'The marines in the great naval mutinies, 1797-1802', pp. 720-46
2 - ADM 1/324, R. Stopford et al. to S. Hood, 28 December 1802