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From Royal Marines 1664 to present.
In the 1740s, the Admiralty ruled that any Marine may be allowed to serve as an able seaman, so long as the first lieutenant, master, and boatswain regarded him as qualified. The Marine's captain was authorised to deduct £4 from his pay to raise a new recruit to replace him.
The Admiralty also expected a certain manner of work from Marines:
This was reflected in an account from HMS Leopard:
Ship's detachments were divided into squads of twelve to sixteen men each, with these coming under the command of either a sergeant or a lieutenant. They worked the same 'relieves and tours of duty' that seamen did. In the muster bills, the Marines were typically listed as waisters or as part of the afterguard, amongst the unskilled seamen. They were to assist with such tasks as pumping and unmooring. In the latter case, it was noted that Marines appeared "at the Swifter, Two between each bar". Marine officers were to be on station with the men to encourage them and also to "suppress the absurd custom of huzzaing".
Marines were also involved with fitting out a ship for sea, assisting with rigging, cleaning, provisioning, and taking guns and other stores aboard. A newly commissioned ship was often unmanned, apart from her officers and a Marine detachment, and to the latter fell the work of making the ship habitable:
It was felt by the Naval Chronicle that Marines were well suited to such labourious work, "as they are from long habit in the late wars, good seamen, and very fit for rigging and getting ready for sea ships put into commission".
The discipline of the Marines made them much more suitable for work that demanded regularity: hauling in the log reel, turning the hour glass, and standing sentry, amongst others. When not in action, Marine senties provided security to the more sensitive areas of the ship. This was "the greatest trust that can be reposed in a private soldier".
A third-rate ship, in St Vincent's time, needed a guard of fifty men, with fifteen posted as sentries: two each at the quarterdeck, pump, gangway, and foc's'le; one each at the wardroom, gunroom, fore and after cockpit, galley, bitts, and prisoners. Marines standing sentry while in harbour were to be in full uniform, "with their Hair well powdered, and everything in the compleatest order", this including a full cartridge box and canteen in case they should be obliged to go ashore.
Before mounting guard, Marines were allowed twenty-four hours to clean their clothes and accoutrements. During this period they were not allowed to be called for other duties.
When at sea, Marines had to:
Deck sentries controlled access to the ship when in harbour, to prevent any boats from coming alongside without permissison, and also to prevent any unauthorised persons or items from entering or leaving the ship. At night, sentries were to call 'All's Well' every quarter-hour, with the alarm to be raised if this was not punctually repeated around the ship. Deck sentries were also to hail any boat lurking about the ship or passing within the buoys.
It was directed that sentries were to fire on anyone jumping overboard, or into boats which appeared too close after dark, but this was a tricky business, there being little time for them to distinguish between a deserter or an unlucky fellow falling overboard. Sometimes such incidents involved the courts, as with a Marine sentry who shot a deserter from a hospital ship, on orders from a surgeon's mate and a boatswain's mate. The Marine was tried for murder ashore. All three were found guilty of manslaughter, "for which they received sentence to be branded on the hand, which was immediately executed in court".
Another Marine, aboard HMS Lynn, at Portsmouth:
In his case, the Admiralty sought royal protection for him, to guard against his being found guilty of murder, with this being a capital charge.
Marine sentries were also responsible for securing areas within the ship, such as the officers' wardroom, the captain's cabin, the powder magazines, and the spirit room. They controlled the issuing of water from the scuttlebutt and were present to prevent the galley grate from being used by the men when the officers' dinners were being cooked. They were also responsible for preventing any man from throwing rubbish out through the gunports, and from lounging about at the booms, hammocks, and gangways, and also to forbid any noise or lights near their posts.
During skylarkings, Marines were to maintain their discipline, perhaps even "more tensely screwed up and severely enforced than ever... ready, when called on, to repress with a strong hand the earliest attempts at insubordination or riot". They were also tasked with guarding prisoners of war, to ensure they remained quiet and sober, "by no Means to abuse them, but to make Use of fair Words".
This, however, did not always suffice when preventing prisoners from rising against their captors. 15 Marines charged with guarding 170 French soldiers during a passage across the Bay of Biscay were obliged to secure them in the hold. Every man slept with a cutlass and a loaded pistol within reach, which the crew of HMS Sceptre also did when they
For moving prisoners by boat, it was advised to tow them separately, with Marines in a third boat ready to fire on them should there be trouble.
Prisoners were not always riotous or scheming. In 1800, a French officer saved a Marine sentry who was blown off the gangway of a prison hulk on the River Tamar. The officer subsequently received a free passport to return home, without needing an exchange.
Conversely, the duty of a sentry could be dangerous, as illustrated by a carpenter from Harwich Dockyard, who:
Thorough direction was given by Lieutenant MacIntire, in his Treatise, for putting into irons anyone "offering to insult a Centry on his Post which should never be suffered". It was not uncommon for sentries to be trifle with during MacIntire's time, but in St Vincent's day such things were not tolerated. On one occasion, he issued orders for the boats of the Mediterranean Fleet to be manned and armed, to witness a seaman receive one hundred lashes for knocking down a sentry, "that no man can plead ignorance of the sacredness of the person and character of a sentinel, who is perfectly justifiable in putting any man to death who insults him at his post."
On such occasions, Marines attended punishments, parading behind the ship's officers with loaded muskets and fixed bayonets.
Only when giving the alarm in the case of fire was a sentry allowed to leave his post. Marine NCOs assisted the Master-at-Arms "in his duty of putting out lights and fires" and regularly patrolled the ship "against the dreadful calamity of fire". The Marine lieutenant was to look into the carpenter's, gunner's, and boatswain's stores every evening, "to be satisfied no light has been accidentally left in those places".
Fire aboard ship was a terrible thing. At the Nile, a Lieutenant of Marines described the fate of L'Orient:
A year later, the Queen Charlotte suffered a similar fate, losing most of her crew, including all but four of her two hundred Marines, despite the best efforts of her crew to save the ship.
In such emergencies, Marines were expected to maintain order:
In the 1740s, the Admiralty ruled that any Marine may be allowed to serve as an able seaman, so long as the first lieutenant, master, and boatswain regarded him as qualified. The Marine's captain was authorised to deduct £4 from his pay to raise a new recruit to replace him.
The Admiralty also expected a certain manner of work from Marines:
They are to be employed as Centinels, and upon all other Duty and Service on board the ship which they shall be capable of, and therein to be subject to the Directions of the Officers of the ship; but they are not to be obliged to go aloft, or to be beat or punished for not showing an inclination do so... On the other hand the Marine Officers are not to hinder nor discourage their men from applying themselves to do or learn to the duty of a seaman.
This was reflected in an account from HMS Leopard:
the marines on board the said ship were employed on deck; but that no orders were given to them to furl the sails, although they did it voluntarily at the Witness's desire; the reason of which was that the Men might be of use after they are discharged from this service.
Ship's detachments were divided into squads of twelve to sixteen men each, with these coming under the command of either a sergeant or a lieutenant. They worked the same 'relieves and tours of duty' that seamen did. In the muster bills, the Marines were typically listed as waisters or as part of the afterguard, amongst the unskilled seamen. They were to assist with such tasks as pumping and unmooring. In the latter case, it was noted that Marines appeared "at the Swifter, Two between each bar". Marine officers were to be on station with the men to encourage them and also to "suppress the absurd custom of huzzaing".
Marines were also involved with fitting out a ship for sea, assisting with rigging, cleaning, provisioning, and taking guns and other stores aboard. A newly commissioned ship was often unmanned, apart from her officers and a Marine detachment, and to the latter fell the work of making the ship habitable:
As our party boarded the frigate fresh from the hands of the carpenters and caulkers, who, ever prodigal of their pitchy liquid, had left the deck in a sad mess of rubbish of all descriptions, all hands were immediately ordered to rig in fatigue-clothing, and scrape and swab the cabins and garrison out. This was a filthy and disagreeable job to many; but to me and some few others, who knew it was imperative and soon over it was an employment that was readily gone about.
It was felt by the Naval Chronicle that Marines were well suited to such labourious work, "as they are from long habit in the late wars, good seamen, and very fit for rigging and getting ready for sea ships put into commission".
The discipline of the Marines made them much more suitable for work that demanded regularity: hauling in the log reel, turning the hour glass, and standing sentry, amongst others. When not in action, Marine senties provided security to the more sensitive areas of the ship. This was "the greatest trust that can be reposed in a private soldier".
A third-rate ship, in St Vincent's time, needed a guard of fifty men, with fifteen posted as sentries: two each at the quarterdeck, pump, gangway, and foc's'le; one each at the wardroom, gunroom, fore and after cockpit, galley, bitts, and prisoners. Marines standing sentry while in harbour were to be in full uniform, "with their Hair well powdered, and everything in the compleatest order", this including a full cartridge box and canteen in case they should be obliged to go ashore.
Before mounting guard, Marines were allowed twenty-four hours to clean their clothes and accoutrements. During this period they were not allowed to be called for other duties.
When at sea, Marines had to:
make the best appearance they possibly can in their second clothing or jackets, but such men as are sentinels at the cabin door are to appear in their best clothing, if their others should be much too worn to make a proper military appearance.
Deck sentries controlled access to the ship when in harbour, to prevent any boats from coming alongside without permissison, and also to prevent any unauthorised persons or items from entering or leaving the ship. At night, sentries were to call 'All's Well' every quarter-hour, with the alarm to be raised if this was not punctually repeated around the ship. Deck sentries were also to hail any boat lurking about the ship or passing within the buoys.
It was directed that sentries were to fire on anyone jumping overboard, or into boats which appeared too close after dark, but this was a tricky business, there being little time for them to distinguish between a deserter or an unlucky fellow falling overboard. Sometimes such incidents involved the courts, as with a Marine sentry who shot a deserter from a hospital ship, on orders from a surgeon's mate and a boatswain's mate. The Marine was tried for murder ashore. All three were found guilty of manslaughter, "for which they received sentence to be branded on the hand, which was immediately executed in court".
Another Marine, aboard HMS Lynn, at Portsmouth:
had orders to keep off the shore boats which were filled with people improperly crowding to get on board. Having in vain called for them to keep off, he thereupon fired his musket in order to frighten them, whereby one woman was unfortunately killed.
In his case, the Admiralty sought royal protection for him, to guard against his being found guilty of murder, with this being a capital charge.
Marine sentries were also responsible for securing areas within the ship, such as the officers' wardroom, the captain's cabin, the powder magazines, and the spirit room. They controlled the issuing of water from the scuttlebutt and were present to prevent the galley grate from being used by the men when the officers' dinners were being cooked. They were also responsible for preventing any man from throwing rubbish out through the gunports, and from lounging about at the booms, hammocks, and gangways, and also to forbid any noise or lights near their posts.
During skylarkings, Marines were to maintain their discipline, perhaps even "more tensely screwed up and severely enforced than ever... ready, when called on, to repress with a strong hand the earliest attempts at insubordination or riot". They were also tasked with guarding prisoners of war, to ensure they remained quiet and sober, "by no Means to abuse them, but to make Use of fair Words".
This, however, did not always suffice when preventing prisoners from rising against their captors. 15 Marines charged with guarding 170 French soldiers during a passage across the Bay of Biscay were obliged to secure them in the hold. Every man slept with a cutlass and a loaded pistol within reach, which the crew of HMS Sceptre also did when they
Discovered a Plott the Dutch Prisoners in our hold had Layd to Murder one half of our Men take possession of the Ship and Carry her into France Our Captn finding this had all the Prisoners brought on Deck and their officers put in Irons and Manacled the rest and Put them Down in the same Place again and told them they were welcom now to Proceed on their Scheem as fast as they Could as he and his men should be well Prepard to meet and Put every man to Death who attempted it.
For moving prisoners by boat, it was advised to tow them separately, with Marines in a third boat ready to fire on them should there be trouble.
Prisoners were not always riotous or scheming. In 1800, a French officer saved a Marine sentry who was blown off the gangway of a prison hulk on the River Tamar. The officer subsequently received a free passport to return home, without needing an exchange.
Conversely, the duty of a sentry could be dangerous, as illustrated by a carpenter from Harwich Dockyard, who:
being refused by the centinell admittance into the steerage where he had no business... knocked down the said centinell and took away his sword which mutiny the Lieutenant endeavouring to suppress was attacked by the same person with a large maul.
Thorough direction was given by Lieutenant MacIntire, in his Treatise, for putting into irons anyone "offering to insult a Centry on his Post which should never be suffered". It was not uncommon for sentries to be trifle with during MacIntire's time, but in St Vincent's day such things were not tolerated. On one occasion, he issued orders for the boats of the Mediterranean Fleet to be manned and armed, to witness a seaman receive one hundred lashes for knocking down a sentry, "that no man can plead ignorance of the sacredness of the person and character of a sentinel, who is perfectly justifiable in putting any man to death who insults him at his post."
On such occasions, Marines attended punishments, parading behind the ship's officers with loaded muskets and fixed bayonets.
Only when giving the alarm in the case of fire was a sentry allowed to leave his post. Marine NCOs assisted the Master-at-Arms "in his duty of putting out lights and fires" and regularly patrolled the ship "against the dreadful calamity of fire". The Marine lieutenant was to look into the carpenter's, gunner's, and boatswain's stores every evening, "to be satisfied no light has been accidentally left in those places".
Fire aboard ship was a terrible thing. At the Nile, a Lieutenant of Marines described the fate of L'Orient:
Etna in flames may resemble her burning; the fire rushing from her ports, and flying up her sides, giving its own red colour to the water.. then dashing like a thunder bolt along the rigging, primed as it was by pitch and tar, the dry sails in that hot climate catching like tinder and burning like blue lights... But the last explosion, the bursting of the magazine, the blowing into the air of a three decker of a hundred guns with all her crew; this can have no adequate parallel.
A year later, the Queen Charlotte suffered a similar fate, losing most of her crew, including all but four of her two hundred Marines, despite the best efforts of her crew to save the ship.
In such emergencies, Marines were expected to maintain order:
On an alarm of fire being made, the Marines are to repair to their respective quarters, and those on the poop to fall in under arms, and be ready to move in any direction they may be ordered, and to suppress the confusion which generally happens on such occasions and tends to defeat the purpose of those [measures] appointed to put it out.
no subject
Date: Mar. 29th, 2012 19:45 (UTC)From:21- Draft Regulations, 1747, #48
22- Report 1746, p. 139, Lt. Col. Sewell (Leopard)
23- RNM MSS/118, Capt John Sutton, Order Book 1794-1801.
24- Lavery, p. 229, Orders for Officers of Marines... HMS Mars
25- USJ 1844, My First Smell of Gunpowder, p. 407
29- Lavery, p. 224, Orders HMS Blenheim, 1796
32- GM 1759, p. 496
33- CHOP 1760-65, #632, 26 July 1762, Samuel Seddon/King George III
34- USJ 1844, p. 411
35- RM 11/13/093, Howe, Oct 179
36- Edye MSS/VII, p. 32, 1 Dec 1711, Capt W. Gray
37- MacIntre, p. 143
38- Lavery, p. 220, 15 Aug 1798, St Vincent/Med Fleet
40- RAdm H.G. Thursfield, Five Naval Journals, 1789-1817, pp. 340-1, Capt Cumby's Order Book
41- Capt Sir Robert Steele RM, The Marine Officer; or Sketches of Service, i, pp. 236-7, Maj C. Noble RM
43- RM 11/13/89, Gen John Tatton Brown, Written Orders... Royal George #18