Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Marines of Washington D.C.
    Marines of Washington D.C.
    Marines of Washington D.C.
    Ebook172 pages32 minutes

    Marines of Washington D.C.

    By Mark Blumenthal

    5/5

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Marines of Washington, D.C. takes the reader on a visual tour that explores the dynamic history of the United States Marine Corps in the nation's capital. The Marines have played an integral role in the development of the social, structural, and political landscape of Washington for over 200 years. This volume traces the history of the Marines from the founding of the "Oldest Post of the Corps," Marine Barracks Washington in 1801, to participation in the War of 1812, the Civil War, the World Wars, and into the modern day. Explore the lasting impact of famous Marines, including Commandant Archibald Henderson, Marine Band Director John Phillip Sousa, and Commandants Alfred M. Grey and John A. Lejeune. Marines of Washington, D.C. highlights the unique relationship between the Marines of the nation's capital, the President, and the citizens of the United States they serve.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateSep 18, 2012
    ISBN9781439629512
    Marines of Washington D.C.

    Related to Marines of Washington D.C.

    Related ebooks

    United States History For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      RV Upgrade

      Feb 25, 2022

      RV Upgrade
      4 min read

    • Article

      Find Your U.S. Ancestors

      Oct 31, 2023

      Find Your U.S. Ancestors
      1 min read

    • Article

      Crossing Paths with Hemingway

      Jun 9, 2020

      Crossing Paths with Hemingway
      6 min read

    • Article

      Playing Hardball

      Aug 2, 2022

      Playing Hardball
      12 min read

    • Article

      West Virginia

      Apr 21, 2020

      West Virginia
      5 min read

    • Article

      Tree Talk

      Dec 21, 2021

      JOIN OUR COMMUNITY! Genealogy how-to downloads and videos, plus PDF back-issues of Family Tree Magazine  Free genealogy advice from host Lisa Louise Cooke and expert guests Apple Podcasts/Spotify/

      1 min read

    • Article

      The Year Of Two Thanksgivings

      Nov 1, 2022

      The Year Of Two Thanksgivings
      3 min read

    • Article

      Deep Ellum Clues

      Nov 25, 2021

      Deep Ellum Clues
      8 min read

    • Article

      No Man Left Behind

      Oct 19, 2021

      No Man Left Behind
      6 min read

    • Article

      Sightings

      Oct 1, 2021

      FOR MANY YEARS, in this tiny mountain town, we avoided certain signs. Oh, we had trailhead signs and wooden slabs on brush-hidden driveways adorned with family names. But there was an unspoken rule: No signs for political candidates. Even when a neig

      3 min read

    • Article

      How To Build A Daily Life-writing Practice

      Jan 6, 2022

      • Start small and just do it.• Buy a notebook and commit to finding five minutes a day.• Start with a couple of sentences about your daily life: ‘I am sitting at the kitchen table and have just had some toast and later I will…’• Don’t worry about it

      1 min read

    • Article

      Dirty Rotten Scoundrel

      May 11, 2021

      Dirty Rotten Scoundrel
      11 min read

    • Article

      Civil War Navies

      Oct 6, 2022

      Civil War Navies
      3 min read

    • Article

      A Medal For The General

      Jan 7, 2022

      A Medal For The General
      8 min read

    • Article

      Northern Exposure

      Jul 18, 2023

      Northern Exposure
      5 min read

    • Article

      Battle Of New Orleans

      Nov 1, 2018

      WORDS MARC DESANTIS  FORTS JACKSON AND ST PHILIP, NEAR NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA 18-24 APRIL 1862 “THE WAR FOR THE MISSISSIPPI WOULD BE ONE OF NOT JUST RIVERINE NAVAL FORCES BUT ALSO OF FORTIFICATIONS AND GUN BATTERIES SITUATED ON ITS BANKS” Stretchi

      13 min read

    • Article

      Battle Of New Orleans

      Feb 19, 2018

      The Union screw sloop USS Hartford, lead ship of her class, battles her way past Fort Jackson as it presses up the Mississippi River, 24 April 1862  FORTS JACKSON AND ST PHILIP, NEAR NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA 18-24 APRIL 1862 “THE WAR FOR THE MISSISSI

      13 min read

    • Article

      Captial Protection

      Oct 22, 2019

      Captial Protection
      11 min read

    • Article

      America's Steel Navy

      Jan 1, 2023

      America's Steel Navy
      4 min read

    • Article

      By the Dawn’s Early Light

      Jul 1, 2022

      By the Dawn’s Early Light
      2 min read

    • Article

      A Dam Fine Solution

      Jun 25, 2019

      A Dam Fine Solution
      9 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Marines of Washington D.C.

    5/5

    1 rating1 review

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Wonderful book that both the Marine enthusiasts and veteran would both enjoy.

    Book preview

    Marines of Washington D.C. - Mark Blumenthal

    invaluable.

    INTRODUCTION

    The presence of the United States Marine Corps in Washington predates the establishment of Washington as our Nation’s Capital, since Marines had established a small foothold at the Washington Navy Yard during the late 1790s. However, with the planned move of the Capital from Philadelphia to the newly formed District of Columbia, the Marine Corps began to look for a more permanent location in the Capital.

    The last day of March 1801, a Sunday, Commandant of the Marine Corps, Lt. Col. William Ward Burrows was accompanied by President Thomas Jefferson to select a location for what would become Marine Barracks Washington. The President desired a location that would allow the Marines to come to the defense of the Capital and to be able to provide support to the Navy Yard. Riding to the southeast, the President selected a location within easy marching distance of the Capitol. Construction on the Marine Barracks began shortly thereafter, and once complete, the Washington Barracks became home to several companies of Marines and the U.S. Marine Band.

    Washington Marines played a key role in the War of 1812 when they were hastily summoned to Maryland as part of the forces assigned to stop the British march on Washington. These forces could not stop the superior British forces, yet their delaying action allowed the evacuation of the Capital. A Marine legend declares that the British, out of respect for the spirited Marine defense at Blandensburg, Maryland, spared the home of the Commandant of the Marine Corps while the White House and unfinished Capitol were torched. Thus, the home of the Commandant lays claim to being the oldest continuously occupied government residence in the district.

    In 1820 Archibald Henderson began his long tenure as the Commandant of the Marine Corps during which time he further cemented the position of the Marine Corps not only in the Capital, but as a force in readiness. The United States, being a country distrustful of standing armies, was disposed to task the small United States Army to garrison duty at frontier outposts thus leaving the Marines, by default, as the only soldiers in close proximity to the Capital. This would prove valuable to the Marine Corps’ aspiration for permanence in the years to come.

    Commandant Henderson, desiring to see the Marines as more than a force subordinate to the Navy, did much to ensure Washington politicos were inculcated as to the usefulness of a Marine Corps. Henderson’s personal leadership was demonstrated numerous times in his many years as Commandant. In 1832, Henderson personally led a hastily formed battalion of Marines, drawn from the Navy Yard and Washington Barracks Marines, on a campaign against the Seminole Indians in Florida, and in 1857 Henderson led Marines in quelling riots in the city. For Henderson’s skillful display of the utility of a Marine Corps and for his 39 years as Commandant, Archibald Henderson’s is rightfully considered the Grand Old Man of the Marine Corps.

    On October 16, 1859, the town of Harpers Ferry, Virginia, awoke on a slumbering Sunday morning to find that abolitionists under the radical John Brown had attempted to seize the Federal Arsenal in order to foment a slave uprising, but instead, when thwarted by the local militia, had barricaded themselves in a firehouse. The local militia sent a request to Washington for Federal Troops. The Federal Government called once again on the U.S. Marines as Federal troops in residence and readiness, sending Marines from the Washington Barracks. Lt. Col. Robert E. Lee was also summoned to take control of all forces at Harpers Ferry. Upon his arrival, Lee found the militia balking at assaulting the building, pointing to federal jurisdiction. Lee therefore offered the honor of assaulting

    Enjoying the preview?
    Page 1 of 1