232nd Anniversary of the United States Marine Corps

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Yesterday, we noted the November 6 birthday of John Philip Sousa, leader of the Marine Band. Today we recognize the entire Corps.

On November 10, 1775, the Continental Congress passed the following resolution:

"That two battalions of Marines be raised consisting of one Colonel, two Lieutenant-Colonels, two Majors, and other officers, as usual in other regiments; that they consist of an equal number of Privates with other battalions; that particular care be taken that no persons be appointed to offices, or enlisted into said battalions, but such as are good seamen, or so acquainted with maritime affairs as to be able to serve by sea when required; that they be enlisted and commissioned to serve for and during the present war with Great Britain and the Colonies, unless dismissed by order of Congress; that they be distinguished by the names of the First and Second Battalion of Marines."

Thus began the proud heritage of the United States Marine Corps. The two battalions of "Continental Marines" were under the command of Major Samuel Nicholas (1744-1790). Nicholas was born in Philadelphia, the scion of a prominent Episcopalian family, the head of which was also named Samuel Nicholas. The younger Nicholas married Mary Jenkins, who came from a Quaker family of Welsh origins. They had five children.

Nicholas' first task was to recruit men for his battalions. He set up shop at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, where the Continental Congress had met. By January 1776, Nicholas had recruited his Marines and they set sail aboard the Alfred under the command of Commodore Hopkins. In February 1776, the Alfred reached the Bahamas where a British force had a supply base. From this base, the British had raided the American coast with great success. Nicholas led his Marines ashore in their first landing. They succeeded in their mission of captuiring the British supplies and disabling the enemy's raiding force.

Thereafter, the Marines contributed to American successes at the Battle of Trenton and engaged Cornwallis at Princeton.

After the war, Congress disestablished the Marines and the Navy. Nicholas returned to his civilian life in which he ran a tavern known as Connostoge Waggon. He was prominent in the affairs of Philadelphia. He died, reportedly of yellow fever, at age 46.

The Marine Corps was re-established in 1798 and of course went onto serve America with great distinction. Nicholas and the original two battalions had set the precedent of success that the Marines would follow, whether fighting Barbary pirates on the "shores of Tripoli" or Taliban in the remote spaces of Afghanistan.

On November 1, 1921, General John A. Lejeune issued Marine Corps Order No.47, Series 1921.The order provided a summary of the history, mission, and traditions of the Corps. General Lejeune directed that the order be read to every command each subsequent year on November 10th in honor of the founding of the Marine Corps. This tradition has continued every year since 1921 throughout the Corps.

So today we can all celebrate by remembering the Marines who are overseas and those who won't be coming back.

[As readers know, I'm an Air Force guy. But a key highlight in my life came about two and a half years ago while I was in Washington. The Marine Corps honored me with a "Sunset Parade" at the Marine Corps Memorial in Arlington, Virigina. This was an honor of great significance that I'll never forget. Below is a photograph of the Marines preparing to pass in review.]

Click to enlarge photo

Happy Birthday, John Philip Sousa!

"The March King," John Philip Sousa was born November 6, 1854, in Washington, DC. Thus began a life-long association with United States Marine Band. Sousa's father, John Antonio Sousa, was a trombonist in the Marine Band.

Sousa grew up in Washington and studied music under John Esputa, Jr. He became a very skillful violinist by the time he was 13. He considered joining a circus band. His father, however, enlisted him in the Marine Band as an apprentice. By age twenty, Sousa had spent nearly seven years with the Marine Band.

In 1874, Sousa was discharged from the Marine Corps and sometime later, moved to Philadelphia. He worked for music publishers. In 1879, he married Jane ("Jennie") van Middlesworth Bellis. They eventually had three children. A year after his marriage, Sousa was asked to return to Washington as the leader of the Marine Band. He accepted.

Sousa transformed the Marine Band into one of the premier musical organizations of the time.

Sousa was a prolific composer. In 1889, his composition, "The Washington Post," became the most popular tune in America and Europe. His "Semper Fidelis" became the official march of the Marine Corps. And, of course, everyone recognizes "The Stars and Stripes Forever," which in 1897 was designated the official march of the United States.

Sousa left the Marine Band in 1892 after twelve years as leader. He formed "Sousa's Band," which for the next forty years continued Sousa's prominence on the American and international music scene.

John Philip Sousa died on March 6, 1932, in Reading, Pennsylvania, just before a performance. He was buried with military honors in Congressional Cemetery. Shortly before his death, he had appeared as a special guest of the Marine Band and led them in "The Stars and Stripes Forever." His seven decades of professional excellent rank Sousa as one of America's most outstanding musicians.

Music courtesy United States Marine Band.


To hear actual recordings of the Sousa-directed Marine Band and "Sousa's Band," go to
The Library of Congress online exhibit, "The March King," and the University of California at Santa Barbara's Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project.

Photo courtesy of The Library of Congress. Photographer and date unknown. Assumed to be in the public domain.