Royal Marines Battalions (Napoleonic Wars)
Encyclopedia
Three battalions were raised from among the Royal Marines
during the Napoleonic Wars
; seeing combat in Portugal, Northern Spain, the Netherlands and North America.
on 29 November 1810 under the command of Major Richard Williams
. It consisted of six companies, plus an attached company of Royal Marine Artillery. It embarked, arriving in Lisbon on 8 December 1810.
The battalion grew to eight companies, plus the attached artillery company. It left Portugal in February 1812, and disembarked at Portsmouth
. There it remained until 6 June 1812, when it embarked aboard . The battalion arrived off the coast near Santona
on 15 June, and was involved in the attack on the fort at Castro-Urdiales. The fort's garrison of two companies of infantry capitulated on 8 July, the French having evacuated the town the day before. On 10 July, the battalion re-embarked, intending to go to Portugalete
, but returned to Castro shortly afterwards. The French, unawares that the marines had returned, launched an unsuccessful counter-attack against the fort's Bilbao gate. Major Williams was appointed commander of the fort on 30 July.
The Royal Navy attacked Santander
from 30 July onwards, with the French evacuating the town on 3 August. The first six companies of the 1st battalion embarked for Santander to support the attack and arrived on 4 August. This force re-embarked on 10 July for an intended attack on Gitaya, its destination changing to Portugalete, where it arrived on 12 August. After the marines had destroyed a fort that the French had abandoned, the marines re-embarked and returned to Santander.
The force disembarked at Zumaia
on 18 August, along with the 2nd battalion. The artillery companies of both battalions deployed opposite the rock of Getaria
. Both battalions held the area until ordered to re-embark on 20 September.
During October, the 1st battalion was deployed before Santona, at Castello
. The news that a French division was approaching to reinforce the 1,500 men garrison at Santona led to the recall of the battalion on 1 November. However, the recall was countermanded and the battalion resumed its positions; it returned to Santander on 14 December.
On 21 December the 1st battalion, which numbered 536 rank and file, and its artillery company sailed from Santander in , , and , arriving at St Helens, Isle of Wight
on 31 December. The right wing (aboard Fox and Venerable) received orders to proceed to Plymouth on 6 January 1813, where the battalion was to perform garrison duty at Plymouth and to prepare for imminent deployment to North America.
The 1st Battalion embarked (on the ships Diadem (1st to 5th companies) and Diomede (6th to 8th companies and artillery) on 30 March, set sail on 7 April, and arrived in Bermuda on 29 May 1813. There it and the infantry already present were formed into two brigades.
On 25 June, the 1st Battalion participated in the attack on Hampton, Virginia
. On 13 July, the Marine Battalions were involved in the occupation of Ocracoake
and Portsmouth, and engaged in the occupation of Kent Island
on 7 August. Later in the year, the 1st Battalion went to Ile aux Noix
, south of Montreal
in Canada
, while the 2nd Battalion went to Prescott
, on the Saint Lawrence River
.
A detachment of the 1st Battalion, under Lieutenants Caldwell and Barton, was present at the Battle of Lacolle Mills (1814)
. On 16 August 1814, orders were received for the battalion to be 'disposed for Naval service'; the greater part of the battalion to go to Lake Ontario, the smaller element to go to Lake Champlain.
. On 15 August, the battalion embarked aboard (3rd to 6th companies) and (1st and 2nd) companies), to deploy in Northern Spain under the command of the squadron of Home Riggs Popham
. The battalion disembarked at Zumaia
on 18 August, and joined up with Spanish forces under the command of Francisco de Longa
. The battalion re-embarked on 20 September, and were landed at Santander on 28 September.
Further reinforcements for the battalion disembarked soon after Diadem arrived on 29 November at Santander, resulting in two companies being added and another company of artillery being formed. Some of the reinforcements had returned from garrison duty on the island of Anholt
, Denmark.
On 21 December the 2nd battalion sailed from Santander, along with the left wing of the 1st battalion, aboard Latona, arriving in Cawsand Bay
on 4 January. Diadem carried the 1st, 2nd, 7th, 8th & 10th companies, HMS Iris carried the 2nd Battalion's artillery company (Captain Parke) and supplemental company (Captain Wilkinson), with the remainder of the battalion (5 companies) embarked upon the transports Whitton and Mariner, leaving the town to Spanish forces commanded by General Mendizabal
. The surviving muster lists show the Marines disembarked at Plymouth on 7 January 1813.
Given the heterogeneous nature of the battalion, and its deployment in Spain immediately after inception, Major Malcolm felt that the 2nd Battalion was lacking in discipline. He requested that the 2nd Battalion be deployed to the barracks at Berry Head
Fort in Torbay
, so that drilling of the unit would result in better discipline and cohesion. The 2nd Battalion was dispatched to Berry Head on 14 January aboard HMS Diadem and HMS Latona, having boarded on 12 January. Within a month of the battalion's arrival in Berry Head Fort, the intensive drill bore fruit.
The 2nd Battalion embarked on the ships (1st, 7th and 8th companies and 35 artillerymen), , and on 30 March, set sail on 7 April with the ships carrying the 1st Battalion and (which was carrying troops of the 8th Royal Veteran Battalion
) and arrived in Bermuda on 29 May, where the Marines and the Royal Veterans, with the two Independent Companies of Foreigners already present upon the island, were formed into two brigades.
The 2nd Battalion was employed alongside the 1st Battalion until late in 1813, when the 2nd Battalion was deployed to Prescott
, on the Saint Lawrence River
. On 6 May 1814, it participated in the Battle of Fort Oswego (1814). Its final engagement was the Battle of Big Sandy Creek
, where an element of the battalion was within the 180 raiders. Thereafter, the battalion's companies were broken up and its men were dispersed among the Squadron and Flotilla on Lake Ontario
, as per orders from Commodore James Lucas Yeo
.
. Upon the orders of Vice Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane
, three of the ten companies were detached from this unit, to become the regenerated 3rd Battalion, under the command of Major Lewis. (These three compainies were commanded by Captain Clements, Lt Connolly and Lt Stevens.)
The recreated 2nd Battalion was present in the Chesapeake campaign, participating in the Battle of Bladensburg
, the attack on Washington
, and the Battle of Baltimore
. Also present during the campaign was a composite battalion of Marines, formed from ships' Marine detachments, frequently led by Captain John Robyns (Royal Marines officer). A composite battalion also took part in the Battle of New Orleans
, under the command of Brevet Major Thomas Adair.
Following the failure of the British attack against Fort McHenry
on 13 September, the 2nd and 3rd Marine battalions proceeded to Tangier Island, where a barracks for 600 men was created on the understanding they would be spending the winter on the island.
Orders were received on 11 December to embark, the Marines later disembarking on Cumberland Island
on 10 January 1815, along with the 1st Battalion and two companies of the 2nd West India Regiment
. Thereafter, this force attacked Fort Peter
on the 13th January, subsequently marching on the town of St. Marys
, and occupying it for about a week, before retiring to Cumberland Island.
, which invited the exiled Prince William VI of Orange
to The Hague.
A token British force accompanied the Prince of Orange to the Netherlands in November 1813. Most of the British army was fighting the Peninsular war
, so the 2nd Battalion 2nd Foot Guards
and several companies of Marines were hastily embarked at Deal. These companies were to form the nucleus of the 3rd Battalion. A further two companies of Marines arrived on 19 December, accompanied by Major George Lewis
, who assumed command of the Marines.
This force was involved in fighting around Krabbendijke
, until Russian troops relieved them on 18 January. When the marines arrived in Portsmouth on 21 January, they were formed into the Third Battalion. The battalion had an establishment of ten companies of 100 men, and one company of Royal Marine Artillery. The battalion was commanded by Major George Lewis
, who since 19 December 1813 had been the officer commanding the Marine companies deployed in the Netherlands.
The battalion embarked on 29 March, set sail on 7 April, and disembarked at Bermuda on 9 April. After a sojourn, the battalion sailed for the Chesapeake on 30 June, and joined Admiral Cockburn's squadron on 16 July.
On the morning of 19 July, the battalion landed near Leonardtown and advanced in concert with ships of the squadron, causing the US forces to withdraw. The battalion was deployed to the south of the Potomac, moving down to Nomini
. The battalion was subsequently landed at St Clements Bay on 23 July, Machodoc creek on 26th, and Chaptico, Maryland
on 30 July.
The first week of August was spent raiding the entrance to the Yaocomico
river, which concluded with the capture of four schooners at the town of Kinsale, Virginia
. On 7 August, the battalion stormed a gun battery of three artillery pieces, situated on the Coan River
(a few miles below the Yaocomico river).
After Lieutenant Colonel James Malcolm
arrived, the battalion was split into the reconstituted second battalion, and the third battalion (composed of Royal
and Colonial
Marines), as outlined below.
ordered that three of the ten companies from this unit become the nucleus of a regenerated 3rd Battalion, under the command of Major Lewis. The three companies of the Corps of Colonial Marines
that had been formed at the start of the year were incorporated into the 3rd Battalion. The Colonial Marines had made their combat debut on the raid on Pungoteague; they then had carried out incursions at Chesconessex Creek in June and Onancock in August. Prior to the establishment of the Corps, some of its men had been employed to good effect as scouts and guides with raiding parties. A company fought at the Battle of Bladensburg and three companies fought at the Battle of North Point
.
During the Chesapeake campaign the 3rd Battalion participated in the Battle of Bladensburg
, the attack on Washington
, and the Battle of Baltimore
. The attack on Washington cost the Navy one man killed and six wounded, including one man of the Corps of Colonial Marines
killed and three wounded.
The 3rd Battalion subsequently deployed to Tangier Island
and to Cumberland Island
along with the 1st and 2nd Battalions. When news reached the troops that peace had been made, the 3rd Battalion embarked on 10 March, disembarking on Ireland Island, Bermuda, on 21 March. The battalion's three Colonial companies settled on Trinidad. The three remaining companies of the original 3rd Battalion returned to in England in 1815.
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
; seeing combat in Portugal, Northern Spain, the Netherlands and North America.
The First Battalion
The 1st battalion formed at PlymouthPlymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
on 29 November 1810 under the command of Major Richard Williams
Richard Williams (Royal Marines officer)
Richard Williams , later Colonel Commandant Sir Richard Williams KCB Royal Marines, was a career British officer of Marines active during the American Revolutionary War, the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars, and the War of 1812....
. It consisted of six companies, plus an attached company of Royal Marine Artillery. It embarked, arriving in Lisbon on 8 December 1810.
The battalion grew to eight companies, plus the attached artillery company. It left Portugal in February 1812, and disembarked at Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. There it remained until 6 June 1812, when it embarked aboard . The battalion arrived off the coast near Santona
Santoña
Santoña is a town in the eastern coast of the autonomous community of Cantabria, on the north coast of Spain. It is situated by the bay of the same name. It is 45 km from the capital Santander. Santoña is divided into two zones, an urban plain, and a mountainous area, with Mount Buciero at its...
on 15 June, and was involved in the attack on the fort at Castro-Urdiales. The fort's garrison of two companies of infantry capitulated on 8 July, the French having evacuated the town the day before. On 10 July, the battalion re-embarked, intending to go to Portugalete
Portugalete
Portugalete is a town lying to the west of Bilbao in the province of Biscay in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country, northern Spain.The town has 51,066 inhabitants and is part of Bilbao's metropolitan area. It is located at the mouth of the Estuary of Bilbao, on the left bank...
, but returned to Castro shortly afterwards. The French, unawares that the marines had returned, launched an unsuccessful counter-attack against the fort's Bilbao gate. Major Williams was appointed commander of the fort on 30 July.
The Royal Navy attacked Santander
Santander, Cantabria
The port city of Santander is the capital of the autonomous community and historical region of Cantabria situated on the north coast of Spain. Located east of Gijón and west of Bilbao, the city has a population of 183,446 .-History:...
from 30 July onwards, with the French evacuating the town on 3 August. The first six companies of the 1st battalion embarked for Santander to support the attack and arrived on 4 August. This force re-embarked on 10 July for an intended attack on Gitaya, its destination changing to Portugalete, where it arrived on 12 August. After the marines had destroyed a fort that the French had abandoned, the marines re-embarked and returned to Santander.
The force disembarked at Zumaia
Zumaia
Zumaia is a small town in the north of Spain in the Basque Country. The Mayor is Iñaki Agirrezabala, member of Eusko Alkartasuna and Gazte Abertzaleak....
on 18 August, along with the 2nd battalion. The artillery companies of both battalions deployed opposite the rock of Getaria
Getaria
Getaria may refer to:* Getaria , a town located in the Basque province of Gipuzkoa* Getaria , a small village in the Basque province of Labourd...
. Both battalions held the area until ordered to re-embark on 20 September.
During October, the 1st battalion was deployed before Santona, at Castello
Castello
Castello is the Italian word for castle. The Latin word Castellum means reservoir, water tank.Castello may refer to:-Places:*Castello, Venice is the largest of the six sestieri of Venice...
. The news that a French division was approaching to reinforce the 1,500 men garrison at Santona led to the recall of the battalion on 1 November. However, the recall was countermanded and the battalion resumed its positions; it returned to Santander on 14 December.
On 21 December the 1st battalion, which numbered 536 rank and file, and its artillery company sailed from Santander in , , and , arriving at St Helens, Isle of Wight
St Helens, Isle of Wight
St. Helens is a village and civil parish located on the eastern side of the Isle of Wight. The village is based around village greens. This is claimed to be the largest in England but some say the Village Green is the second largest. The greens are often used for cricket matches during the summer...
on 31 December. The right wing (aboard Fox and Venerable) received orders to proceed to Plymouth on 6 January 1813, where the battalion was to perform garrison duty at Plymouth and to prepare for imminent deployment to North America.
The 1st Battalion embarked (on the ships Diadem (1st to 5th companies) and Diomede (6th to 8th companies and artillery) on 30 March, set sail on 7 April, and arrived in Bermuda on 29 May 1813. There it and the infantry already present were formed into two brigades.
On 25 June, the 1st Battalion participated in the attack on Hampton, Virginia
Hampton, Virginia
Hampton is an independent city that is not part of any county in Southeast Virginia. Its population is 137,436. As one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, it is on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula. Located on the Hampton Roads Beltway, it hosts...
. On 13 July, the Marine Battalions were involved in the occupation of Ocracoake
Ocracoke, North Carolina
Ocracoke is a census-designated place and unincorporated town located at the southern end of Ocracoke Island, located entirely within Hyde County, North Carolina. The population was 769 as of the 2000 census...
and Portsmouth, and engaged in the occupation of Kent Island
Kent Island, Maryland
Kent Island is the largest island in the Chesapeake Bay, and a historic place in Maryland. To the east, a narrow channel known as the Kent Narrows barely separates the island from the Delmarva Peninsula, and on the other side, the island is separated from Sandy Point, an area near Annapolis, by...
on 7 August. Later in the year, the 1st Battalion went to Ile aux Noix
Ile aux Noix
Île aux Noix is an island on the Richelieu River in Quebec, close to Lake Champlain. The island is the site of Fort Lennox National Historic Site. Politically, it is part of Saint-Paul-de-l'Île-aux-Noix.-Background:...
, south of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, while the 2nd Battalion went to Prescott
Prescott, Ontario
Prescott is a town of approximately 4,180 people on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Leeds and Grenville United Counties, Ontario, Canada. The Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge, 5 km east of Prescott in Johnstown, connects it with Ogdensburg, New York...
, on the Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
.
A detachment of the 1st Battalion, under Lieutenants Caldwell and Barton, was present at the Battle of Lacolle Mills (1814)
Battle of Lacolle Mills (1814)
The Second Battle of Lacolle Mills was fought on 30 March 1814 during the War of 1812. The small garrison of a British outpost position, aided by reinforcements, fought off a large American attack.-Background:After the St...
. On 16 August 1814, orders were received for the battalion to be 'disposed for Naval service'; the greater part of the battalion to go to Lake Ontario, the smaller element to go to Lake Champlain.
July 1812 to May 1814
The Second Battalion was formed at Chatham, and deployed to Portsmouth in July 1812. It consisted of six companies under the command of Major James MalcolmJames Malcolm (Royal Marines officer)
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir James Malcolm, KCB, was a Scottish officer of the British Royal Marines who served in the American Revolutionary War, in the Napoleonic Wars, and with noteworthy distinction in the Americas during the War of 1812...
. On 15 August, the battalion embarked aboard (3rd to 6th companies) and (1st and 2nd) companies), to deploy in Northern Spain under the command of the squadron of Home Riggs Popham
Home Riggs Popham
Admiral Sir Home Riggs Popham KCB was a British Royal Naval Commander who saw service during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars...
. The battalion disembarked at Zumaia
Zumaia
Zumaia is a small town in the north of Spain in the Basque Country. The Mayor is Iñaki Agirrezabala, member of Eusko Alkartasuna and Gazte Abertzaleak....
on 18 August, and joined up with Spanish forces under the command of Francisco de Longa
Francisco de Longa
Francisco Tomás de Anchia Longa was a Spanish guerrilla He was born April 10, 1783 in the village of Longa Mallabia . A blacksmith by trade, he and 100 men enganged the French in guerilla warfare, attacking the lines of communication around Pancorbo, Orduña and Valdeajos. From these humble...
. The battalion re-embarked on 20 September, and were landed at Santander on 28 September.
Further reinforcements for the battalion disembarked soon after Diadem arrived on 29 November at Santander, resulting in two companies being added and another company of artillery being formed. Some of the reinforcements had returned from garrison duty on the island of Anholt
Anholt (Denmark)
Anholt is a Danish island in the Kattegat, midway between Jutland and Sweden, with 171 permanent residents as of 1 January 2010. It is seven miles long and about four miles wide at its widest and covers an area of 21,75 km². Anholt is part of Norddjurs municipality in Region Midtjylland...
, Denmark.
On 21 December the 2nd battalion sailed from Santander, along with the left wing of the 1st battalion, aboard Latona, arriving in Cawsand Bay
Cawsand Bay
Cawsand Bay is a bay on the south-east coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom.The bay takes its name from the village of Cawsand at , to the north-east of the Rame Peninsula...
on 4 January. Diadem carried the 1st, 2nd, 7th, 8th & 10th companies, HMS Iris carried the 2nd Battalion's artillery company (Captain Parke) and supplemental company (Captain Wilkinson), with the remainder of the battalion (5 companies) embarked upon the transports Whitton and Mariner, leaving the town to Spanish forces commanded by General Mendizabal
Gabriel Mendizabal
Gabriel Mendizabal Iraeta was a Spanish military general....
. The surviving muster lists show the Marines disembarked at Plymouth on 7 January 1813.
Given the heterogeneous nature of the battalion, and its deployment in Spain immediately after inception, Major Malcolm felt that the 2nd Battalion was lacking in discipline. He requested that the 2nd Battalion be deployed to the barracks at Berry Head
Berry Head
Berry Head is a coastal headland at the southern end of Torbay, to the southeast of Brixham, Devon, England.-National Nature Reserve:Berry Head to Sharkham Point is a haven for several nationally rare and threatened species which are dependent upon the thin limestone soils, mild climate and exposed...
Fort in Torbay
Torbay
Torbay is an east-facing bay and natural harbour, at the western most end of Lyme Bay in the south-west of England, situated roughly midway between the cities of Exeter and Plymouth. Part of the ceremonial county of Devon, Torbay was made a unitary authority on 1 April 1998...
, so that drilling of the unit would result in better discipline and cohesion. The 2nd Battalion was dispatched to Berry Head on 14 January aboard HMS Diadem and HMS Latona, having boarded on 12 January. Within a month of the battalion's arrival in Berry Head Fort, the intensive drill bore fruit.
The 2nd Battalion embarked on the ships (1st, 7th and 8th companies and 35 artillerymen), , and on 30 March, set sail on 7 April with the ships carrying the 1st Battalion and (which was carrying troops of the 8th Royal Veteran Battalion
New South Wales Corps
The New South Wales Corps was formed in England in 1789 as a permanent regiment to relieve the marines who had accompanied the First Fleet to Australia. The regiment, led by Major Francis Grose, consisted of three companies...
) and arrived in Bermuda on 29 May, where the Marines and the Royal Veterans, with the two Independent Companies of Foreigners already present upon the island, were formed into two brigades.
The 2nd Battalion was employed alongside the 1st Battalion until late in 1813, when the 2nd Battalion was deployed to Prescott
Prescott, Ontario
Prescott is a town of approximately 4,180 people on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Leeds and Grenville United Counties, Ontario, Canada. The Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge, 5 km east of Prescott in Johnstown, connects it with Ogdensburg, New York...
, on the Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
. On 6 May 1814, it participated in the Battle of Fort Oswego (1814). Its final engagement was the Battle of Big Sandy Creek
Battle of Big Sandy Creek
The Battle of Big Sandy Creek was fought in northwestern New York on May 29–30, 1814, during the War of 1812. The battle was an American victory in which American militia and Oneida Indians launched a surprise attack on British soldiers who were chasing them inland from Lake...
, where an element of the battalion was within the 180 raiders. Thereafter, the battalion's companies were broken up and its men were dispersed among the Squadron and Flotilla on Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
, as per orders from Commodore James Lucas Yeo
James Lucas Yeo
Sir James Lucas Yeo KCB was a British naval commander who served in the War of 1812.Yeo was born in Southampton on 7 October 1782, and joined the Royal Navy as a midshipman at the age of 10. He first saw action as a lieutenant aboard a brig in the Adriatic Sea, and distinguished himself during the...
.
From May 1814
Following the order, the 2nd Battalion ceased to exist as a fighting force. All that remained were the staff elements. When the 3rd Battalion arrived in Chesapeake, they were renumbered as the 2nd Battalion and came under the command of Lieutenant Colonel James Malcolm (Royal Marines officer)James Malcolm (Royal Marines officer)
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir James Malcolm, KCB, was a Scottish officer of the British Royal Marines who served in the American Revolutionary War, in the Napoleonic Wars, and with noteworthy distinction in the Americas during the War of 1812...
. Upon the orders of Vice Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane
Alexander Cochrane
Admiral Sir Alexander Forrester Inglis Cochrane GCB RN was a senior Royal Navy commander during the Napoleonic Wars.-Naval career:...
, three of the ten companies were detached from this unit, to become the regenerated 3rd Battalion, under the command of Major Lewis. (These three compainies were commanded by Captain Clements, Lt Connolly and Lt Stevens.)
The recreated 2nd Battalion was present in the Chesapeake campaign, participating in the Battle of Bladensburg
Battle of Bladensburg
The Battle of Bladensburg took place during the War of 1812. The defeat of the American forces there allowed the British to capture and burn the public buildings of Washington, D.C...
, the attack on Washington
Burning of Washington
The Burning of Washington was an armed conflict during the War of 1812 between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the United States of America. On August 24, 1814, led by General Robert Ross, a British force occupied Washington, D.C. and set fire to many public buildings following...
, and the Battle of Baltimore
Battle of Baltimore
The Battle of Baltimore was a combined sea/land battle fought between British and American forces in the War of 1812. It was one of the turning points of the war as American forces repulsed sea and land invasions of the busy port city of Baltimore, Maryland, and killed the commander of the invading...
. Also present during the campaign was a composite battalion of Marines, formed from ships' Marine detachments, frequently led by Captain John Robyns (Royal Marines officer). A composite battalion also took part in the Battle of New Orleans
Battle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans took place on January 8, 1815 and was the final major battle of the War of 1812. American forces, commanded by Major General Andrew Jackson, defeated an invading British Army intent on seizing New Orleans and the vast territory the United States had acquired with the...
, under the command of Brevet Major Thomas Adair.
Following the failure of the British attack against Fort McHenry
Fort McHenry
Fort McHenry, in Baltimore, Maryland, is a star-shaped fort best known for its role in the War of 1812, when it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from an attack by the British navy in Chesapeake Bay...
on 13 September, the 2nd and 3rd Marine battalions proceeded to Tangier Island, where a barracks for 600 men was created on the understanding they would be spending the winter on the island.
Orders were received on 11 December to embark, the Marines later disembarking on Cumberland Island
Cumberland Island
Cumberland Island is one of the Sea Islands. Cumberland is the largest in terms of continuously exposed land area of Georgia's barrier islands. It is located on the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of the U.S. state of Georgia and is part of Camden County...
on 10 January 1815, along with the 1st Battalion and two companies of the 2nd West India Regiment
West India Regiment
The West India Regiment was an infantry unit of the British Army recruited from and normally stationed in the British colonies of the Caribbean between 1795 and 1927. The regiment differed from similar forces raised in other parts of the British Empire in that it formed an integral part of the...
. Thereafter, this force attacked Fort Peter
Battle of Fort Peter
The Battle of Fort Peter, or the Battle of Fort Point Peter or Fort Point Petre, was a successful attack by a British force on St. Marys, Georgia and a smaller force of American soldiers at Fort Peter, a small fort protecting the town. Point Peter is located at the mouth of Point Peter Creek and...
on the 13th January, subsequently marching on the town of St. Marys
St. Marys, Georgia
-See also:*Cumberland Island*St. Marys Historic District*St. Marys Railroad-External links:***...
, and occupying it for about a week, before retiring to Cumberland Island.
December 1813 to August 1814
After Napoleon's defeat at Leipzig in October 1813, the French troops retreated to France. A provisional government was formed, the DriemanschapDriemanschap
The Driemanschap of 1813 was formed after Charles-François Lebrun and the French troops suddenly left the area of the Netherlands.It consisted of Frans Adam van der Duyn van Maasdam, Leopold of Limburg Stirum and Gijsbert Karel van Hogendorp....
, which invited the exiled Prince William VI of Orange
William I of the Netherlands
William I Frederick, born Willem Frederik Prins van Oranje-Nassau , was a Prince of Orange and the first King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg....
to The Hague.
A token British force accompanied the Prince of Orange to the Netherlands in November 1813. Most of the British army was fighting the Peninsular war
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
, so the 2nd Battalion 2nd Foot Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
and several companies of Marines were hastily embarked at Deal. These companies were to form the nucleus of the 3rd Battalion. A further two companies of Marines arrived on 19 December, accompanied by Major George Lewis
George Lewis (Royal Marines officer)
George Lewis, later remembered as Lieutenant General George Lewis CB, late Colonel Commandant of the Royal Marines Portsmouth Division, was a career officer in the Royal Marines, active during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812....
, who assumed command of the Marines.
This force was involved in fighting around Krabbendijke
Krabbendijke
Krabbendijke is a town in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is located in the municipality of Reimerswaal, about 6 km southeast of the town of Kruiningen.Krabbendijke has a station on the railway line Bergen op Zoom - Vlissingen.-References:...
, until Russian troops relieved them on 18 January. When the marines arrived in Portsmouth on 21 January, they were formed into the Third Battalion. The battalion had an establishment of ten companies of 100 men, and one company of Royal Marine Artillery. The battalion was commanded by Major George Lewis
George Lewis (Royal Marines officer)
George Lewis, later remembered as Lieutenant General George Lewis CB, late Colonel Commandant of the Royal Marines Portsmouth Division, was a career officer in the Royal Marines, active during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812....
, who since 19 December 1813 had been the officer commanding the Marine companies deployed in the Netherlands.
The battalion embarked on 29 March, set sail on 7 April, and disembarked at Bermuda on 9 April. After a sojourn, the battalion sailed for the Chesapeake on 30 June, and joined Admiral Cockburn's squadron on 16 July.
On the morning of 19 July, the battalion landed near Leonardtown and advanced in concert with ships of the squadron, causing the US forces to withdraw. The battalion was deployed to the south of the Potomac, moving down to Nomini
Nomini, Virginia
Nomini is an unincorporated community in Westmoreland County, in the U. S. state of Virginia.-References:*...
. The battalion was subsequently landed at St Clements Bay on 23 July, Machodoc creek on 26th, and Chaptico, Maryland
Chaptico, Maryland
Chaptico is an unincorporated community in St. Mary's County, Maryland, United States. It lies on Chaptico Run, which forms a bay as it enters the Wicomico River.-History:...
on 30 July.
The first week of August was spent raiding the entrance to the Yaocomico
Yaocomico
The Yaocomico, or Yaocomaco, were an Algonquian-speaking Native American group who lived along the north bank of the Potomac River near its confluence with the Chesapeake Bay in the 17th century...
river, which concluded with the capture of four schooners at the town of Kinsale, Virginia
Kinsale, Virginia
Kinsale is an unincorporated community in Westmoreland County, in the U. S. state of Virginia. There is a small museum near the town commons dedicated to its history.-References:**...
. On 7 August, the battalion stormed a gun battery of three artillery pieces, situated on the Coan River
Coan River
The Coan River is a river in Virginia's Northern Neck region. It is a tributary of the Potomac River. It flows from its source in Heathsville through Northumberland County and into the Potomac between Lewisetta and Walnut Point....
(a few miles below the Yaocomico river).
After Lieutenant Colonel James Malcolm
James Malcolm (Royal Marines officer)
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir James Malcolm, KCB, was a Scottish officer of the British Royal Marines who served in the American Revolutionary War, in the Napoleonic Wars, and with noteworthy distinction in the Americas during the War of 1812...
arrived, the battalion was split into the reconstituted second battalion, and the third battalion (composed of Royal
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
and Colonial
Corps of Colonial Marines
Corps of Colonial Marines were raised from former slaves as auxiliary units of the Royal Marines for service in the Americas: Two of these units were raised and subsequently disbanded...
Marines), as outlined below.
From September 1814 to 1815
Vice Admiral Alexander CochraneAlexander Cochrane
Admiral Sir Alexander Forrester Inglis Cochrane GCB RN was a senior Royal Navy commander during the Napoleonic Wars.-Naval career:...
ordered that three of the ten companies from this unit become the nucleus of a regenerated 3rd Battalion, under the command of Major Lewis. The three companies of the Corps of Colonial Marines
Corps of Colonial Marines
Corps of Colonial Marines were raised from former slaves as auxiliary units of the Royal Marines for service in the Americas: Two of these units were raised and subsequently disbanded...
that had been formed at the start of the year were incorporated into the 3rd Battalion. The Colonial Marines had made their combat debut on the raid on Pungoteague; they then had carried out incursions at Chesconessex Creek in June and Onancock in August. Prior to the establishment of the Corps, some of its men had been employed to good effect as scouts and guides with raiding parties. A company fought at the Battle of Bladensburg and three companies fought at the Battle of North Point
Battle of North Point
The Battle of North Point was fought on September 12, 1814, between General John Stricker's Maryland Militia and a British force led by Major General Robert Ross. Although tactically a British victory, the battle delayed the British advance against Baltimore, buying valuable time for the defense of...
.
During the Chesapeake campaign the 3rd Battalion participated in the Battle of Bladensburg
Battle of Bladensburg
The Battle of Bladensburg took place during the War of 1812. The defeat of the American forces there allowed the British to capture and burn the public buildings of Washington, D.C...
, the attack on Washington
Burning of Washington
The Burning of Washington was an armed conflict during the War of 1812 between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the United States of America. On August 24, 1814, led by General Robert Ross, a British force occupied Washington, D.C. and set fire to many public buildings following...
, and the Battle of Baltimore
Battle of Baltimore
The Battle of Baltimore was a combined sea/land battle fought between British and American forces in the War of 1812. It was one of the turning points of the war as American forces repulsed sea and land invasions of the busy port city of Baltimore, Maryland, and killed the commander of the invading...
. The attack on Washington cost the Navy one man killed and six wounded, including one man of the Corps of Colonial Marines
Corps of Colonial Marines
Corps of Colonial Marines were raised from former slaves as auxiliary units of the Royal Marines for service in the Americas: Two of these units were raised and subsequently disbanded...
killed and three wounded.
The 3rd Battalion subsequently deployed to Tangier Island
Tangier, Virginia
Tangier is a town in Accomack County, Virginia, United States, on Tangier Island in the Chesapeake Bay. The population was 727 at the 2010 census. The tiny island community has attracted the attention of linguists because its people speak a unique English Restoration era dialect of American English...
and to Cumberland Island
Cumberland Island
Cumberland Island is one of the Sea Islands. Cumberland is the largest in terms of continuously exposed land area of Georgia's barrier islands. It is located on the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of the U.S. state of Georgia and is part of Camden County...
along with the 1st and 2nd Battalions. When news reached the troops that peace had been made, the 3rd Battalion embarked on 10 March, disembarking on Ireland Island, Bermuda, on 21 March. The battalion's three Colonial companies settled on Trinidad. The three remaining companies of the original 3rd Battalion returned to in England in 1815.
External links
- facebook page for 2nd Battalion Royal Marines historical re-enactment group
- 2nd Battalion Royal Marines historical re-enactment group old website
- 2nd Battalion historical re-enactment group events for 2011
- Listing by surname of Royal Marines (2nd Battn, 3rd Battn, Colonial Marines) paid prize money for participating in the attack on Washington
- Article about Royal Marines on Napoleon-Series