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| Continental Marines | |
|---|---|
 Standard used by the Continental Marines | |
| Active | November 1775 – April 1783 |
| Country |  Thirteen Colonies (1775–76) United States (1776–1783) |
| Branch |  Continental Navy |
| Type | Marines |
| Role | Services on board armed vessels of the Navy Amphibious operations Land warfare in support of the Army[1] |
| Size | 2,131 at peak |
| Colors | Green |
| Engagements | American Revolutionary War |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Samuel Nicholas |
 |
| Armed Forces |
| United States |
|---|
|
| Great Britain |
| France |
| Related topics |
The Continental Marines were the amphibious infantry of the American Colonies (and later the United States) during the American Revolutionary War. The Corps was formed by the Continental Congress on November 10, 1775, and was disbanded in 1783. Their mission was multi-purpose, but their most important duty was to serve as onboard security forces, protecting the captain of a ship and his officers. During naval engagements, in addition to manning the cannons along with the crew of the ship, Marine sharpshooters were stationed in the fighting tops of a ship's masts specifically to shoot the opponent's officers, naval gunners, and helmsmen.
In all, there were 131 Colonial Marine officers and probably no more than 2,000 enlisted Colonial Marines.[2] Though individual Marines were enlisted for the few U.S. Naval vessels, the organization would not be re-created until 1798. Despite the gap between the disbanding of the Continental Marines and the current organization, the Continental Marines' successor, U.S. Marine Corps, marks November 10, 1775 as its inception.
- ^ Roe, Thomas G. (1962) A history of Marine Corps roles and mission: 1775–1962. Washington, D.C.: Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, pp. 4–6
- ^ Simmons, Edwin Howard (2003). The United States Marines: A History (4th ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-790-5.