The Honorable and Gallant Corps
A couple of devastating defeats for the Union highlighted the seriousness of the civil war. U.S. military leaders and Congress soon realized the Confederacy wasn't a bunch of clueless rebels. They were skilled military professionals who fought and trained alongside Union soldiers in a not-too-distant past. This reality ramped up recruiting efforts, and on July 25, 1861, Congress authorized an act that increased the Marine Corps strength by 93 officers and 3074 enlisted. As fast as recruits poured in, the Corps sent them to new assignments to support the war. On August 19, 200 Marines from the Washington Navy Yard were assigned to the Potomac flotilla. The British smuggled supplies into the Confederacy and the mission of this flotilla was to cut off supply lines by destroying Confederate depots. The Marines and Navy captured Forts Clark and Hatteras, and their next target was Pensacola.
At 0300, on September 14, 1861, twenty-nine Marines and sailors, commanded by Captain Edward M Reynolds from the frigate Colorado, rowed into Pensacola's harbor. Their target was the schooner Judah, a privateer vessel being outfitted for war. The Marines spotted the ship and headed towards their target in rowboats. Speed took priority to stealth, and the defending crew heard the Marines paddling as the boats neared. The Confederates unleashed a volley of musket fire, and the Union Marines fired back. After a few rounds, the guards fled from the schooner's deck to the wharf. The first to board was Marine John Smith. Under constant fire from Confederates, Marines lit multiple fires, freed the ship from the dock, and let her drift into the sea, where she eventually sank.
While Marines were destroying the Judah, another amphibious team was tasked with spiking the guns on land, but it was still dark, and the detachment became separated. Lieutenant Sprotson and Gunner Boreton were the first to spot their target. Luckily for them, only one soldier was guarding the guns. The Confederate soldier immediately pointed a canon at Lieutenant Sprotson, but Gunner Boreton took aim and shot him down before he fired. The Marines spiked the guns, and the two men returned to their boat. The mission in Pensacola was accomplished in 15 minutes. In his official report, Flag-Officer William Mervine stated, "The Marines especially seemed to have sustained the reputation borne by their branch of the service, as they receive encomiums from all sides." Eighteen Marines were wounded during this engagement, and John Smith, the first man to board the ship, was killed by friendly fire.
We cover the American Civil War in detail, starting with Episode 64: The Rise of the Confederate Marine Corps and ending with Episode 68: The Bullet has not Been Made that Will Kill Me.
Second picture: A black and white photo taken in February 1861 of Columbiad guns of the Confederate water battery at Warrington, Florida (the entrance to Pensacola Bay). Photo credit: Still Picture Branch, National Archives at College Park
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