In this present "triphibious" era when the United States Marines constitute such a dynamically potent component of the Nation's armed forces, on land, on sea, and in the air, it is especially interesting to hark back to the very early days of the United States Navy and seek to identify the first American seagoing Marine officer, the term "seagoing" here being used in the sense as referring to the first Marine officer to go to sea with the Navy after adoption of the Constitution.
Authentic documentary history found in our naval archives reveals that individual's name as Daniel Carmick, First Lieutenant of Marines, attached to and serving on board the U.S.S. Ganges, during the early part of the undeclared Franco-American Naval War of 1798-1801.
In those early days of the Nation's history, long before passage of the Congressional Act creating the Navy Department as a separate executive department of the Government, as also before passage of the act of July 11, 1798, establishing the U. S. Marine Corps, the officer commanding the Marine Guard on board American naval vessels was, by law, designated by the title of "Lieutenant of Marines."
The national emergency which evolved out of the unwarranted capture and confiscation of American merchant vessels and crews by French privateers, during the European disturbances following in the wake of the. French Revolution, was the prime cause of our naval expansion and mobilization during that period, culminating in the undeclared naval war with France. A typical example of the harrowing experiences to which American flag shipping was subjected during those parlous times at sea is found in the following case cited by the Secretary of State in his report, of December 27, 1797, to a Congressional committee of Commerce and Manufactures:
The Sloop Olinda, William Darnel, Master, from Savannah bound to Jeremie with lumber, tobacco & live-stock, was captured on the 17th June 1797 by a French privateer, called L'Espiegle, Captn. Barre, who ordered her to St. Juan in Puerto Rico. They robbed Capt. Darnel of all his sea-cloaths, bedding, books, quadrants, &c. He entreated them to let him remain with his vessel, that he might see her condemned, which they preremptorily refused. On the next day they fell in with an American sloop, on board of which they put Capt. Darnel & three of his men, keeping the Mate & two more in the Olinda.
Spring of 1798 found U. S. Naval mobilization energetically underway, with the three famous Frigates, Constellation, Constitution, and United States, being rushed to completion and manned, while American merchantmen were being purchased by the Government for conversion into men-of-war to augment our naval forces in the protection of United States seaborne commerce from the French depredations.
The Ganges, of Philadelphia, was one of the merchantmen purchased for that purpose, on May 3, 1798; moreover that vessel, in command of Captain Richard Dale, U. S. Navy, was destined to be the very first U. S. Naval vessel to put to sea for engaging in that war, with Daniel Carmick occupying the billet of First Lieutenant of Marines on board.
In connection with fitting-out the Ganges as a man-of-war and with her preparation for sea at Philadelphia, the Secretary of War, on May 5, 1798, issued the following orders to "Dan'l. Carmick Lieut. Marines on board the Ganges":
Sir: The President of the United States, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, having appointed you a Lieutenant of Marines on board the Ship Ganges—
You will be pleased to commence the recruiting the Complement of Marines allowed by Law to the said Ship, to wit: One Searjeant, One Corporal, One Drum and Fife, and Twenty-one Privates. In performance of this Duty, you will pay particular Attention to the Rules and Regulations hereinafter mentioned. . . .
Given at the War Office of the United States, this fifth day of May, A.D. 1798 and in the Twenty-second year of the Independence of said States.
It is here worthy of mention that although the Navy Department had been established by the Congressional Act of April 30, 1798, Secretary of the Navy Benjamin Stoddert did not take the oath and assume the duties of his office until June 17; hence the foregoing orders to Lieutenant of Marines Carmick were issued from the office of the Secretary of War.
As the twelve articles of the Recruiting Rules and Regulations which were embodied in Secretary of War James McHenry's foregoing orders to Lieutenant Carmick are particularly indicative of some interesting phases of service personnel problems existing in those days they are quoted:
1st. It being essential that those who enlist, should feel an Inclination for that kind of Life, no indirect Methods are allowable to inveigle Men into the Service of the United States; it is forbidden therefore to enlist any Individual while in a State of Intoxication, or to have him sworn untill twenty-four hours after he shall have signed the Enlistment.
2. No Individual is to be enlisted (Musicians excepted) who is not five feet and six Inches high without Shoes, and above Eighteen and under Forty Years of Age. He must be healthy, robust and sound in his Limbs and Body, and of a Make to support the Fatigues and acquire the honors of a Soldier.
3. No Negro, Mulatto or Indian to be enlisted nor any Description of Men except Natives of fair Conduct or Foreigners of unequivocal Characters for Sobriety & Fidelity. Any recruiting Officer enlisting a vagrant transient Person, who shall desert, shall reimburse out of his Pay the Loss sustained by such desertion.
4. The Recruits are to be enlisted to serve the Term of one Year, unless sooner discharged. The Monthly Pay allowed them will be as follows viz't—Serjeants, Nine Dollars; Corporals, Eight Dollars; Musicians, Seven Dollars; Privates, Six Dollars, two Dollars whereof, may be advanced them, at the Time of their being sworn. To reimburse the Cost of attesting the Recruits, and other necessary Expences, One Dollar will be allowed for every Recruit duly enlisted.
5. Each Recruit before he is sworn, is to have distinctly read to him the Rules and Articles of the Navy against Mutiny and Desertion and such Acts of Congress as concern his Pay, Duties and the public Engagement.
The Oath shall be as follows, to wit. I— do solemnly swear to bear true Allegiance to the United States of America, and to serve them faithfully against all their Enemies or Opposers whomsoever, and to obey the orders of the President of the United States of America, and the orders of the officers appointed over me according to the Articles of the Navy.
6. No Recruit is to be permitted to keep in his possession after being sworn any of his Clothing, except that which he may receive from the Public. The Officer is therefore to oblidge him to dispose of his private Clothing immediately, or to take the keeping of it upon himself till an opportunity offers to sell it for account of the Recruit.
7. No Recruit is to be allowed to absent himself from his Quarters, till such Time as he has proved himself faithful without a Corporal or trusty Private to attend him.
8. Each Recruit after being sworn, is to be attached to a Squad to consist of a Number sufficient to form a Mess, who must live together and be under the Inspection and Command of a Sergeant or Corporal.
9. The Commanding Officer of a Recruiting Party, shall make out on every Saturday, a Return of the Number of Recruits under his Command and of the Number joined, and of the Incidents that have taken place and the Arms, Accoutrements and Clothing, delivered them during the Course of the Week and transmit the same to the Secretary for the Department of War, and a Duplicate to the Commander of the Ship to which he belongs.
10. He shall keep a Recruiting Book, in which
he shall record—
The Name, Trade and Description of each Recruit.
A Copy of the Oath taken before the Magistrate signed by the Magistrate and Recruit.
The Money paid to every Recruit.
The Articles of Clothing, Arms & Accoutrements delivered each Recruit.
11. The Commanding Officer at each Rendezvous will sign Returns for the Issues of all Rations and other necessary Supplies for the Recruits, and on the Saturday of each Week, the Returns made in the Week are to be taken up, and one general Return made out and signed for the Rations received in the course of the Week noticing the daily Issues.
12. On the Desertion of a Recruit, besides the usual Exertions and Means to be employed on such Occasions, the Recruiting Officer will transmit as soon as possible a description of the Deserter to the Secretary of War, and will cause all Descriptions of Deserters that may be sent to him to be entered in a Book kept for that Purpose, and will use his Endeavours to discover and apprehend all Deserters.
Lieutenant Carmick accordingly having recruited his Marine Guard, the Secretary of War, on May 21, 1798, issued instructions to the Navy Storekeeper at Philadelphia "to deliver to Lieut. Carmick for the Marines on board the Ship of War Ganges the following Articles, Vizt:
1 Serjeant's Coat, 1 Waistcoat, 1 Pantaloon.
2 Music Coats, 2 Waistcoats, 2 Pantaloons.
21 Privates Coats, 21 Waistcoats, 21 Pantaloons.
48 Shirts
26 pairs of Shoes
1 Musket complete
1 Bayonet.
1 Fife and case
2400 Musket Cartridges.
On May 22, the Secretary of War issued to Captain Dale the following operation orders for the Ganges:
Sir:
Although Congress have authorized the arming, equipping and employing a Number of Ships, an evident object of which is the Protection of the Commerce of the United States, yet as Congress possess exclusively the Power to declare War, grant Letters of Marque & Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water, and as neither has yet been done, your Operations must accordingly be partial & limited. For the present, you will be governed by the following Instructions, which relate to the Prevention of Violations of our jurisdictional Rights and to Self-defence.
1. The Jurisdiction of the United States, on our Coast, has been determined to extend One Marine League from our Shores, and to comprehend all our Rivers and Inlets, and all the Bays and Sounds, land-locked by the Territory of the United States. If within these Limits, you find any armed Vessel whatever, committing Depredations on our Coast or attacking or having taken, or in the act of pursuing to attack or take any Vessel of the United States, or the Vessel of any Nation whatever, you are to make every Exertion to prevent the Execution of such unlawful Proceedings, and to defend or literate or retake the Vessel pursued, attacked or captured, and send in the offending Vessel, to some port of the United States, to be dealt with according to Law, in such cases.
2. If on the high Seas, you are attacked by any armed Vessel whatever, you are, to defend Yourself to the Utmost. If the Assailant strikes, examine her Papers, and if She has not a regular Commission, and then in force, bring her into some Port of the United States, to be tried as a Pirate.
3. You will consider your Cruising Ground, till further Orders, to be, between the Capes of Virginia and Long-Island, and will change your Course, from time to time, so as to afford the best Protection in your power to our jurisdictional Rights, and especially to all Vessels of the United States, in coming on or going off the Coast.
4. On the twelfth of June, you are if possible to be at the Capes of Delaware, between Cape Henlopen & Cape James, and there to wait for additional Orders from the President.
5. You will engage a Pilot if you think it necessary to remain with you during the Cruise, or 'till the 12th of June.
6. You will as often as Opportunities present, transmit a Journal of your Proceedings and such Events as it may be proper to communicate.
Two days later Captain Dale weighed anchor and sailed the Ganges away from Philadelphia to take up his assigned patrol station at sea; as before stated, the Ganges thereby gained the signal distinction of having been the very first vessel of the United States Navy to put to sea in that undeclared war.
Lieutenant Carmick remained attached to the Ganges until late in the summer of that year, when he was ordered to be relieved by First Lieutenant Simon W. Geddes, U. S. Marine Corps. In the meantime Congress had passed the Act of July 11, creating the United States Marine Corps, the first Major Commandant to be appointed being William Ward Burrows. And among the first orders signed by Major Commandant Burrows after his appointment to that office were those of August 23, 1798, issued to Lieutenant Geddes to report aboard the Ganges as relief of Lieutenant Carmick:
Sir: You are to repair to Marcus Hook to relieve Lieut. Carmick and place yourself under the orders of the Captain or Commanding Officer of the Ship.
As all orders will immediately come from the Captain to you it is expected you will pay implicit obedience to your superior officers, as by your Example your soldiers will be taught to respect you and cheerfully obey you.
The Marines in all foreign services are excused from going aloft, so that you must attend particularly to this regulation and by no means allow them to be ordered aloft, but if they wish to go, you may permit but not force them.
You must notice all Deserters to me under Cover to the Secretary of the Navy and advertise them immediately at the nearest town.
Shortly following creation of the U. S. Marine Corps in the Summer of 1798, Lieutenant Carmick was regularly commissioned a captain in that branch. He later rendered distinguished service in our Naval war with France while commanding the Marine Guard on board the U. S. Frigate Constitution; he also performed outstanding service in both the war with the Mediterranean Barbary Powers and the War of 1812, being wounded in the latter conflict at the Battle of New Orleans, on December 28, 1814; he died in that city in November, 1816, as a result of his wounds, and was buried in Saint Louis Cemetery at New Orleans. He was born in Philadelphia in 1772.
Thus did Daniel Carmick, the U. S. Navy's first "seagoing',' Marine Officer, write a glorious semper fidelis chapter in the early history of the United States Marine Corps.
Captain Dunn is a graduate of the U. S. Naval Academy, Class of 1909. He has specialized in research pertaining to various phases of U. S. Naval History, and he edited the first three volumes of the documentary series, Quasi-War With France, 1798-1801, published by the U. S. Navy Department.