The Continental Marines were the infantry marines of the American Colonies (and later the United States) during the American Revolutionary War. The organization 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 amphibious warfare, onboard security forces, providing security at naval base or shore stations, and 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, infantry marine sharpshooters were stationed in the tops of a ship's masts specifically to shoot the opponent's officers and naval gunners.
In all, there were 131 Colonial Marine officers and probably no more than 2,000 enlisted Colonial Marines. 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, United States Marine Corps, marks November 10, 1775 as its inception.
History
thumb|200px|alt=Painting of Continental Marines landing on a tropical beach from rowboats, with two ships in the background|Continental Marines land at [[New Providence during the Battle of Nassau.]]
In accordance with the Continental Marine Act of 1775, Congress decreed:
These two battalions were initially intended to be drawn from George Washington's army for the planned invasion of Halifax, Nova Scotia, the main British reinforcement and supply point. In reality only one battalion was formed by December, with five companies and about 300 men. Plans to form the second battalion were suspended indefinitely after several British regiments-of-foot and cavalry, supported by 3,000 soldiers of the German British-allied contingent, landed in Nova Scotia, making the planned amphibious landing assault impossible. Washington was reluctant to support the Marines and suggested that they be recruited from New York or Philadelphia instead.
The Continental Marines' only Commandant was Captain Samuel Nicholas, commissioned on 28 November 1775; and the first Marine barracks were located in Philadelphia. Though legend places its first recruiting post at Tun Tavern, historian Edwin Simmons surmises that it was more likely the , a tavern owned by the Nicholas family. Robert Mullen, whose mother owned Tun Tavern, later received a commission as a captain in June 1776 and likely used it as his recruiting rendezvous.
In December 1776, the Continental Marines were tasked to join Washington's army at Trenton to slow the progress of British troops southward through New Jersey. Unsure what to do with the Marines, Washington added the Marines to a brigade of Philadelphia militia, also dressed in green. Though they were unable to arrive in time to meaningfully affect the Battle of Trenton, they were able to fight at the Battle of Princeton.
Continental Marines landed and captured Nautilus Island and the Majabagaduce peninsula in the Penobscot Expedition, but they withdrew with heavy losses when Commodore Dudley Saltonstall's force failed to capture the nearby fort. A group under Navy Captain James Willing left Pittsburgh, traveled down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, captured a ship, and in conjunction with other Continental Marines, brought by ship from the Gulf of Mexico raided British Loyalists on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain. The last official act of the Continental Marines was to escort a stash of silver crowns, on loan from Louis XVI of France, from Boston to Philadelphia to enable the opening of the Bank of North America.
At the end of the Revolutionary War, both the Continental Navy and Marines were disbanded in April 1783. Although individual Marines stayed on for the few U.S. naval vessels left, the last Continental Marine was discharged in September. In all, there were 131 Colonial Marine officers and probably no more than 2,000 enlisted Colonial Marines.
;1776, October: Sergeants William Hamilton and Alexander Neilson become the first recorded Marine mustangs when they are promoted to lieutenant.
;1778, April 23: A Marine detachment nominally under the command of John Paul Jones makes two raids on Whitehaven and St Mary's Isle.
;1783, January: Marines board and seize the British ship Baille in the West Indies
;1785, June: After the end of the American Revolutionary War, the Alliance is sold. The last official act of the Continental Marines was to escort a stash of French silver crowns on loan from Louis XVI, from Boston to Philadelphia, to enable the opening of the Bank of North America. The Continental Marines and the Continental Navy are disbanded.
Uniform
thumb|upright=0.7|1975 postage stamp depicting the Continental Marine uniform
On September 5, 1776, the Naval Committee published the Continental Marines uniform regulations specifying green coats with white facings (lapels, cuffs, and coat lining), with a leather high collar to protect against cutlass slashes and to keep a man's head erect. Its memory is preserved by the moniker "Leatherneck", and the high collar on Marine dress uniform. Though legend attributes the green color to the traditional color of riflemen, Colonial Marines carried muskets. More likely, green cloth was simply plentiful in Philadelphia, and it served to distinguish Marines from the red of the British or the blue of the Continental Army and Navy. Also, Sam Nicholas's hunting club wore green uniforms, hence his recommendation to the committee was for green. Another possible reason for the green coats with white facings is that they were using captured uniforms as many loyalist units such as the Queen's Own Loyal Provincial Regiment utilized the green-faced white coats.