"British Marines in the AWI" Topic

I know there were British Marines present at several battles and I have read and seen a few references to them in various books but lately I've been curious as to how they were recruited and used normally?

At least one reference I remember stated regular British infantry being drafted or used as Marines for the fleet. Was it normal practice to transfer whole line infantry regiments to fleet use or would these have been army line infantry drafted from infantry regiments and transferred to the navy?

Someone will surely come along with a more detailed answer for you. However, the British Marines were a separate organization recruited to provide marines for ships: guards, discipline for the sailors, security for the officers, landing parties, troops for the fighting tops etc.

There were many Marines in Boston before the war and they were eventually formed into a battalion, (or was it two battalions), and even had a light company and grenadier company.

It was not uncommon to put infantry on ships on an ad hoc basis at this time, but the British Marines were a separate organization. As a note, John Paul Jones' marines on the Bonhomme Richard were Irish soldiers in French service, not actual marines.

There were two battalions of British Marines (not "Royal" until 1802) in the Boston garrison in 1775-1776. According to Mollo & McGregor in Uniforms of the American Revolution, the grenadier companies were formed after their arrival in Boston. There were also light companies (presumably one per battalion). The text goes on to state that "when the army left Halifax for New York in 1777 the marines remained behind and took no more part in the main campaigns, although they were, of course, used in isolated actions."

The grenadier and light companies of the 1st Battalion participated in the march to Lexington and Concord as did Major John Pitcairn and later he commanded a force of 300 in the assault on Breed's (AKA Bunker) Hill where he was mortally wounded.

More general information about "His Majesty's Marine Forces" can be found here: link

Jim

Fun fact, in 1776 Hon. Major John Maitland of His Majesty's Marines, was appointed joint commanding officer of the newly formed 2nd Light Infantry Battalion in Halifax. He accompanied them to New York where in the course of two years campaigning they established a reputation as a effective, indeed ruthless, fighting force. They were disbanded in autumn of 1778 and Maitland was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel in the 71st which he led with equal success in Georgia till he died of malaria at Savannah in March 1779.

And more on Maitland -- link -- including that he lost his right arm during the Seven Years War!

Jim

Two companies of Marine Grenadiers stayed with the Army through the Winter of 78.

They participated in the Philadelphia campaign and some of the other actions in the area before returning to the fleet.

Also, detachments from the army were drafted for use as Marines such as during the Newport campaign in 1779.

They were of course separate from the Marines themselves.

@Col Campbell
Remarkably (or perhaps not…) the Wiki article omits most of Maitland's service in America in 1775-1779.