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Civil War Marine Guard
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The Constellation's Marine Guard was commanded
by 23-year-old 1st Lieutenant Robert O'Neil Ford,
USMC; a native of Philadelphia and resident of Brooklyn, New York.
He commanded a Marine Guard that consisted of one orderly (first) sergeant, one sergeant, three corporals, one fifer, one drummer, and 36 privates. All of these men served together for the duration; only one being transferred from the ship and none transferred to the ship during the cruise. Most of the enlisted men were Irish immigrants. By all accounts, life for the Marines was hard. Lieutenant Ford was disengaged from the day-to-day management of the Marine Guard and Orderly Sergeant Robbins, according to first-person accounts, was quite unbalanced. Robbins punished the men for the slightest of infractions and invented plots against his life. Malaise and boredom affected the crew, causing behavior problems, and the Marines did not escape these maladies. First-person accounts of the cruise described a life of sailing from port to port in the Mediterranean, searching for Confederate raiders, finding none, but finding mischief in the portside pubs of the seaport towns. Nonetheless, the Marines of the Constellation did their duty with honor, dignity and skill during the entire tour.
Ship's Company generally schedules one weekend day per
month (sometimes more), May through October, to
serve aboard the Constellation.
We also schedule occasional outside events, such as
battle reenactments and living history programs,
where the presence of sailors and marines is
appropriate.
The Marine Guard works closely
with the Naval contingent, but we are also free to
attend other events that the sailors may not attend.
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To participate, you must be a member
in good standing of Ship's Company. Dues are $15
per year and entitle the member to a vote in group
decisions, participation in unit events (provided
your uniform and equipment are complete), and a
subscription to Ship's Company's newsletter The Broadside. Marines also receive a subscription to the Marine Guard's newsletter, The Eagle and Anchor.
Recruiting is ongoing. Our goal is to have one
uniformed, regularly-participating member for each
of the 44 Marines who served in the Marine Guard
during the War.
We set the standard for excellence
in Civil War USMC reenacting. As a result, it
takes a little additional effort and money to
do it right. A byproduct of this standard
is pride and esprit de corps. Members
purchase their own uniforms and equipment from our
list of preferred suppliers. If you purchase
your equipment from the preferred suppliers
(selected for the quality of their work, NOT nepotism!)
and maintain it well, it will provide you many
years of faithful service.
Contact
Steve Bockmiller,
Civil War USMC coordinator for
Ship's Company, or phone him at 301-371-6311.
You'll get a packet of information with more details about the
ship, Ship's Company and the Marine Guard, as well
as a complimentary copy of the most recent edition
of "The Eagle and Anchor." Sutler contacts will be
provided upon confirmation of dues payment.
Click here for uniform requirements
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