November 10, 1775. That’s the date every Marine has burned into their brain. If you ask anyone in a dress blue uniform when was the Marine Corps formed, they’ll give you that date without blinking. It’s the "birthday." But history is rarely as clean as a calendar entry or a polished belt buckle.
The reality? It started in a bar.
Specifically, a place called Tun Tavern in Philadelphia. Imagine a bunch of guys sitting around with mugs of ale, smelling like woodsmoke and wool, trying to figure out how to stop the British Navy from kicking their teeth in. It wasn't exactly a formal military gala. It was a desperate, chaotic scramble for survival. The Continental Congress didn't have a massive budget or a grand plan; they just knew they needed "sea soldiers" who could shoot straight from the rigging of a ship.
The Continental Congress and the Birth of the Leatherneck
The official record shows that on November 10, 1775, the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution. They wanted two battalions of Marines raised. They weren't looking for parade ground experts. They needed men who could handle the "boarding parties" and the sharpshooting required in the cramped, bloody quarters of an 18th-century naval battle.
Robert Mullan was the man. He was the proprietor of Tun Tavern and became the first "recruiter." Think about that. The first Marines were basically recruited by a tavern owner over drinks. It’s probably the most "Marine" thing that has ever happened in the history of the military.
By early 1776, these guys were already seeing action. Samuel Nicholas, widely considered the first commandant, led them on their first amphibious raid in the Bahamas. They were looking for gunpowder. We needed it; the British had it. The Marines went and got it. It was a messy, loud, and effective debut.
But here is where it gets weird. After the Revolutionary War ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1783, the Continental Marines basically stopped existing. Gone. They were disbanded because the new government was broke. For fifteen years, there was no United States Marine Corps. If you're looking for when the modern version of the Corps actually became a permanent fixture, you have to fast-forward to July 11, 1798. That’s when President John Adams signed the act that officially re-established the Corps as a permanent branch.
Why the Date Matters More Than the Paperwork
You might wonder why we obsess over 1775 instead of 1798. It’s about lineage.
Marines are big on tradition. They don't see themselves as a government department; they see themselves as a continuous line of "first to fight" warriors. When General John A. Lejeune issued Marine Corps Order No. 47 in 1921, he codified the November 10th celebration. He wanted to make sure every Marine knew exactly where they came from. He wanted them to remember the tavern, the gunpowder raids, and the guys who fought for a country that didn't even have a constitution yet.
The "Leatherneck" nickname actually comes from this early era too. They wore high leather collars. Why? To keep their heads from being chopped off by cutlasses during boarding actions. It wasn't for fashion. It was a piece of armor.
The Evolution of the Mission
In the early days, a Marine’s job was simple.
- Stay in the "fighting tops" (the high platforms on masts).
- Shoot the enemy officers on the other ship.
- Lead the charge when the two ships smashed together.
- Keep the sailors from mutinying.
That last part is often forgotten. The Marines were the internal security for the Captain. They lived between the officers' quarters and the regular crew's berthing. They were the buffer. It created a unique culture—not quite Army, not quite Navy.
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Honestly, the Corps has almost been abolished several times. In the 1800s, and even after World War II, there were politicians who thought the Marines were redundant. They figured the Army could handle the land and the Navy could handle the sea. But the Marines carved out a niche: the amphibious assault. From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli (which were actual battles in the early 1800s), they proved that having a mobile, aggressive force that lives on ships but fights on land is indispensable.
Myths and Misunderstandings About 1775
People love the Tun Tavern story. It’s a great story. But some historians argue about whether it was the only place or even the primary place. Some evidence suggests the Conestoga Wagon tavern might have been involved too. Does it matter? Not to a Marine. Tun Tavern is the spiritual home.
Another misconception is that the Marines were just "extra soldiers" on boats. They weren't. They were trained specifically for the chaos of a deck-clearing brawl. The weapons were different. The tactics were different. Even the uniforms—initially green, not blue—were meant to distinguish them.
The transition from the "Continental Marines" of 1775 to the "United States Marine Corps" of 1798 is a bit of a legal gray area, but the spirit never broke. When the Corps was brought back to deal with the "Quasi-War" with France, many of the original Revolutionary War veterans were the ones pushing for it. They knew what worked.
Breaking Down the Timeline
- November 10, 1775: Resolution passed in Philly. The "Birth."
- March 1776: The raid on Nassau. First amphibious landing.
- 1783: The Corps is disbanded. The dark ages.
- July 11, 1798: The USMC is formally re-established by law.
- 1805: The Battle of Derne. The "Shores of Tripoli" moment where the Mameluke sword tradition began.
If you’re ever in Philadelphia, you can find a marker where Tun Tavern once stood. It’s not there anymore—it burned down in 1781. But the legacy is pretty much everywhere. You see it in the way the Marines carry themselves. It’s a chip on the shoulder that has been there since 1775.
What This History Means for You Today
If you're researching this for a history paper, a veteran’s birthday, or just because you’re curious, understand that the "when" is less important than the "why." The Marine Corps was formed because the American colonies were outmatched on the high seas and needed a specialized group of people who were willing to do the most dangerous jobs in the most cramped conditions.
They were the original "Special Operations" force before that term was ever invented.
For those looking to honor this history or dig deeper into the genealogy of a family member who served, start with the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico. It’s the best repository of these early records. Most of the early Continental Marine records are sparse—many were lost or never kept—but the 1798 records onwards are much more robust.
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Actionable Next Steps:
- Visit the National Museum of the Marine Corps: If you want to see the actual gear from the 1775 era, this is the place.
- Search the National Archives: If you are tracking a Revolutionary War ancestor, look for "M331" records—these are the compiled service records for the Continental Army and Marines.
- Read "First to Fight" by Victor Krulak: This is the definitive book on why the Marine Corps exists and how it has survived political attempts to shut it down.
- Locate the Tun Tavern Marker: If you are in Philly, go to Front Street and Dock Street. It’s a quick historical pilgrimage that puts the scale of the Corps' humble beginnings into perspective.
The Marine Corps didn't start with a grand parade. It started with a resolution and a beer. That’s probably why, 250 years later, they’re still the most tight-knit group in the military.