Chapter 3:
Marines Leave Their Ships for Princeton

 

 

After the victory at Trenton, NJ on Dec. 25, 1776, George Washington let General Lord Cornwallis pursue him from his base at Princeton. Even though the Americans were outnumbered three to one, this presented an opportunity for Washington, for while Cornwallis was moving on them, their base, with stores of munitions, would be vulnerable to attack. At night, with rail campfires burning brightly, the U.S. force took a southern road to the east while the British marched west.

The American army formed in two attacking columns. General Mercer and Brigadier General Calwalader’s brigade, with 600 U.S. Marines and Pennsylvania state Marines pulled from various ships in Philadelphia: The Delaware, Effingham, Washington, Virginia, Andrea Doria, Champion, Montgomery and the Pennsylvania ships Hancock and Defence. Marine officers included Captains Porter, Mullen, Love, Montgomery, Deane, Craig, Shaw, Leary, Disney, Brown, Shippin, and Brown. All were commanded by Marine Major Sam Nicholas who, under General Greene, marched up Quaker road and were to secure the left flank.

Along with Maj. Nicholas was Captain Robert Mullen, owner of Tun Tavern, which became a legendary recruiting center for Marines. In June of 1776, Congress had approved commissions for 14 new Marine officers—among them was the tavern-owner Mullen. For the first time, American Marines marched off to bolster an American army.

General Sullivan took the Saw Mill road and was to attack Princeton from the east. The 40th regiment of foot was the only British force left in Princeton. Colonel Mawhood and the 17th regiment of foot, on the march to Trenton, caught sight of the flank of Mercer’s troops. Mercer, thinking them a small scouting party, attacked Mawhood’s men. Hidden behind a bank, the British rose and fired at the Americans. Their shots were all too high, thanks to the British troops being trained to close their eyes when pulling the trigger. While the Americans started their volley, the British came at them with cold steel and overpowered the Americans. Gen. Mercer was bayoneted to death and the American force fled in disorder.

The British excelled at the use of the bayonet—and their officers took great delight in closing with the Americans. One British General, “No-Flint” Grey, actually had his NCOs knock the flints out of his men’s muskets before going into battle with their bayonet alone. He felt—and rightly so—that it winnowed out his weaker troops. The Americans were at a great disadvantage because they only had a scant supply of bayonets—let alone sufficient training with the weapon. Only when the French army entered the war and supplied them with Baron von Steuben training did Americans learn how to parry British “charge bayonets.”

Calwalader and the Marines heard firing in the distance and marched to the guns. Seeing Mercer’s men in full retreat, he formed the column in divisions to the right. Morgan’s crack battalion of Virginia riflemen on the left flank with Matlock’s riflemen and Nicholas’ Marines on the right fired at the British, but were too far for effect. They were ordered to advance at double-time and reload on the move. They got within 50 yards of the British, who let the Marines have it with several well-trained devastating volleys. The Marines were driven back 40 yards and trying to regroup was a failure.

Then, Gen. Washington appeared and proceeded to rally the troops. Capt. Moulder’s two artillery pieces began to pound the 17th—and with the arrival of Sullivan’s division the situation was resolved. Colonel Hand’s riflemen went against Mawhood’s left while the Marines and Major Israel Angell pressed the center. With the renewed attack, the British line gave way and the 17th scattered. The 55th regiment of foot came up from Princeton, but was routed by Sullivan’s Continentals.

As the Americans took the city, the 55th took up defensive positions in Nassau Hall. As legend has it, a lucky American cannonball beheaded the portrait of King George III hanging in the hall. The British, seeing this as an omen, quickly surrendered. Two British regiments were annihilated in detail attesting to Washington’s prowess.

The British lost 500 dead. American losses were seven officers and 30 privates slain. Among them was the perforated body of Gen. Mercer. Also killed was Pennsylvania Marine Capt. William Shippen.

After the Trenton-Princeton campaign, the three reduced Marine companies joined Washington’s army at Morristown, New Jersey, in those infamous miserable winter quarters.

Levying Nicholas’ three marine companies into the army, against the invasion of Pennsylvania, seemed to crush the idea of an independent Corps of Marines. Next came the disintegration of centralized control by the Marine Committee. Marines were, at this point, relegated to ship detachments. It was the beginning of the demise of the Corps’ original Resolve of Nov. 10, 1775. There would follow 167 years of continuing battle with the Army and Congress as to how Marines should be used.

As we know, it was by no means the end of the U.S. Marine Corps.