If you walk into a bar in Philly and ask a local about November 10, 1775, you might get a free drink or a very long history lesson. Most people think the military just sort of appeared when the Declaration of Independence was signed. Not quite. The story of when was marines created isn’t just about a date on a calendar; it’s about a bunch of guys meeting in a tavern because they needed a specialized force to fight in the "nitty-gritty" of ship-to-ship combat.
It started at Tun Tavern.
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The Continental Congress was stressed. It was late 1775. The revolution was bubbling, but the colonies didn't have a formal way to defend their interests at sea beyond some scrappy privateers. On November 10, a resolution drafted by John Adams passed, authorizing two battalions of American Marines. They weren't looking for standard soldiers. They needed "good seamen, or so acquainted with maritime affairs as to be able to serve to advantage by sea." Basically, they wanted people who wouldn't get seasick while trying to shoot a musket from a swaying mast.
Why Tun Tavern is the Most Important Bar in History
The Continental Congress appointed Samuel Nicholas as the first Captain of Marines. Nicholas didn’t have a recruitment office. He had a family connection to a popular watering hole. Tun Tavern served as the primary recruiting station. Imagine the scene: cold November air, the smell of woodsmoke and ale, and Nicholas basically headhunting guys who looked tough enough to board a British man-of-war.
Robert Mullan, the tavern keeper, became the chief "recruiter." It’s one of those weird historical quirks that the toughest fighting force in the world was essentially birthed in a pub. This wasn't a corporate rollout. It was a desperate, localized scramble for warm bodies who could handle a bayonet.
Some historians argue about the "first" Marine, but Nicholas is the guy. He was a Quaker—well, a former one—which makes the whole "founding a combat unit" thing even more ironic. He had to be disowned by the religious community for his military involvement.
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The First Mission and the "Leatherneck" Myth
People ask when was marines created because they want to know the "why." By early 1776, the newly minted Marines were already in the thick of it. Their first big splash was the raid on Nassau in the Bahamas. They were after gunpowder. They didn't have fancy uniforms yet. They had spirit and a very specific piece of gear that gave them their most famous nickname.
The term "Leatherneck" comes from the high leather collar they wore. It wasn't for fashion. It was to protect their necks from sword slashes during boarding parties. It also forced them to keep their heads up, giving them that stiff-necked military posture. It’s funny how a piece of 18th-century safety gear becomes a badge of honor for centuries.
A Brief Lapse in Existence
Here is a fact that catches people off guard: the Marines actually ceased to exist for a while.
After the Revolutionary War ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1783, the Continental Navy and the Marines were essentially disbanded. The government was broke. They sold off the ships. The Marines were gone. For fifteen years, there was no "United States Marine Corps."
It wasn't until July 11, 1798, that President John Adams signed the act that re-established the Corps. This was during the "Quasi-War" with France. We needed them back. This is why you sometimes see two different "founding" vibes in history books, but the November 10 date is the one that stuck in the culture. It's the birthday. It's the soul of the organization.
The Evolution of the Role
The original job description was narrow.
- Protecting the ship's officers from mutiny.
- Sniping from the "fighting tops" (the platforms on the masts).
- Leading boarding parties to seize enemy vessels.
Nowadays, they are a multi-domain force, but that DNA of being "soldiers of the sea" never really left. Even during the massive land battles of World War I at Belleau Wood—where the Germans allegedly called them "Teufel Hunden" or Devil Dogs—the Marines maintained an identity separate from the Army.
The Army is a massive sledgehammer. The Marines, ever since that meeting at Tun Tavern, have been more like a scalpel that you throw at a problem really, really fast.
Specific Milestones You Probably Didn't Know
If you're digging into when was marines created, you have to look at the shifts in their structure.
- 1834: There was a massive debate about whether the Marines should just be part of the Army or the Navy. President Andrew Jackson actually wanted to merge them into the Army. The Marines fought it. They won.
- The Motto: "Semper Fidelis" wasn't adopted until 1883. Before that, they had "Per Mare, Per Terram" (By Sea, By Land).
- The Dress Blues: The red piping on the trousers—the "blood stripe"—is tradition-linked to the Battle of Chapultepec in 1847, though some historians point out that decorative stripes were common before then. Regardless, the legend is what matters to the boots on the ground today.
The complexity of the Corps is that it thrives on this history. Every recruit learns about Samuel Nicholas. Every recruit learns about the Mameluke sword carried by officers, a tradition dating back to the shores of Tripoli in 1805. You aren't just joining a job; you're joining a 250-year-old narrative that started with a beer and a musket.
Why the Date Matters for National Security
Knowing when was marines created helps explain why the US military is structured the way it is. We have a four-branch (now six, with Space Force and Coast Guard) system because of these specific historical needs. The Marines represent "expeditionary" warfare. They are the first ones in because that’s how they were designed in 1775—to be the quick-reaction force of the sailing era.
If you ever see a Marine Corps Ball on November 10, you’ll see a ceremony where the first piece of cake goes to the guest of honor, then the oldest Marine present, who then passes it to the youngest Marine. It’s a literal passing of history.
Actionable Takeaways for History Buffs
If you want to dive deeper than just a Wikipedia summary, here is how to actually engage with this history:
- Visit the National Museum of the Marine Corps: It’s in Triangle, Virginia. It’s arguably one of the best military museums in the world. The architecture itself is designed to look like the Iwo Jima flag-raising.
- Read "First to Fight" by Victor Krulak: If you want to understand the political battles the Marines had to win just to keep existing, this is the book. It explains why the Corps is a "state of mind" as much as a military branch.
- Check the Records: The National Archives holds the original Continental Congress resolutions. Seeing the actual ink on the paper from 1775 changes your perspective on how "planned" the revolution actually was.
The Marines weren't a certainty. They were an experiment. They were a group of guys in a tavern trying to figure out how to stop the most powerful navy in the world with almost no resources. That scrappiness is still the core of their brand today. Whether it’s 1775 or 2026, the identity remains tied to that original November day in Philadelphia.
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To truly understand the U.S. military, start by looking at those first two battalions. They weren't just soldiers; they were the beginning of an entirely new way of thinking about American power. It’s a legacy built on leather collars, tavern meetings, and a refusal to be absorbed into the larger bureaucratic machine.
Next Steps for Research
Check out the official Marine Corps History Division online. They have digitized primary source documents from the Revolutionary War that detail the specific pay scales and equipment lists for those first recruits in 1775. It's a fascinating look at the logistics of starting a military branch from scratch.