marine units raised slaves service americas british behest units created different times later disbanded military threat disappeared corps small unit served caribbean october recruited slaves address shortage military manpower caribbean locally recruited men susceptible tropical illnesses troops sent britain corps followed practice british_army recruiting slaves soldiers second substantial corps served august greater corps stationed atlantic coast smaller body occupying fort gulf_coast florida recruits accepted escaped slaves gained freedom coming british hands unwilling join establishment force sparked controversy time slaves representing psychological threat slave owning society americas consequence senior officers corps florida register association corps inducing slave revolt end war british post florida evacuated corps florida detachment paid disbanded men accompanied british bermuda majority continued live settlements wooden corps garrisoned symbol slave insurrection legacy community armed fugitive slaves substantial arsenal lead tensions united_states_of_america remaining later took july joined southward migration african americans escaping american advance members battalion deployed atlantic coast withdrew american territory continue british service garrison residence bermuda unit disbanded marines trinidad corps rear admiral sir raised commander chief british naval forces leeward_islands station napoleonic wars british captured island earlier year french governor guadeloupe attacked island hearing illness weakened british garrison slaves assisted british promised returned means island preserved british control arrival companies 1st west india regiment named slaves enlarged fugitive slaves guadeloupe corps paid revenues clothed royal_navy stores commanded officers maintained corps october men ships squadron battery group small islands south guadeloupe remaining garrison saw action distinct body listed ships wages description colonial marine vice admiral assumed position commander chief british forces north_atlantic station april ordered recruitment body colonial marines years earlier rear admiral second command atlantic coast implemented order recruiting second served british forces atlantic gulf coasts united_states war april issued proclamation persons wishing persons received british military outpost aboard british ships seeking sanctuary enter majesty forces free settlers british possessions north_america west_indies historical precedent november offered freedom bore arms british forces recruitment atlantic coast service virginia coast occupied british offered accessible location seeking refuge male refugees given option blue jackets arms join working party constructing infrastructure corps embodied combat debut raid skirmish known helped capture american artillery battery captain later described involvement excellent specimen likely conduct marked great spirit perfect obedience soldier named killed early battle check contrary animated seek revenge initial impressions positive observed new recruits getting fine corps participated campaign subsequent correspondence wrote recruits behaved unexpectedly engagements committed improper members corps served alongside counterparts squadron dragon schooner hms participating series raids british failed destroy american bay flotilla battle creek conducted coastal raids towns june force colonial marines accompanied boats raid days later june force colonial attacked artillery battery creek failed prevent escape left creek days later arrival july battalion left bermuda june enabled squadron mount expeditions ashore series raids marines landed august accompanied recently arrived army veterans battalion accompany colonial marines attacks washington august company fought battle companies took burning washington firing parties led second lieutenant battle family later granted coat arms depicting torch casualties suffered colonial marines action man killed wounded september companies joined remaining companies form royal colonial marines later month companies fought battle north point maryland fourth company created december recruitment begun georgia coast quarter number allowed companies raised taken companies recruited corps suffered combat losses campaign actions greatest losses arose disease poor conditions outbreak winter killed surgeon men battalion corps tour war georgia december march admiral seized southern coast disrupt trade communication transportation troops gulf_of_mexico admiral forces planned southwestern territories corps joined successful british attack fort point peter corps occupied aiding emigration estimated slaves southeast georgia recruitment gulf coast service addition british outposts atlantic coast similar outpost gulf_coast prospect bluff florida attracted detachment landed gifts thousand muskets blankets indians fort constructed sent oversee operations prospect bluff left bermuda field pieces uniforms muskets recruits corps august issued order day battalion remains uncertain men command time muster pay records found escaped slaves recruited pensacola spanish forced return prospect bluff november american capture pensacola post war developments war ended february european companies royal colonial marines sent britain departure battalion reformed colonial marines consisting infantry companies staff company brought canada performed garrison duty royal naval dockyard bermuda disbanded trinidad august near known princes town colonial marines formed free farming community known spelled supervision non commissioned officers men formed acre households settlements successful ownership land formally recognised community descendants retains identity commemorates roots annual celebration detachment florida grown men paid disbanded british post evacuated end war small number men went bermuda british refugee group rejoining main body florida unit remained settlements wooden symbol slave insurrection opposed presence group armed fugitive slaves sparsely populated area spanish florida led july beginning war involvement conflict auxiliary officers corps executed known incident believed refugees group escaped bahamas founded west coast island community retains identity present day
Corps of Colonial Marines