Dispatch This Business With All Possible Celerity

Happy birthday to all our Marines today 🖍️ pic.twitter.com/ylCxokrybt

— Puff, a lightsaber Airman ⚔️ (@KeraRolsen) November 10, 2025

While we had an army by the Summer of '75, it wasn't until October 5, when Congress got word of 2 British vessels headed for Canada, that we started organizing a naval force.  The ubiquitous John Adams was appointed to a committee, and he recorded:

This Committee immediately procured a Room in a public house in the City, and agreed to meet every Evening at six o Clock in order to dispatch this Business with all possible celerity.

On November 10, Congress resolved:

That two Battalions of marines be raised, consisting of one Colonel, two Lieutenant Colonels, two Majors, and other officers as usual in other regiments; and that they consist of an equal number of privates with other battalions; that particular care be taken, that no persons be appointed to office, or insisted into said battalions, but such as are good seamen, or so acquainted with maritime affairs as to be able to serve to advantage by sea when required: that they be insisted and commissioned to serve for and during the present war between Great Britain and the colonies, unless dismissed by order of Congress: that they be distinguished by the names of the first and second battalions of American Marines, and that they be considered as part of the number which the continental Army before Boston is ordered to consist of.

A commission was signed by John Hancock on November 28, making one Samuel Nicholas the very first Captain of Marines (traditionally considered the first Commandant).  Nicholas was one of those "fighting Quakers", disowned by his Meeting for "associating to learn the art of war."

As an aside, we Quakers do have a history of such impetuousness.  General Nathanael Greene was also kicked out for "excessive military ardor and disreputable behavior" in 1770.  Not sure if General Smedley Butler ever was, but of course after becoming the most decorated Marine in US history, he turned back against military conflict and wrote War is a Racket in 1935.

Now a founding myth of the Corps is that it was birthed in Philly's Tun Tavern.  It's not wholly supported by documentation, and some historians think it was actually the Conestoga Wagon Tavern owned by Nicholas.  Yet one of the earliest recruits/recruiters was Robert Mullan, the other establishment's proprietor. 

It's unfortunate that Adams was not specific in that journal entry above about which public house the naval committee frequented.  But since Ben Franklin did use Tun Tavern to raise colonial militia in the 1750s, and Captain Mullan owned the place, it certainly makes sense that it would earn the title of Birthplace of the US Marines.  We'll allow it.

In conclusion: A day in the Marine Corps is like a day on the farm. Every meal's a banquet! Every paycheck a fortune! Every formation a parade!