The Marine Oath

"I have no rupture, nor was ever troubled with fits, and am in no ways disabled by lameness or otherwise, but have perfect use of my limbs, that I am not an apprentice, and that I do not belong to the militia, or to any other regiment or corps, or to His Majesty's Navy."

 

Becoming a Marine in "the King's Navy" is a project not lightly undertaken. We require as a signal of your serious intention to become a Marine the purchase of a Land Pattern (brown bess) musket of the long land or short land pattern with a bayonet. No India patterns please. There is also the expense of buying the raw materials needed for your uniform and accouterments. Once you have purchased the required musket we will all help you as much as we can to make the rest of your outfit. Once outfitted you will learn the loading and firing exercise to bring you to our 3 shots a minute standard and all the required Drill needed for a Marine. No, there won't be a lot of marching, we are on a ship. Listed below are the minimum requirements for a Marine outfit with photos

 

Musket

There are two main suppliers of land pattern muskets that are suitable for Marine use. The Pedersoli short land pattern and the short and long land pattern muskets from The Discriminating General. The Pedersoli is a good musket with a dependable lock and a great shooter. I personally have no experience shooting with the DG musket but have seen and handled one and they feel pretty good. As the majority of our shooting is with blanks, accuracy is not really a concern.

Flash! Dixie Gun works has it for $875

Hat

The hat can be made but it is not easy to do as it must be properly cocked and offset for the musket. GG Godwin makes a good private soldiers hat and is reasonably priced. The marine hat should have both tassels off the right side grenadier fashion as Marines were considered to be grenadiers

Uniform and Accouterments

Shirt - Linen with long sleeves and closed front. Neck opening has two buttons at collar. Cuffs are less than an inch wide with a button. User made with help from us

Breeches and Vest - white linen in "jeans" weight. Vest and breeches to have small white metal buttons. User made with help from us

Stockings - White cotton or wool above the knee. Various suppliers

Shoes - The originals were straight lasted (no right or left) with rough side out and no hobnails (hard on the decks) You can get these from Fugawee or GG Godwin. I cannot wear straight lasted shoes due to foot problems so I wear low soled modern black leather shoes with a buckle added.

Stock - Black leather with ties (user made)

Coat - The Red Coat - made with madder dyed red wool and fitted as per the originals. Only difference between our coats and regular army issue is that ours have the lapels over the collar Naval fashion and double spaced buttons. This based on a study of all existing Marine coats from paintings. Buttons are fouled anchor pattern and facings are white. Not tape at buttons. User made with help

leggings - made from black canvas with black horn buttons if low open and white metal buttons if buttoned full length

Cartouche box - Rawles pattern but modified with tin box under block. Can be purchased or user made. White leather sling

Bayonet sling - white leather

Canteen - Tin kidney style or D style painted black for sea service. Made by Don Robinson-Marine

Haversack - natural color linen canvas marked with GR and broad arrow. User made

Pics of Some of Us

 

 

 

Marines Should never be let ashore unescorted by an officer