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View Full Version : On This Day 11 July



Coog
07-11-2012, 05:42
On 11 July 1798 the United States Marine Corps is re-established; they had been disbanded after the American Revolutionary War. At the end of the American Revolution, both the Continental Navy and Continental Marines were disbanded in April 1783. The institution itself would not be resurrected until 11 July 1798. At that time, in preparation for the Quasi-War with France, Congress created the United States Marine Corps. Marines had been enlisted by the War Department as early as August 1797 for service in the new-build frigates authorized by the Congressional "Act to provide a Naval Armament" of 18 March 1794, which specified the numbers of Marines to be recruited for each frigate.

Coog
07-11-2012, 20:12
On 11 July 1803, HMS Racoon, an 18-gun brig-sloop under the command of Commander Austin Bissell, was sailing between Guanaba and St. Domingo when she sighted a French naval brig anchored in Léogâne Roads. As Racoon sailed towards her Bissell saw that the French had springs on their cables and were ready to engage. At 2:45p.m. Racoon anchored, also with springs, 30 yards from the brig. The two vessels exchanged fire for half an hour before the French vessel cut his cables and tried to sail away. Racoon followed and after about another 10 minutes of fire from Racoon, the French brig surrendered.

The Frenchman was the Lodi, pierced for 20 guns but with only 10 mounted, and under the command of Capitaine de fregate M. Pierre Isaac Taupier. The French had lost one man killed and 13 or 14 men wounded; Racoon had only one man wounded.