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In view of Mary's Confederate sympathies, if she wanted to tell something to the Marines, presumably she would have wanted to tell the CSMC rather than the USMC.
The CSMC probably never numbered more than 600 men. (The USMC may not have been a whole lot larger, for that matter.)
I wouldn't question that each of them was a good man, but I'm not sure how much good it would have done to tell those 600 men to go out and take care of whatever business the Confederate Army was unable to complete.
Before the wo-ah, there was an USMC. And they had a rep. The "shores of Tripoli" had something to do with it.
It would help me greatly, gary, if you would put in context Mary Chesnut's (only one T in Chesnut) comment. Or a page number would do. It's somewhere near the bottom of the "ought to read" stack. I think I might be able to find it.
ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
Finally read her book and noticed she uses it several times. When did that statement first come into use?
I don't know when it first came into use, but I saw it in one of Sherman's letters a few years back and asked around. Someone, maybe Brian Pohanka or my old pal Robertson (both passed on now, God rest their souls), told me that in the days before the Civil War the meaning of "Tell it to the Marines!" was roughly a sarcastic form of "Do I look stupid? Try that on somebody else." Marines, it seems, were regarded as a bit dense and gullible. Probably pure hyperbole, of course; the ones I have met seem OK.
Regards,
Tim
__________________ "Let us, then, consider all attempts to weaken this Union, by maintaining that each state is separately and individually independent, as a species of political heresy, which can never benefit us, but may bring on us the most serious distresses."
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney of South Carolina, 1740-1824, Revolutionary War soldier, one of the authors of the US Constitution in 1787, speaking at the South Carolina Ratifying Convention in 1788.
"Tell it to the Marines!" became popular as a recruiting slogan during WWI.
During the CW the USMC & CSMC both filled the traditional Marine role of shipboard detachment's, guarding naval installations, manning the guns of men of war and ensuring discipline aboard naval vessels and on the gun decks. CSMC units also manned shore batteries most notably at Dewreys Bluff.
The amphibious role they filled was not reflective of the roles they filled post 1900 ala Vera Cruz etc. They landed during the CW at the behest of the Naval Commander usually agumenting USN naval landing parties.
I do know that until Jacob Zellin was appointed Commandant of the Corps the officer Corps was not considered the most professional of the Services.
Finally read her book and noticed she uses it several times. When did that statement first come into use?
The phrase came into use around 1800, supposedly started by British sailors who regarded the Royal Marines as being highly gullible (i.e., willing to believe anything, no matter how foolish). It basically says, "I'm not going to believe that claptrap. Go tell it to someone not smart enough to see through it."
It can be used as a response to 99% of Battalion's posts.
The phrase came into use around 1800, supposedly started by British sailors who regarded the Royal Marines as being highly gullible (i.e., willing to believe anything, no matter how foolish). It basically says, "I'm not going to believe that claptrap. Go tell it to someone not smart enough to see through it."
It can be used as a response to 99% of Battalion's posts.
Regards,
Cash
I can see that, It's always been hard to teach sailors respect for their betters
Go easy now with this topic. I am a former Marine and I don't want to get my feelings hurt!
At least you were smart enough to get out, I'll give you some credit for that
__________________
"In mortal combat, a man may and will become so infuriated by the din and dangers of a bloody fight that his heart will turn to stone and his every de sire [be] for blood."
John Hadley, 7th Indiana after the battle at Port Republic
I'm going to hide under my desk now, because sooner or later Pinckney (USMC retarded) is going to read this thread. I want to be considerably out of range when that happens.
ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
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Mary Chestnut's use of "Tell it to the Marines!" 
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