Reestablishment of the Marine Corps
This act of 11 July 1798 reestablished the United States Marine Corps under the Constitution.
An Act for the establishing and organizing a Marine Corps.
Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in
addition to the present military establishment, there shall be
raised and organized a corps of marines, which shall consist of
one major, four captains, sixteen first lieutenants, twelve second
lieutenants, forty-eight sergeants, forty-eight corporals, thirty-two
drums and fifes, and seven hundred and twenty privates, including
the marines who have been enlisted, or are authorized to be raised
for the naval armament; and the said corps may be formed into
as many companies or detachments, as the President of the United
States shall direct, with a proper distribution of the commissioned
and non-commissioned officers and musicians to each company or
detachment.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the pay and subsisteuce
of the said officers, privates and musicians, shall be as follows,
to wit: To a major, fifty dollars per month, and four rations
per day; to a captain, forty dollars per mouth, aud three rations
per day; to a first lieutenant, thirty dollars per mouth, and
three rations per day; to a second lieutenant, twenty-five dollars
per month, and two rations per day; and to the nom-commissioned
officers, privates and musicians, conformably to the act, intituled
"An act providing a naval armament," as shall be fixed
by the President of the United States: And the President of the
United States shall be, and is hereby authorized to continue the
enlistment of marines, until the said corps shall be complete;
and of himself, to Appoint the commissioned officers, whenever,
in the recess of the Senate, an appointment shall be necessary.
And the enlistments, which shall be made by virtue hereof, may
be for the term of three years, subject to be discharged by the
President of the United States, or by the ceasing or repeal of
the laws providing for the naval armament. And if the marine corps,
or any part of it, shall be ordered by the President to do duty
on shore, aud it shall become necessary to appoint an adjutant,
paymaster, quartermaster, sergeant-major, quartermaster-sergeant,
and drum and fife-major, or any of them, the major or commandant
of the corps, is hereby authorized to appoint such staff officer
or officers, from the line of subalterns, sergeants and music,
respectively, who shall be entitled, during the time they shall
dosuch duty, to the same extra pay and emoluments, which are allowed
by law, to officers acting in the same capacities in the infantry.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the detachments of the
corps of marines hereby authorized, shall be made in lieu of the
respective quotas of marines, which have been established or authorized
for the frigates, and other armed vessels and gallies, which shall
be employed in the service of the United States: And the President
of the United States may detach and appoint such of the officers
of this marine corps, to act on board the frigates, and any of
the armed vessels of the United States, respectively, as he shall,
from time to time, judge necessary; any thing in the act "providing
a naval armament" to the contrary hereof notwithstanding.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the officers, non-commissioned
officers, privates and musicians aforesaid, shall take the same
oath, and shall be governed by the same rules and articles of
war, as are prescribed for the military establishment of the United
States, and by the rules for the regulation of the navy, heretofore,
or which shall be established by law, according to the nature
of the service in which they shall be employed, and shall be entitled
to the same allowance, in case of wounds or disabilities, according
to their respective ranks, as are granted by the act "to
ascertain and fix the military establishment of the United States."
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That the non-commissioned
officers, musicians, seamen and marines, who are or shall be enlisted
into the service of the United States; and the non-commissioned
officers and musicians, who are or shall be enlisted into the
army of the United States, shall be, and they are hereby exempted,
during their term of service, from all personal
arrests for any debt or contract.
Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That the marine corps, established
by this act, shall, at any time, be liable to do duty in the forts
and garrisons of the United States, on the sea-coast, or any other
duty on shore, as the President, at his discretion, shall direct.
Approved, July 11, 1798.
Source: The Public Statues at Large of the United States of America. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1861.