Maryland Veterans Museum at Patriot Park

06/12/2026

06/12/2026

06/12/2026

06/12/2026

In 1864, the last six surviving Revolutionary War veterans all sat down for a photograph and shared some stories.

06/11/2026

Last evenings program: Lt. Col. Dr. Dianne Smith talked about Maryland in World War One.

06/10/2026

Visit our website for more details. https://www.mdvets.cc/patriot-hall
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06/10/2026

Most Revolutionary War veterans lost their paperwork and needed affidavits to prove their service for a pension. John Beal wasn't "most veterans." His file contains his original discharge papers—signed by George Washington.

What treasures will you find about your ancestors? Search our pension files today! https://f3.social/6y0i

06/09/2026

During the Civil War, however, there just aren’t as many stories or heroes from the Corps’ exploits as there are in other wars. The Marine Corps as a branch existed, but its stories are overshadowed by the Army and Navy—so where were the Marines?

Before we upset any Marines, it’s important to note that while there were just 4,000 Marines in the Corps during the Civil War, it played an extremely important role in the Union’s overall strategy, was pivotal in a number of pitched battles, and 17 Marines earned the Medal of Honor during the war.

Small but mighty, the Marines were very important to the war effort.

Marines were primarily assigned to blockade duty aboard U.S. Navy ships. This may not sound glamorous, but it was critical in strangling the Confederate States’ ability to continue fighting the war. Without the blockade, supplies, arms, ammunition, and money coming in from the cotton trade, the South might have been able to fight on indefinitely.

The Marine Corps was also the key to a second cornerstone of the Union strategy to win the Civil War: the splitting of the Confederacy in two at the Mississippi River. Although the Corps performed poorly at the First Battle of Bull Run, the very first battle of the war, lessons were learned, recruits were turned to veterans, and the Marines were ready for round two.

By 1862, the second year of the war, Marines were pivotal in the landing and occupation of New Orleans, the Confederacy’s most populous city and a major naval base and economic port. Marines also moved north to capture Baton Rouge, keeping the Mississippi delta firmly in Union hands.

When the Army captured Vicksburg the next year, the Confederacy was effectively cut in half. And it stayed that way because of the Marine Corps. That just wasn’t glamorous enough to make it into the Marine Corps hymn—there were just too many glorious moments to choose from.