Marines saw limited action in War between the States

[babela]

Marine action during the Civil War was limited. There were few of them in the Federal military, when the South seceded from the Union. About half of the Marine officers joined their states and formed the Confederate States Marine Corps, authorized by the Confederate Congress in March 1861. The CSMC was patterned largely after the Union Marine Corps, and had an authorized strength of 34 officers and 944 enlisted men. Far fewer than those numbers served, mostly on guard duty at Confederate naval facilities along the Southern coastline. They also served aboard Confederate naval vessels and commerce raiders, performing their normal duties.

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http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/146139

[Natty]

The most famous Marine action of the war was on Dec 7 1862...

150 US Marines along with Commander Louis C. Sartori were captured by Confederate Captain Raphael Semmes and the CSS Alabama.