| Charles McCawley | |
|---|---|
8th Commandant of the Marine Corps (1875-1891) |
|
| Born | January 29, 1827 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Died | October 13, 1891 (aged 64) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Allegiance | United States of America Union |
| Service/branch | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1847-1891 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Commands held | Commandant of the Marine Corps |
| Battles/wars | Mexican-American War Battle of Chapultepec Civil War Fort Wagner |
| Relations | Charles L. McCawley son |
Charles Grymes McCawley (January 29, 1827 – October 13, 1891) was the eighth Commandant of the Marine Corps and served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War.
Contents |
Born at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, McCawley was appointed a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps on March 3, 1847. He took part in the Battle of Chapultepec and the capture of Mexico City during the Mexican-American War. (It is this battle which is commemorated in the Marine Hymn's words, "From the Halls of Montezuma....")
He was brevetted first lieutenant September 13, 1847, for gallantry in those actions. In the Civil War, he aided in the capture of Port Royal, South Carolina, November 7, 1861 and led a detachment of 200 Marines to reoccupy the Norfolk Navy Yard, May 1862. He subsequently commanded Marine detachments during operations in Charleston Harbor against Forts Wagner, Gregg, and Sumter. For gallant and meritorious conduct during the boat attack on Fort Sumter, September 8, 1863, he was brevetted major.
In 1876, he was appointed colonel commandant, the highest post in the Marine Corps, and served in that position until he retired in 1891. In 1883, Colonel McCawley chose Semper Fidelis, Latin for 'Always Faithful', as the official Marine Corps motto. Colonel McCawley died at Philadelphia, October 13, 1891.
Son of Mary E. (1809-1881) and Marine captain James McCawley (1797-1839). Charles G. McCawley's son Charles L. McCawley also received a commission in the Marine Corps and went on to receive the Marine Corps Brevet Medal and to modify the enlisted Marines sword. The 1st (Exeter and South Devon) Rifle Volunteer Corps, raised in Exeter in 1852, was using the motto on its cap badge by 1860 at the latest; the Illustrated London News reported its use in its 7 January 1860 issue.[12] The motto was continued by The Devonshire Regiment of the British Army, the 11th of foot, on its formation from the South and North Devon militias in 1881. The motto was further continued on the badges of the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment when the Devonshires were amalgamated into them in 1958. This use of the motto evidently derives from these regiments' close connection with the city of Exeter, where they had a base from their foundation (see the Illustrated London News article referenced above) until their disappearance by amalgamation in 2007.
Two ships in the United States Navy have been named USS McCawley in his honor.
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by BGen Jacob Zeilin |
Commandant of the United States Marine Corps 1876–1891 |
Succeeded by MajGen Charles Heywood |
|
|||||||||||||||||