Overview

"To mark the two hundredth anniversary of the War of 1812, author and noted historian Don Burzynski sheds some rare and exciting light on the part played by the nascent United States Marine Corps in that pivotal conflict and on their development in the turbulent years leading up to America's second war with Great Britain. There's not much in the official record of that time but Burzynski uses his passion and background to fill in the blanks and produce a stirring tale of the trials, errors and successes that led the Marine Corps's vaunted reputation as the worlds' premiere amphibious fighting force. It took two centuries to forge the modern Marine Corps, but it was the War of 1812 that set the Corps on the path to renown and established their high standards of dedication, loyalty and combat prowess. It was the Marines' accurate and devastating musketry coupled with their skill at manning cannon aboard the American warships of the period that resulted in victory at Lake Erie, Bladensburg, Baltimore and New Orleans. Despite their demonstrable value in those battles, success in combating the slave trade while serving at sea with the U.S. Navy, and their singular contribution in quashing piracy off the coasts of North Africa, the Marines were forced to fight for their survival on home turf. Burzynski accurately and interestingly covers the internecine wars of the period between Marines, their supporters and such luminaries of the time as President Andrew Jackson and other politicians who often sided with Admirals bound to disband the Corps. This untold story is an exciting, exhilarating tale of the most formative years of the United States Marine Corps. It goes a long and insightful way toward explaining how and why ""Send in the Marines!"" became a viable and reliable diplomatic ploy throughout the early years of American history."

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9781944353087

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Reviews

Finally a historian has written a long necessary public history of the U.S. Marine Corps....I predict that The First Leathernecks will become a valued tabletop resource for anyone interested in the War of 1812 for many years to come. Dr. Charles P. Neimeyer, Director and Chief, U.S. Marine Corps History Division Historically accurate, Don Burzynski's superbly crafted and very timely narrative of the early years of the Corps, The First Leathernecks, reads like a fascinating novel. He grabs and holds your attention with stirring prose, adding a multitude of short, insightful vignettes, well-chosen illustrations by the first Marine Corps artist in residence, Colonel Charles Waterhouse, USMCR (Ret), and detailed maps of the period. This is definitely one for your library. Walt Ford, Leatherneck Magazine Finally, a dedicated researcher (Don Burzynski) has here compiled a chronological history that details how and why the Marine Corps was formed, in a fast-moving narrative guaranteed to hold your interest. Lavishly illustrated with period artwork, maps, and amazing original art by Col. Charles Waterhouse (ret.), a Marine artist-in-residence, this book gives you an exciting overview of the most important events in early Marine Corps history. If you're a U.S. Marine or a military vet, this is a must-read. If you're a history buff, you'll want this for your bookshelf or coffee-table. If you're just an American, you'll be proud. Perhaps most important, you'll gain an understanding of the honor and tradition that make today's Marines so dedicated to their duty. Bob Monement

Author Information

Don Burzynski was a guest history columnist for the Marine Corps Times and Navy Times in Arlington. He has been a historian for 52 years starting as a re-enactor in 1959, reliving the Civil War Centennial, the Bi-Centennial of the American Revolution and currently the Bi-Centennial of the War of 1812. He holds three Detroit EMMYs and two CLIOs for commercial concepts when he was a Creative Director/Producer in the advertising field. He has spoken and conducted research for The History Channel and has appeared in a number of their films. In 1996, he won the prestigious Magruder Award from the Marine Corps Historical Foundation for living history excellence. This is Don's first book on the U.S. Marines. He has begun a volume entitled Sea Soldiers in the War of 1812. Colonel Charles H. Waterhouse USMC (Ret.) began his Marine Corps in 1943 as an enlisted man in the Marine Corps Reserves. Joining the 5th Marine Division FMF, he was present at the landing at Iwo Jima where he would eventually suffer injuries from enemy fire and earn a Purple Heart. In 1946, he left the Corps to pursue a degree in art at the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts. After completing the degree in 1950, he worked as a professional artist for various print media outlets that included creating artwork for books, magazines and advertisements. In the late 1960's, Col Waterhouse served as a civilian combat artist in Vietnam, serving three tours as part of the Navy Art Program which eventually led to him accepting a special commission from the Marine Corps as a Major and as a combat artist for the Marine Corps Reserves. Col Waterhouse retired shortly after the Marine Corps promoted him to the rank of Colonel in 1992. He was awarded the title of Artist in Residence, becoming the first and only person to earn such recognition. Col Waterhouse continued to document the rich history and culture of the Marine Corps through his art and embarked on a series of paintings chronicling Marine and Navy Medal of Honor recipients. Colonel Charles Waterhouse, USMCR, 89, passed away early on Saturday morning, Nov. 16, 2013, at the home of his daughter and son-in-law in Toms River, N.J.

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