Charles Heywood
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Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Charles Heywood (October 3, 1839 – February 26, 1915) was the ninth
Commandant of the Marine Corps The commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) is normally the highest-ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Joint Chiefs of Staff: composition; functions. The CMC reports directly to the secr ...
. He served as an officer for over 45 years and was the first
Marine Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military * ...
to reach the rank of major general. During Heywood's term as Commandant, the size of the Corps more than tripled, from 2,175 Marines to 7,810 total.


Biography


Early career

Charles Heywood was born on October 3, 1839, in Waterville,
Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...
, son of
Charles Heywood Major General Charles Heywood (October 3, 1839 – February 26, 1915) was the ninth Commandant of the Marine Corps. He served as an officer for over 45 years and was the first Marine to reach the rank of major general. During Heywood's term as ...
, a
lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
in the U. S. Navy, who had distinguished himself in the
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of
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during the
Mexican American War Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...
. He was appointed
second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
in the
Marine Corps Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...
from
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, on April 5, 1858. During that year, he was stationed at the Marine Barracks,
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, and at
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, New York. While on duty in Brooklyn, he served in the 1858
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at
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, New York. He performed special duty on and later on board , of the Home Squadron, the ship seeking filibusters in
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. He was invalided from Aspinwall (Colón),
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, in January 1860, and later was ordered to the
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,
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of the Squadron of Observation at Vera Cruz,
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. In March 1861, he returned to duty on board ''Cumberland'' and with that vessel took part in the destruction of the
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during the
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
. In May 1861, 2nd Lt Heywood was promoted to
first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...
, and as such landed with the Marines at
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, where he was present at the capture of both Fort Clark and Fort Hatteras. He was advanced to
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in November of that year, and during the winter of 1861–62 participated actively in a number of boat expeditions in the
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. In the fight between ''Cumberland'' and in March 1862, his conduct was particularly noteworthy while commanding the after gun deck division, firing the last gun in the fight and saving himself by jumping overboard as ''Cumberland'' went down with her flag flying. He was most favorably mentioned for his gallant conduct and received the
brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...
rank of
major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
for his services during the engagement. For some time afterwards, he was actively employed, both on shore and at sea, in the search for the notorious raider , until he applied for duty on board the flagship . He was ordered to that vessel as Fleet Marine Officer of the West Gulf Squadron. Major Heywood served on shore at
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and was on board ''Hartford'' in the
Battle of Mobile Bay The Battle of Mobile Bay of August 5, 1864, was a naval and land engagement of the American Civil War in which a Union fleet commanded by Rear Admiral David G. Farragut, assisted by a contingent of soldiers, attacked a smaller Confederate fle ...
, where he received the brevet rank of
lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
for gallant and meritorious services. During that engagement he had charge of two nine-inch guns. His services during the Civil War thus secured for him two brevet ranks for distinguished gallantry in the presence of the enemy. After the Civil War, Heywood joined the
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– an organization of officers who has served in the Union armed forces during the war. From 1865 to 1867, he performed duty on board various ships, serving as
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Farragut's Fleet Marine Officer on the
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and later in the same capacity in the
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. During this period he also served for a time at Washington, Norfolk and Brooklyn. On November 1, 1876, he attained regular rank of major to which he had been brevetted more than ten years before, and was ordered to command the Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C. During the serious labor riots of the summer of 1877, Major Heywood commanded a battalion of Marines at
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,
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, and
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,
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. He was honorably mentioned by
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,
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, who was in general command, and received thanks from the Navy Department for his services. His next years of duty carried him to widely separated posts –
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,
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, and Brooklyn, New York. In April 1885, he organized, within twenty-four hours from the time of the order, a battalion of 250 Marines for duty on the
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to open the transit. Subsequently, under his command on the Isthmus were 800 Marines in addition to a strong detachment of
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and the
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. For his arduous services the admiral commanding asked Major Heywood to "receive his grateful acknowledgements." Major Heywood was promoted to lieutenant colonel on March 9, 1888.


Service as Commandant

On January 30, 1891, Lt. Col. Heywood was appointed
Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
Commandant of the Marine Corps. At that time the Marine Corps consisted of 75 officers and 2,100 enlisted men, which gradually rose during his tenure of office until at the time of his retirement in 1903, it had reached the total of 278 officers and 7,532 enlisted personnel, the highest strength up to that point. The Marines at that time were armed with obsolescent M1884 Springfield rifles and .45-70 black-powder ammunition. Training consisted mostly of route marches and drill practice, as there were rarely enough funds to permit regular target practice. As Commandant, Heywood attempted to improve the fighting ability of Marines in their role as naval infantry, while simultaneously attempting to integrate the Marine Corps more fully into modern naval sea operations. To this end Heywood instituted a regular program of marksmanship training, while having marines train to become gun crews for the secondary batteries aboard the navy's cruisers and battleships. Although the Marines were scheduled to receive new smokeless powder 6 mm Lee rifles in 1895, delays in production and insufficient appropriations caused the Marine Corps to retain their old M1884 .45-70 Springfield rifles as late as 1897.Heywood, Charles (Col. Commandant), Annual Reports of the Navy, Report of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office (1897) p. 558 Commandant Heywood was said to have refused initial deliveries of small allotments of Lee rifles to Marine battalions until he was given assurances that an appropriation would be made to the Corps for at least 3,000 Lee rifles, improved target ranges, and enough ammunition to continue existing marksmanship training programs. Despite Heywood's efforts, the
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with
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in 1898 found the Marine Corps ill-prepared for combat in terms of training with modern small arms, battle drills, and small-unit exercises.Denny, F.L., ''Annual Reports of the Navy, Report of the Secretary of the Navy, U.S. Marine Corps Quartermaster Estimates'', Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office (1897), pp. 572–573: the September 22, 1897 report of the Marine Corps Quartermaster to the Secretary of the Navy urgently requested an additional $10,000 in funding to purchase sufficient 6 mm ammunition to allow Marines to conduct live fire and target practice with the Lee rifle, warning that due to a lack of cartridges for familiarization and target practice that enlisted Marines were "entirely unfamiliar with the use of this arm", and that all target practice still had to be conducted using the old single-shot Springfield and .45-70 black-powder ammunition. With no battalion-sized Marine forces at hand, Commandant Heywood ordered a scratch battalion of Marines formed from around 650 Marines stationed across New England, which sailed from Brooklyn, New York just five days later aboard the , a former banana boat that had been hastily converted into a troop transport upon the outbreak of hostilities. Designated the First Battalion, and commanded by Lt. Col. Robert W. Huntington, the unit was scheduled to make an opposed landing in Cuba to secure a harbor at
Guantánamo Bay Guantánamo Bay ( es, Bahía de Guantánamo) is a bay in Guantánamo Province at the southeastern end of Cuba. It is the largest harbor on the south side of the island and it is surrounded by steep hills which create an enclave that is cut off ...
. The ''Panther'' proved to be a poor substitute for a purpose-designed transport ship, and troop morale plummeted in the tight and sweaty confines of the ''Panther''s holds; later that same year, Commandant Heywood would request in his report to the Secretary of the Navy that the , a converted passenger steamship, should be retained in naval service as a permanent troopship. To make matters worse, Lt. Col. Huntington's marines had only just been issued their Lee rifles together with ten rounds each for familiarization purposes, and officers had to instruct enlisted men on the operation and maintenance of their new rifles on the top deck of the old freighter as it sailed south from New York. Fortunately, during two stopovers at U.S. ports en route to Cuba, Lt. Col. Huntington managed to institute a schedule of rifle marksmanship, small unit training, and battle drills before the Marines made their assault landing on enemy shores. Heywood was the first commandant to establish a regular system of examinations for officers for promotion and set up the system of officers' schools, which has continued with slight interruption since then. He adopted the current practice of issuing good conduct medals for the betterment of the discipline in the Marine Corps. By increasing the efficiency and morale of the Corps, Heywood hoped to make the Corps an essential auxiliary to the naval service. Under his administration the number of Marine Corps posts were increased from twelve to twenty-one. There was scarcely a regular post at which Maj Gen Heywood was not able to provide new barracks or officers' quarters. By special acts of
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, Heywood was promoted to
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in March 1899 and to major general on July 2, 1902. He was the first Marine to hold the rank of
major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
. Major General Heywood closed a most distinguished career of over forty-five years as a commissioned officer in the Marine Corps, when on October 3, 1903, in accordance with law, having attained the age of 64 years, he was placed on the retired list. Eleven years after his retirement, on February 26, 1915, Heywood died from chronic heart disease in Washington, D.C. at the age seventy five. He was buried in
Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...
.


Gallery

File:MGEN Charles Heywood.JPG,


Notes


References

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Heywood, Charles 1839 births 1915 deaths American military personnel of the Spanish–American War Burials at Arlington National Cemetery People of Maine in the American Civil War People from Waterville, Maine Union Marines United States Marine Corps Commandants United States Marine Corps generals