Major
General Charles Heywood, ninth Commandant of the Marine
Corps, was born in Waterville, Maine, on 3 October
1839. He was appointed a second lieutenant in the
Marine Corps from New York, on 5 April 1858. During
that year he was stationed at the Marine Barracks,
Washington, D.C., and at Brooklyn, New York.
While
on duty in Brooklyn he served in the Quarantine riots
at Staten Island, New York. He performed special duty
on the Niagara and later on board the St.
Louis, of the Home Squadron, the ship seeking
filibusters in Central America. He was invalided from
Aspinwall (Colon), in January 1860, and later was
ordered to the sloop of war Cumberland, flagship
of the Squadron of Observation at Vera Cruz, Mexico.
In March 1861, he returned to duty on board the Cumberland
and with that vessel took part in the destruction
of the Norfolk Navy Yard during the Civil War.
In May 1861, 2dLt Heywood was promoted
to first lieutenant, and as such landed with the Marines
at Hatteras Inlet, where he was present at the capture
of Forts Clark and Hatteras. He was advanced to captain
in November of that year, and during the winter of
1861-62 participated actively in a number of boat
expeditions in the James River.
In
the fight between the Cumberland and the
Merrimac, 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 the Cumberland
went down with her flag flying. He was most favorably
mentioned for his gallant conduct and received the
brevet rank of major for his services during the engagement.
For
some time afterwards he was actively employed, both
on shore and at sea in search for the notorious raider
Alabama, until he applied for duty on board
the flagship Hartford. He was ordered to
that vessel as Fleet Marine Officer of the West Gulf
Squadron.
Major
Heywood served on shore at Pensacola and was on board
the Hartford in the battle of Mobile Bay,
where he received the brevet rank of lieutenant colonel
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.
From 1865 to 1867 he performed duty
on board various ships, serving as Admiral Farragut's
Fleet Marine Officer on the European Station and later
in the same capacity in the North Atlantic Squadron.
During this period he also served for a time at Washington,
Norfolk and Brooklyn. In November 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, Maj Heywood commanded a battalion
of Marines at Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Reading,
Pennsylvania. He was honorably mentioned by General
Hancock, U.S. Army, 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--Mare Island, California, 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 Isthmus of Panama to
open the transit. Subsequently under his command on
the Isthmus were 800 Marines in addition to a strong
detachment of U.S. Navy and the artillery. For his
arduous services the admiral commanding asked Maj
Heywood to "receive his grateful acknowledgements."
Major Heywood was promoted to lietuenant
colonel on 9 March 1888, and on 30 January 1891 was
appointed Colonel Commandant of the Marine Corps.
By special acts of Congress he was promoted to brigadier
general in March 1899 and to major general in July
1902. He was the first Marine to hold the rank of
major general.
The energy, experience and training
which he had shown and obtained in his early days
in the Marine Corps were fully brought into play from
the moment he assumed command of the 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.
He kept in mind the problem of more
closely associating the Corps with the Navy so that
the work of the two could be in the closet harmony.
He was the first 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.
By increasing the efficiency of the
Corps he tried to demonstrate to the Navy how absolutely
essential it was as an 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 MajGen Heywood
was not able to provide new barracks or officers'
quarters.
He caused the regular system of target
practice to be established and adopted good conduct
medals for the betterment of the discipline in the
Marine Corps. The declaration of war with Spain found
the Marine Corps prepared.
Major General Heywood closed a most
distinguished career of over forty-five years as a
commissioned officer in the Marine Corps, when on
3 October 1903, in accordance with law, having attained
the age of 64 years, he was placed on the retired
list.
His death occurred in Washington,
D.C., on 26 February 1915, and his remains were interred
in Arlington National Cemetery.
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UNITED
STATES MARINE CORPS
