3_clymer_painting

U.S. Naval Landing Party The USNLP portrays the activities of sailors and marines ashore along the coasts and rivers of the country during the Civil War -- a little known role for the Navy in the 1861-65 conflict. The unit offers enlistment to people of all ages, genders, and races (yes, the U.S. Navy was integrated during and before the Civil War). Interested parties may apply to serve as Sailors, Marines, or Civilians, the sole stipulation as regards age being that children under sixteen must be accompanied in their enlistment by a responsible parent or guardian. Throughout the War Between the States, the Federal Navy routinely landed parties of Sailors and Marines ashore on raids, reconnaissance, or to aid the regular land forces. These were ad hoc groups comprised of men from the ships of the local squadron. Shore parties varied in size from a single lieutenant who might offer his services as staff officer for the day to an Army general or up to several thousand men as landed to attack Fort Fisher at Wilmington, North Carolina. The USNLP represents a group such as might have been landed from a flotilla of gunboats supporting the Army along one of the many rivers that laced the Confederacy. If you are interested in finding out more about the USNLP, information on membership, subscriptions to the unit newsletter "Beat to Quarters!", information is available on a separate page. The links following the Fort Fisher illustration will take you to original articles and research by the USNLP, to other sites with information about the Navies of the period and their role in the war, and to a variety of resources for nautical reenactors. "We landed sixteen sailors and a boat howitzer, and they did more fighting than a whole regiment of soldiers!" (Roswell Lamson, Lieutenant, USN) "Board in a manly fashion!" (David Dixon Porter, Rear Admiral, USN, orders to the Naval Assault Forces at Fort Fisher)