Charles Grymes McCawley

Charles McCawley
8th Commandant of the Marine Corps (1875-1891)
Born	January 29, 1827(1827-01-29) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died	October 13, 1891(1891-10-13) (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.

Biography

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.

Relations

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.

Namesakes

Two ships in the United States Navy have been named USS McCawley  in his honor.

See also

	Biography portal
	American Civil War portal
	United States Marine Corps portal

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.

This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

• "Charles Grymes McCawley". Find a Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7447820. Retrieved 2009-08-07. 
• "Colonel Charles G. McCawley, USMC". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. History Division, United States Marine Corps. http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD/Whos_Who/McCawley_CG.htm. Retrieved 2010-12-29. 
• Allan Reed Millett and Jack Shulimson, ed (2004). Commandants of the Marine Corps. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. pp. 97–114. ISBN 9780870210129. http://books.google.com/books?id=Qns8bW_SESYC. 

External links

• Charles Grymes McCawley at Find a Grave

Military offices
Preceded by BGen Jacob Zeilin	Commandant of the United States Marine Corps 1876–1891	Succeeded by MajGen Charles Heywood

Persondata
Name	McCawley, Charles Grymes
Alternative names
Short description	8th Commandant of the Marine Corps
Date of birth	January 29, 1827
Place of birth	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Date of death	October 13, 1891
Place of death	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania