The history of the United States Marine Corps is unlike any other, and though it has seen many brethren tried in countless battles, its tradition continues to run as deep as the blood sacrificed during the American Revolution.
In November 1775, as war with England became a reality, the Second Continental Congress ordered that five companies of Marines be raised to accompany the Navy on its first mission to seize war supplies from British ships that were intended to be given to the Red Coats.
The future Marines of lore flocked to Philadelphia and among those who enlisted that month, a common symbol of the day appeared on their drums and uniforms – a rattle snake, coiled and ready to strike.
In December 1775, an anonymous patron wrote to the Pennsylvania Journal:
“I observed on one of the drums belonging to the Marines now [rising,] there was painted a Rattle-Snake, with this modest motto under it, ‘Don’t tread on me.’ As I know it is the custom to have some device on the arms of every country, I supposed this may have been intended for the arms of America.”
The use of a rattlesnake as a symbol of the American colonies can be traced back to the publishings of Benjamin Franklin. In 1751, Franklin’s political cartoon depicted a rattlesnake split into eight sections with the slogan “Join, or Die.” The snake became a national symbol of pride for America and angst for British tyranny. So, it is no surprise that historians today believe it was Franklin who wrote anonymously to the Pennsylvania Journal.
His account of the first Marines continued by speculating (in reference to the rattle snake), “She never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders: She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage … she never wounds ‘til she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her.”
These words are true of today’s Marines. Marines never surrender, and they adhere to the strictest discipline while in war. This warrior ethos warns enemies of the danger of treading on the Corps.
The American Revolution in full swing, the snake symbol wasn’t just appearing on uniforms. It appeared in newspapers, buttons, paper money, and of course, banners and flags.
The most recognizable of these flags is the Gadsden flag, named for its creator Gen. Christopher Gadsden who served as a statesman in the Continental Congress and general in the Army.
Gadsden was one of three from Congress appointed to the Marine Committee, which was planning the first naval engagements with Marines. Though the Gadsden Flag is one of the most iconic images in American history, it is still unclear whether Gadsden took his inspiration from the Marines’ drums, or if he inspired them himself.
When Gadsden was a colonel in the Continental Army, he presented the flag to the commander in chief of the Navy, Esek Hopkins, to be used as his personal standard. Hopkins flew the flag on the Continental Navy ship Alfred, one of four ships in the first U.S. naval fleet, which Marines fought aboard as snipers.
Gadsden also presented a flag to his state legislature. The South Carolina congressional journals recorded:
“Col. Gadsden presented to the Congress an elegant standard, such as is to be used by the commander in chief of the American navy; being a yellow field, with a lively representation of a rattle-snake in the middle, in the attitude of going to strike, and these words underneath, “Don’t Tread on Me!”
Whether it was the Marines or Gadsden himself, they both played a historic role in immortalizing the rattle snake as a symbol of America and that “our enemies beware, ‘don’t tread on me!’