"A portrait is a picture in which there is just a tiny little something not quite right about the mouth." -- John Singer Sargent

Thursday, January 25, 2018

William Sulivane Muse


This portrait of William S. Muse by Dorthy F. Newland hangs in the Dorchester County Library in Cambridge, Maryland.
“Son of Dr. William Muse and Elizabeth Sulivane Muse, He was born in Dorchester County on April 8, 1842.’

1861 – Served as orderly sergeant of the Dorchester Guard under the command of Col. James Wallace.

1864 – Commissioned by President Lincoln as Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps.

1867 – Promoted to First Lieutenant and took command of the Marines on the U.S.S. Brooklyn (for the next three years this ship cruised the Mediterranean to reassure those countries that the United States was still a power at sea in spite of the Civil War)

1880 – Promoted to Captain and ordered to the U.S.S. Tennessee as the Fleet Marine officer of the North Atlantic Station

1884 – Assigned to command the company sent for the protection of the Panama Canal explorations

1891 – As Pacific Marine Officer on the Flagship U.S.S. San Francisco, was ordered to Chile for the protection of American interests during a revolution. His ground forces were instrumental in rescuing President Balmaceda and his staff

1898 – During the Spanish – American War he received the surrender of Admiral Cuvera and other Spanish officers in Cuba and brought them to POW camp in Annapolis

Sent to China as a replacement commanding officer during the Boxer Rebellion, he retired shortly after for health reasons. He retired as a Brigadier General (the highest rank in the U.S. Marine Corps as that time) in 1900

In retirement he returned to Cambridge and managed the Hambrooks Land Development Company

Died in Cambridge on April 16, 1911 and was buried in the Christ Church Cemetery" -- Pamphlet available in the the Dorchester County Library.
 D. F. Newland

Brig Gen William S. Muse U.S.M.C
Loaned by
Choptank Detachment
U.S. Marine Corp League

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