Franklin Wharton
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Franklin Wharton (July 23, 1767 – September 1, 1818) was the third
Commandant Commandant ( or ; ) is a title often given to the officer in charge of a military (or other uniformed service) training establishment or academy. This usage is common in English-speaking nations. In some countries it may be a military or police ...
of the
United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...
.


Biography

Wharton was born into a prominent
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
,
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
family, the son of Joseph Wharton. He had forsaken a successful business career to become the Lieutenant of Marines for the frigate United States, which was still part of the War Department. He was quickly promoted to
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
in August 1798 and served as officer in charge of the vessel's
Marine Detachment A Marine Detachment, or MarDet, was a unit of United States Marines permanently embarked on large warships including cruisers, battleships, and aircraft carriers, typically consisting of anywhere 35 and 85 men. They were a regular component of a s ...
until the close of the
Quasi-War The Quasi-War was an undeclared war from 1798 to 1800 between the United States and the French First Republic. It was fought almost entirely at sea, primarily in the Caribbean and off the East Coast of the United States, with minor actions in ...
with
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
in 1801. At age 36 and a Marine officer for only five years, he became Lieutenant Colonel and Marine Corps Commandant on March 6, 1804. He was the first Commandant to occupy the Commandant's House, Marine Barracks,
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As Commandant, Lt. Col. Wharton ordered a detachment of Marines to
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and
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in 1811 to cooperate with
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troops in an attempt to subdue an Indian uprising. Under Wharton's leadership, Marines participated in many important engagements during the
War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...
. They saw action at
Annapolis Annapolis ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is the county seat of Anne Arundel County and its only incorporated city. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...
,
Fort McHenry Fort McHenry is a historical American Coastal defense and fortification, coastal bastion fort, pentagonal bastion fort on Locust Point, Baltimore, Locust Point, now a neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland. It is best known for its role in the War ...
,
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, Craney Island, Bladensburg and
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, and fought under
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Henry Dearborn Henry Dearborn (February 23, 1751 – June 6, 1829) was an American military officer and politician. In the Revolutionary War, he served under Benedict Arnold in his expedition to Quebec, of which his journal provides an important record ...
on the northern frontier. At sea, they participated in virtually every important naval battle, serving aboard
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and
privateers A privateer is a private person or vessel which engages in commerce raiding under a commission of war. Since robbery under arms was a common aspect of seaborne trade, until the early 19th century all merchant ships carried arms. A sovereign o ...
on the
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, the
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, and the
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. Marines fought under
Commodore Commodore may refer to: Ranks * Commodore (rank), a naval rank ** Commodore (Royal Navy), in the United Kingdom ** Commodore (India), in India ** Commodore (United States) ** Commodore (Canada) ** Commodore (Finland) ** Commodore (Germany) or ' ...
Oliver Hazard Perry Oliver Hazard Perry (August 23, 1785 – August 23, 1819) was a United States Navy officer from South Kingstown, Rhode Island. A prominent member of the Perry family naval dynasty, he was the son of Sarah Wallace Alexander and Captain Christo ...
on
Lake Erie Lake Erie ( ) is the fourth-largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and also has the shortest avera ...
and under Commodore
Isaac Chauncey Isaac Chauncey (February 20, 1772 – January 27, 1840) was a United States Navy officer who served in the Quasi-War, the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812. In the latter part of his naval career he was President of the Board of Navy Commiss ...
on
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. Aboard the frigate , Marines were important factors in its victorious battles against , , , and . Those aboard saw action in the vessel's engagements with HMS ''Cyane'', , and . Marines serving aboard the frigate were commended for their efficiency in its fight with . Lieutenant Colonel Commandant Wharton died in office on September 1, 1818, in
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and was buried in New York's Old Trinity Church Yard.


See also


References

:
"Lieutenant Colonel Franklin Wharton, USMC"
''Who's Who in Marine Corps History.'' History Division, United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 2010-12-29.'' *


External links


Biography of Franklin Wharton
under his ancestor Thomas Wharton Jr. {{DEFAULTSORT:Wharton, Franklin 1767 births 1818 deaths Military personnel from Philadelphia United States Marine Corps Commandants United States Marine Corps officers United States Marine Corps personnel of the War of 1812 Wharton family People from colonial Pennsylvania