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By 1775, at the birth of the [[U.S. Navy]] and the U.S. Marine Corps in Philadelphia, the first Marines recruited may have been the first [[American]] citizens to combine the rattlesnake symbol, seen on the [[Gadsden Flag]], with a defiant "Don't Tread on Me" slogan.<ref name=marinehistoryII>Chris Whitten. [http://www.foundingfathers.info/stories/gadsden.html Don't Tread on Me], ''The history of the Gadsden flag and how the rattlesnake became a symbol of American independence;'' ''The birth of the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps'', July 05, 2001, updated September 2002.</ref><ref>http://www.worldwar2history.info/Marines/</ref>

By 1775, at the birth of the [[U.S. Navy]] and the U.S. Marine Corps in Philadelphia, the first Marines recruited may have been the first [[American]] citizens to combine the rattlesnake symbol, seen on the [[Gadsden Flag]], with a defiant "Don't Tread on Me" slogan.<ref name=marinehistoryII>Chris Whitten. [http://www.foundingfathers.info/stories/gadsden.html Don't Tread on Me], ''The history of the Gadsden flag and how the rattlesnake became a symbol of American independence;'' ''The birth of the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps'', July 05, 2001, updated September 2002.</ref><ref>http://www.worldwar2history.info/Marines/</ref>

In the fall of 1775, the British were occupying Boston and the young Continental Army was holed up in Cambridge, extremely short on arms and ammunition. At the [[Battle of Bunker Hill]], Washington's troops had been so low on gunpowder that they were ordered "not to fire until you see the whites of their eyes." In October, a merchant ship called The Black Prince returned to Philadelphia from a voyage to [[England]]. On board were private letters to the Second [[Continental Congress]] that informed them that the British government was sending two ships to America loaded with arms and gunpowder for the [[British]] troops.

In the fall of 1775, the British were occupying [[Boston]] and the young Continental Army was holed up in Cambridge, extremely short on arms and ammunition. At the [[Battle of Bunker Hill]], Washington's troops had been so low on gunpowder that they were ordered "not to fire until you see the whites of their eyes." In October, a merchant ship called The Black Prince returned to Philadelphia from a voyage to [[England]]. On board were private letters to the Second [[Continental Congress]] that informed them that the British government was sending two ships to America loaded with arms and gunpowder for the [[British]] troops.

Congress decided that [[General Washington]] needed those arms more than [[General Howe]]. A plan was hatched to capture the British cargo ships. They authorized the creation of a Continental Navy, starting with four ships. The frigate that carried the information from England, the Black Prince, was one of the four. It was purchased, converted to a man-of-war, and renamed the Alfred.

Congress decided that [[General Washington]] needed those arms more than [[General Howe]]. A plan was hatched to capture the British cargo ships. They authorized the creation of a Continental Navy, starting with four ships. The frigate that carried the information from England, the Black Prince, was one of the four. It was purchased, converted to a man-of-war, and renamed the Alfred.