The story of the U.S. Marine Corps is one rich in history – of serving the nation from the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli, let alone the ability to survive in the political theater in Washington, D.C.

That history threads through the Civil War, where Marines exhibited a signature ability to adapt, innovate, and utilize critical thinking and reasoning to support the Union cause. Approaching the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Fort Fisher, a two-part, Marine-assisted Union assault on the last major coastal stronghold of the Confederacy, Wilburn “Bud” Meador of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in Leavenworth discusses the Marines’ role throughout the war.