Naval brigade

A naval brigade is a body of sailors serving in a ground combat role to augment land forces.

During the October Revolution and Russian Civil War, Bolshevik sailors were involved in storming the Winter Palace.

Throughout the war, Russian naval infantry distinguished themselves in land combat, and eventually earned special forces status.

The Royal Navy fought only one ship-to-ship action (HMS Shah and Amethyst against the Peruvian ship Huascar in 1877) between 1850 and 1914, so, for much of that period, its only active service was on shore, through naval brigades formed from the men aboard its vessels.

It was attached to George Washington Custis Lee's Division, under Lieutenant General Richard Ewell's Richmond Defense Forces.