The First Marine Medal of Honor

On May 15, 1862, during the Battle of Drewry’s Bluff, Southern marksmen in rifle pits, including two companies of Confederate States Marines, swept the gun deck of USS Galena and severely limited its ability to fight as the U.S. Marine Guard aboard the ship tried to suppress the Confederate sharpshooters along the James River. When an artillery shell passed through Galena’s side and killed and disabled most of the crew serving a 100-pounder Parrott Rifle, Corporal John Freeman Mackie rallied his fellow Marines with the cry, “Come on boys, here’s a chance for the Marines.” Under fire, he led efforts to remove dead and injured sailors from the deck and clear away iron and wood fragments that hindered the gun’s operation, then, with the survivors of the Marine Guard, operated the cannon until Galena withdrew from the battle. For this display of courage, Mackie became the first U.S. Marine to receive the Medal of Honor.

Virginia · United States