The First Marine Medal of Honor

The First Marine Medal of Honor. Drewry’s Bluff. 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, severely limiting its ability to fight. The U.S. Marine Guard aboard Galena strove to suppress the fire of the Confederate sharpshooters, who lined the banks of the James River., When an artillery shell passed through Galena’s side, killing and disabling most [of] the crew serving a 100-pounder Parrott Rifle, Corporal John Freeman Mackie rallied his fellow Marines, shouting “Come on boys, here’s a chance for the Marines.” Mackie then led cleanup efforts under fire, removing dead and injured sailors from the deck and sweeping away the iron and wood fragments that hindered the functioning of the Parrott. With the survivors of the Marine Guard, Mackie then operated the cannon until Galena withdrew from the battle., For his display of courage, Corporal Mackie became the first U.S. Marine to receive the Medal of Honor. The painting, Corporal John Mackie, United States Marine Corps. by Col. Charles Waterhouse, USMCR, depicts Mackie at the ports of Galena, firing on the Confederate rifle pits.