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John Mackie's Civil War -- the First Marine Corps Medal of Honor

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John Mackie's Civil War -- the First Marine Corps Medal of Honor Volume 52 Number 5 John Mackie’s Civil War -- The First Marine Corps Medal of Honor Gerald J. Gallagher, OMSA No. 4312 Carolina coast preceded forays up the James River, action at Port Royal, South Carolina, and the capture of Fernandina Island near St. Augustine, Florida. Follow- ing leave in New York, Mackie was promoted to Cor- poral on 1 March 1862 and assigned to the USS Ga- lena, which arrived at Hampton Roads shortly after the USS Monitor-CSS Virginia engagement. One of the Union Navy’s first three ironclads: (along with USS Monitor and USS Ne~v Ironsides), the Ga- lena was rated an "ironclad corvette," at 738 tons full load. With 3-inch iron plates, the ship mounted four 9- inch Dahlgren guns and two 100-pounder Parrott rifles. Galena was assigned to the force under Flag Officer L. M. Goldsborough, operating in the capture or Nor- folk (8 May 1862) and in support of the Union Army’s eastern Virginia campaign. On 15 May 1862, Galena, accompanied by Monitor and three other vessels, at- tacked Fort Darling on the James River at Drury’s Bluff. The fort was on a hill about one hundred feet above the river, mounting sixteen heavy guns which subjected the Union vessels to plunging fire. The crew of the re- cently destroyed CSS Virginia and a detachment of the Confederate States’ Marine Corps reinforced the John E Mackie (USMC Historical Center) Confederate garrison. A dmiral David Dixon Porter observed, "A ship with- The exchange of fire lasted for six hours, and Galena’s out Marines is like a garment without buttons." design flaws became apparent when it was struck by Each of the 3,900 men who served as United States four solid shots simultaneously. One 10-inch shot broke Marines during the War Between the States was wor- through the iron plates, shattered a number of main spars thy of his tribute. The Corps’ principal contribution to in the hull, and set Galena afire. Of the 130 men the Union cause was as gun crews aboard ships of the aboard, 70 were killed or wounded. blockading squadrons and the Mississippi flotilla. Union control of the seas and inland waterways gave the Union Corporal Mackie took charge of the aft Parrott rifle an overwhelming advantage, which Confederate naval upon the loss of its crew, and with the aid of his Marine and riverine efforts could never overcome. The Ma- Guard, fired it at Fort Darling, destroying a Confeder- rine gunners were of particular value in the early years ate I 0-inch Columbia& He directed the Marine Guard of the War, serving a rapidly expanding Navy staffed in putting two additional guns back into service and saw with willing but untrained personnel. to the relief of wounded crewmen. Galena withdrew downriver for basic repairs, was engaged six times in Among the cadre of Marines with the James River Flo- late May, and in June, served in the Seven-Days Battles. tilla in.May 1862 was Corporal John Freeman Mackie (t October 1835 - 18 June 1910). Born In New York With its guns shored up by timbers, Galena was sent to City, Mackie enlisted into the Marine Corps in mid-1861 Fortress Monroe, where Corporal Mackie and the sur- at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and was assigned to the viving crew were persona!ly introduced to President U.S. S!oop-of-War Savannah. Combat on the North Lincoln and to Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles. 32 The Journal of the Orders and Medals Societv of America Mackie was given a field promotion to Orderly Ser- partment, and the Marine Corps’ war was over? geant, and remained aboard Galena during its recon- struction as an unarmored, wooden gunboat. Armament Seminole was sent to Boston where on 24 September was altered to eight 9-inch Dahlgrens, two Parrotts, and 1865 Orderly Sergeant John F. Mackie was honorably a howitzer. Drury’s Bluff continued to attract Union discharged from his country’s service. Having spent attention, as the Confederate Navy, in February 1863, more than four years on active duty, he had partici- used it as a test center for armor-piercing cannons de- pated in sixteen battles and more than one hundred skir- signed by J.M. Brooke. mishes. He had been in the earliest naval engagements and was present at the surrender of the last major Con- By General Order No. 17 of I0 July 1863, John F. federate armed force. The service of his vessels is Mackie was awarded the Medal of Honor, becoming commemorated by three of the campaign star titles, for the first of seventeen Marines to receive it during the the Navy’s Civil War battle streamer: Blockade Opera- Civil War.~ The Navy Medal of Honor was authorized tions, Campaigns in the Chesapeake area, and tile Battle by a "Bill to Promote Efficiency of the Navy" adopted of Mobile Bay. by the Congress on 21 December 1861. The design, "Mine~wa, Goddess of’ Wisdom and Strength, Repulsing In addition to his Medal of Honor, Mackie wore the Discord," by Christian Schussel, was accepted by Navy membership medal of the Grand Army of the Republic, Secretary Welles in May 1862. Tile decoration was which was a symbol of honorable service in all branches presented to Orderly Sergeant Mackie in 1863 while he of the Union forces. Similar to the original Medal of was aboard the USS Seminole offSabine Pass, Texas.2 Honor; its pendant depicts veterans with a family of freed slaves? Mackie qualified for the Civil War Cam- Detached fiom Galena, now undergoing conversion at paign Medal authorized in 1908. That medal, awarded Norfolk, Mackie was given co~nmand of the Marine to Navy and Marine Corps personnel featured a depic- Guard of Seminole, which patrolled the Delaware River tion of the Monitor-Virginia engagement, while the above Philadelphia during the Confederate invasion of Army-issue depicted President Lincoln. Pennsylvania in 1863. The vessel was then assigned to the West Gulf Blockading Squadron under RAdm David Following the war, Mackie moved to the Philadelphia G. Parragut, and sailed the Texas coast until summer area, and passed into history in 1910. He rests with his 1864. Seminole took part in tile Battle of Mobile Bay wife, Hannah Rosalba Mackie, in the Arlington Cem- on 5 August 1864 and was then assigned to mine clear- etery of Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania? His gravestone is ance in the bay. carved with the Navy style Medal of Honor, and is flanked by G.A.R. bronze stars. As only one of the Galena was also present and saved the USS Oneida Marine Corps’ Civil War Medals of Honor is held by from sinking when tile latter’s boiler was struck by a tile Marine Corps Historical Center, Mackie’s award is shell from Fort Morgan. From September 1864, Semi- believed to rest with him in Arlington. hole continued coastal interdiction cruises. On 26 May 1865, Mackie’s Squadron received tile surrender of Although no naval vessel has yet borne Mackie’s name, General Edmund Kirby Smith’s Trans-Mississippi De- it was given in 1991 to the Enlisted Lounge of Marine Corps Security Forces Company, Kings Bay, Georgia. He is commemorated on a plaque in the Medal of Honor Grove, at Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge.6 End Notes Conl’usion exists in some sources, which show th~s General Order \~ith the date 10 July 1862. rather than 1863. This raised a question among researchers that Mackie may not have bccn "’first." The 1862 is a misprint, and the 1863 date being correct in l-’ederal records now extant Regardless of the date on paper. Mackic’s gallantry was the first in date of action to qualil~, for a Medal ol’ttonor to a Marine. 2 Mackle’s C~tat~on reads: "’Aboard the USS Galena in the at- Mackie’s gravemarker at Drexel Hill, Penn. Volume 52 Number 5 tack on Fort Darling, at Drury’s Bluff, James River, on 15 ELLED. The paint lies in the deep impressions of the May 1862. As enemy shellfire raked the deck of his ship, pendant surface and does not stay level as does enamel. Corporal Mackie fearlessly maintained his fire against the rifle pits along the shore and, when ordered to fill vacancies at guns There are other points as well. Unlike the original deco- caused by men wounded and killed in action, manned the weap- rations’ suspension rings, the pendant of these fakes ons with skill and courage." has been struck with an intragal suspension lug rather than having the lug soldered to the pendant. Most of 3) Born in St. Augustine, Florida on t6 May 1824, Kirby Smith these current fakes are suspended from the current was nicknamed "’Seminole" during his years at West Point (Class of 1845). Having seen action in the War with Mexico PRC-style pentagonal ribbons, which are completely un- and on the Texas frontier, he entered Confederate service upon related to the medals to which they are attached. It Florida’s secession in April 1861. From Autumn 1862 until also appears, that in addition to the Internet, these fake May 1865, he commanded the Trans-Mississippi Department, Chinese medals have begun to appear at various militaria with the grade of General from 19 February 1864. The last survivor of the Confederacy’s full generals, Smith died on 28 shows. March 1893. By S.G. Yasinitsky 4) The two medals worn by Mackie in his photograph, aside from his Moll and G.A.R. jewel, have not been identified yet.
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