Rank and Organization: Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 1836, New York, N.Y. Accredited To: New York. G.O. No.: 17, 10 July 1863.

CITATION:

On board the U.S.S. Galena in the attack on Fort Darling at Drewry's Bluff, James River, on 15 May 1862. As enemy shellfire raked the deck of his ship, Corporal Mackie fearlessly maintained his musket fire against the rifle pits along the shore and, when ordered to fill vacancies at guns caused by men wounded and killed in action, manned the weapon with skill and courage.

Birth: 1836

Death: 1910

Buried: Arlington Cemetery
Drexel Hill
Delaware County
Pennsylvania, USA
Plot: Melrose Section, Lot 606, Grave 2

Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Served as a Corporal in the United States Marine Corps, enlisting on August 23, 1861. He was awarded the CMOH for his bravery in the Naval Assault on Drewry's Bluff, Virginia, on May 15, 1862. His citation reads "On board the U.S.S. Galena in the attack on Fort Darling at Drewry's Bluff, James River, on 15 May 1862. As enemy shellfire raked the deck of his ship, Corporal Mackie fearlessly maintained his musket fire against the rifle pits along the shore and, when ordered to fill vacancies at guns caused by men wounded and killed in action, manned the weapons with skill and courage". When his Medal was issued to him on July 10, 1863 he became the first member of the Marine Corps to be awarded the Medal of Honor. However, since he was on active duty at the time (serving in Sabine Pass in Texas on board the USS Seminole), his Medal came to him via the Postal Service. He served until his honorable discharge in August 24, 1865, having served four full years in the Corps. Today a Marker stands near the spot in the Richmond National Battlefield Park where Corporal Mackie performed his brave act. (bio by: Russ Dodge)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Born in New York, NY. Cpl Mackie enlisted in the Federal Marine Corps on Aug. 23 1861.

He was the first Marine to be awarded the Navy issue Medal of Honor. His citation reads: "On board the USS Galena in the attack on Fort Darling at Drewry's Bluff, James river, on May 15, 1862. As enemy shellfire raked the deck of his ship, Corporal Mackie fearlessly maintained his musket fire against the rifle pits along shore and, when ordered to fill vacancies at guns caused by men wounded and killed in action manned the weapon with skill and courage."

After receiving his Medal of Honor on 10 July 1863, the Corporal was transferred to the Norfolk Navy Yard and was subsequently posted to the nine-gun sloop USS Seminole as "Orderly Sergeant in Charge." For the remainder of the war Mackie served aboard this ship. He was discharged from the Corps 24 August 1865 in Boston, after having completed four years and four months of service with the Marines.

He later married and settled in the Philadelphia P.N., area. Mackie died in 1910.

An interesting after note on the action which earned him his Medal of Honor, Drewry's Bluff, and the Confederate Fort which the Union was attacking was a major training base and post for the small Confederate Marine Corps. It was never taken from the river, but was eventually outflanked during the Federal push on Richmond. Today it is a National Park with several of the revetments still in evidence.

Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients