--- title: "How the Marine Corps fought the Civil War" description: "The Marine Corps existed during the Civil War, but its stories are overshadowed by the Army and Navy – so where were the Marines?" date: "2022-10-12" modified: "2026-06-03" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/marine-corps-during-the-civil-war/" categories: - "Civil War" - "History" - "War History" tags: - "America250" - "Civil War" - "Marine Corps" --- # How the Marine Corps fought the Civil War ![marine corps civil war federal marines]() *Five Federal Marines with fixed bayonets under the command of their noncommissioned officer, with M1859 Marine NCO sword. (National Archives)* From the Revolutionary War through the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, every branch has its stories of daring and valor in combat, along with its heroes responsible for those daring deeds. The Army and Navy obviously feature prominently throughout American military history. The Air Force legacy dates back to the days before it was an independent branch. The Marine Corps is no different—for the most part. From its foundations at Tun Tavern before the Revolution and its performance at the Battle of Bladensburg in the War of 1812, straight through to “Bangin’ In Sangin” in Afghanistan, the Marine Corps has been right beside them. During the Civil War, however, there just aren’t as many stories or heroes from the Corps’ exploits as there are in other wars. The Marine Corps as a branch existed, but its stories are overshadowed by the Army and Navy—so where were the Marines? **Also Read: [‘The Few. The Proud’: The moments that made the Marines the Marines]()** Before we upset any Marines, it’s important to note that while there were just 4,000 Marines in the Corps during the Civil War, it played an extremely important role in the Union’s overall strategy, was pivotal in a number of pitched battles, and 17 Marines earned the Medal of Honor during the war. Small but mighty, the Marines were very important to the war effort. Marines were primarily assigned to blockade duty aboard U.S. Navy ships. This may not sound glamorous, but it was critical in strangling the Confederate States’ ability to continue fighting the war. Without the blockade, supplies, arms, ammunition, and money coming in from the cotton trade, the South might have been able to fight on indefinitely. The Marine Corps was also the key to a second cornerstone of the Union strategy to win the [Civil War](): the splitting of the Confederacy in two at the Mississippi River. Although the Corps performed poorly at the [First Battle of Bull Run](), the very first battle of the war, lessons were learned, recruits were turned to veterans, and the Marines were ready for round two. ![Marines-in-the-Civil-War-Bull run]() *Federal Marines at the Battle of Bull Run. (National Archives)* By 1862, the second year of the war, Marines were pivotal in the landing and occupation of New Orleans, the Confederacy's most populous city and a major naval base and economic port. Marines also moved north to capture Baton Rouge, keeping the Mississippi delta firmly in Union hands. When the Army captured Vicksburg the next year, the Confederacy was effectively cut in half. And it stayed that way because of the Marine Corps. That just wasn't glamorous enough to make it into the Marine Corps hymn—there were just too many glorious moments to choose from. The problem during the Civil War was that the Corps were only able to field one battalion at any given time. This was mostly used to capture islands and lighthouses critical to supporting the blockade effort. A joint force of Marines and sailors would also land in the south during [Sherman’s March to the Sea](), in an effort to destroy railroads supplying southern centers of resistance. These Marines surprised the 5th Georgia Infantry, capturing its colors (a huge deal at the time). It joined with a combined Army-Navy force to fight off three companies of Georgia infantry during a counterattack at Gregorie Point, South Carolina. The Marines later rushed the Confederate lines, but were fought off charging the students and faculty of The Citadel—all of them. ![marines civil war battle of tulfinny]() *Union troops retreat after assaulting rebel lines near Gregorie Point, South Carolina.* Marines fought all over the South, from Georgia’s Tybee Island, South Carolina’s Forts Wagner and Sumter, and North Carolina’s Fort Fisher. Like the rest of the Union forces, they had their wins and their losses. Nowhere was the Marine Corps’ contribution to the Union war effort more critical than in the 1864 [Battle of Mobile Ba]()[y](). Rear Adm. David Farragut’s daring and brilliant attack on the Alabama port city was made possible by the sharpshooting Marines aboard the admiral’s flagship, the USS Hartford. As Confederate ships tried time and again to knock the Hartford (and the admiral) out of the battle, the Marines raked their decks with accurate, withering fire. Eight Marines would earn the Medal of Honor at Mobile Bay, leading Farragut himself to say, “I have always deemed the Marine guard one of the great essentials of a man-of-war.” ### Don’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty **• [The 12 most badass Marine Corps nicknames of all time]()** **• [Marine Corps legend ‘Ripley at the Bridge’ is finally getting the Medal of Honor]()** **• [Why the Marine Corps only uses six body bearers for funeral ceremonies]()** ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()