Monitor (commanded by Lieutenant William N. Jeffers) and (the flagship), the screw gunship , the side-wheeler , and the twin-screw semi-submersible ironclad USRC Naugatuck. At 07:45, Galena closed to within of the fort and anchored, but before Rodgers could open fire, two Confederate rounds pierced the lightly armored vessel. The battle lasted over three hours and during that time, Galena remained almost stationary and took 45 hits. Her crew reported casualties of 14 dead or mortally wounded and 10 injured. Monitor was a frequent target, but her heavier armor withstood the blows. Contrary to some reports, Monitor, despite her squat turret, did not have difficulty bringing her guns to bear and fired steadily against the fort. Naugatuck sustained little damage compared to the Monitor and Galena due to her semi-submersible design, but had to withdraw when her 100-pounder Parrott rifle exploded. The two wooden gunboats remained largely out of range of the big guns, but the captain of Port Royal was wounded by a sharpshooter. Around 11:00, the Union ships withdrew to City Point. Aftermath During the battle, Corporal John F. Mackie became the first Marine to earn the Medal of Honor. The massive fort on Drewry's Bluff had blunted the Union advance just short of the Confederate capital, at a loss of seven Confederates killed and eight wounded. Richmond remained safe. Rodgers reported to McClellan that it was feasible for the navy to land troops as close as from Richmond. Some amateur researchers think the Union Army never took advantage of this observation, yet the entire purpose of the expedition was to obtain such information. The area saw action again during the Siege of Petersburg. The Army of the James landed on May 5, 1864, at Bermuda Hundred, a neck of land north of City Point at the confluence of the James and Appomattox Rivers, only south of Richmond. The army marched overland, advancing within of Drewry's Bluff by May 9. From a tactical perspective, Bermuda Hundred allowed a complete amphibious landing with less likelihood of counterattack than a landing five miles closer to Drewry's Bluff and Fort Darling. Gallery Notes References Eicher, David J. The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001. . Kennedy, Frances H., ed. The Civil War Battlefield Guide. 2nd ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1998. . Salmon, John S. The Official Virginia Civil War Battlefield Guide.