moved back and forth between the naval barracks in Brooklyn and Washington, D.C., until reassigned to the on April 2, 1857. Assigned to land duties at the Brooklyn Naval Barracks again beginning December 2 of that year, he was then reassigned to the from June 11 to August 6, 1858, when he was stationed at the Boston Naval Barracks prior to reassignment on the USS North Carolina through May 10, 1959. Re-enlisting again the next day, he was transferred briefly to the Boston Naval Barracks, and was then stationed on the USS Constellation from June 13 of that year through most of the first year of the American Civil War. Assigned briefly to land duties at the naval barracks in Portsmouth and Brooklyn, he was then reassigned to the on January 31, 1862, where he continued to serve until transferred to the on May 18, 1863. Returned to land duties in August of that year, he re-enlisted again and was promoted to the rank of sergeant on August 26, 1863, and returned to the USS Richmond. Engaged with other Union soldiers and sailors in attacks on Fort St. Philip, Fort Jackson and the Chalmette batteries in Louisiana under the command of Admiral David Farragut from April 16 to 28, 1862, Martin was also present for the resulting surrender of New Orleans to Union forces, as well as the attack on Vicksburg, Mississippi in late June and early July that same year. Still attached to Farragut's squadron in 1864, which had been engaged in a blockade of Mobile, Alabama since November 1, 1863, and serving as a sergeant stationed aboard the USS Richmond, he performed the actions for which he would later be awarded the U.S. Medal of Honor. As captain of a gun during the Battle of Mobile Bay on the morning of August 5, 1864, he displayed "coolness and good conduct" as he continued firing for two hours, helping to damage the and destroy the batteries at Fort Morgan while under heavy enemy fire which damaged his ship and killed several of his fellow crewmen. Afterward, he and his Richmond shipmates continued to occupy Mobile Bay. In May 1865, he transferred to the , served briefly on land at the marine barracks in Pensacola, Florida, beginning July 12, and was then reassigned to the on December 26, 1865. Post-war military service and later life Post-war, Martin continued to serve