Confederate sharpshooters couldn’t stop him. Neither could a Maine blizzard 22 years later.

Marcus Hanna’s Dual Heroism at Port Hudson and Cape Elizabeth

Marcus Hanna grew up in a lighthouse family in Maine, then went to war.

On July 4, 1863, the young sergeant ran through enemy fire at Port Hudson to bring water to his heat-sick comrades.

Years later, as keeper at Cape Elizabeth’s Two Lights, he braved a minus-10-degree blizzard to save two sailors from a wrecked ship.

No one else in American history has earned both the Medal of Honor and the Gold Lifesaving Medal.

The Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, where Hanna once served, now houses a Fisherman’s Museum filled with artifacts from this remarkable hero’s maritime world.

A Lighthouse Legacy Ran Through His Blood

Marcus Hanna grew up in a family of lighthouse keepers. Born in 1842 in Bristol, Maine, his father James worked at Franklin Island Light.

His grandfather Thomas started the family tradition as the first keeper at Boone Island Light in 1812. Marcus spent his childhood at the lighthouse, watching his father keep sailors safe along Maine’s rocky coast.

At 10, he left home for a life at sea. By 18, he worked as ship’s steward, learning skills that helped him later in war.

The Civil War Called Him to Duty

When the Civil War broke out, Marcus joined the Union Navy for one year. After his naval service ended in 1862, he signed up with the 50th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment.

The army made him a sergeant in Company B, using his leadership skills as the unit got ready for combat. His regiment soon got orders to head to the Gulf Coast.

The 50th Massachusetts went to Louisiana to join Union forces fighting for control of the Mississippi River.

Trapped in the Longest Siege of the War

The 50th Massachusetts reached Port Hudson, Louisiana, in May 1863 as part of a large Union force. About 30,000 to 40,000 Union troops under Major General Nathaniel Banks surrounded the Confederate stronghold.

Inside the fortified bluffs, about 6,800 Confederate soldiers led by Major General Franklin Gardner stood their ground. This became the longest siege in American military history at that time.

For 48 brutal days, Union forces tried to break through while the defenders fought to hold on.

The Fourth of July Almost Killed His Company

On July 4, 1863, Sergeant Hanna and his company sat in rifle pits backing up a New York battery. The Louisiana summer heat beat down on soldiers stuck in open trenches.

With no shade and hot temperatures, men started falling from heat sickness. The situation got worse as their water ran out.

Without fresh water, the whole company faced a deadly crisis. Confederate sharpshooters watched their position, ready to shoot anyone who moved.

He Ran Through Gunfire for Water

When someone asked for a volunteer to get water, only Marcus stepped up. The task meant running 150 yards across open ground while Confederate sharpshooters aimed at him.

He grabbed a dozen empty canteens and got ready to run. As bullets hit the dirt around him, Marcus zigzagged across the open field.

He reached the water source, filled the canteens, and then faced an even more dangerous trip back. The heavy water-filled canteens slowed him down as he dodged enemy fire all the way back to his thankful friends.

The Medal Took 32 Years to Arrive

Marcus finished his water run with just a small wound—a stray pellet hit him in the calf. His brave action saved his fellow soldiers from heat stroke and possible death.

But he waited decades for recognition. The Medal of Honor finally came on November 2, 1895, more than 30 years after his brave act.

His citation noted that he “voluntarily exposed himself to a heavy fire to get water for comrades in rifle pits. ” The medal marked the toughest combat he saw during the entire war.

Politics Landed Him a Lighthouse Job

After the war, Marcus used his Republican connections and status as a war hero to get a government job. He asked President Grant directly and got the keeper position at Pemaquid Point Light in 1869.

The job brought him back to the Maine coast where he grew up.

Four years later, in 1873, he moved to the better Cape Elizabeth Light, known locally as Two Lights.

As head lighthouse keeper, Marcus took care of this key navigation aid that guided ships safely past the dangerous Maine coastline.

A Deadly Shipwreck Tested Him Again

On January 28, 1885, disaster struck during a fierce blizzard. The schooner Australia crashed onto rocks below Cape Elizabeth Light.

The temperature dropped to minus 10 degrees as strong winds blew heavy snow. Captain J.W. Lewis and sailors Irving Pierce and William Kellar fought to stay alive in the freezing chaos.

Captain Lewis drowned in the rough waters, but Pierce and Kellar climbed into the ship’s rigging. They hung there, slowly freezing as ice formed on their bodies and the ship.

He Braved Impossible Conditions to Save Lives

Marcus spotted the stuck sailors despite having a bad cold and ongoing malaria effects. He grabbed a heavy rope with scrap iron and went out into the storm.

Slick rocks and crashing waves made each step dangerous. Many times, he threw the lifeline toward the trapped men, only to see it fall short.

With frozen hands and tired muscles, Marcus kept trying until he finally reached the sailors.

He pulled them to safety through the crashing waves and got them to the fog signal house, saving their lives against tough odds.

Two Medals Made Him Unique in American History

The Life-Saving Service gave Marcus the Gold Lifesaving Medal on April 25, 1885, for rescuing the Australia’s sailors.

This award, plus his earlier Medal of Honor, made him the only person in American history to receive both the nation’s highest military and civilian awards for bravery.

Marcus kept working at Cape Elizabeth Light until 1888, continuing his family’s tradition of protecting sailors along Maine’s dangerous coast. His two medals showed his lifetime of courage and service.

The Coast Guard Keeps His Memory Afloat

Marcus lived to age 79, passing away on December 21, 1921, in South Portland, Maine. He rests in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, not far from the lighthouse where he performed his most famous rescue.

In 1997, the Coast Guard honored his legacy by naming a buoy tender the USCGC Marcus Hanna.

The ship operates out of South Portland, Maine, patrolling the same waters where Marcus once risked his life to save others.

The vessel continues his work of protecting mariners, carrying forward the name of America’s only double medal winner.

Visiting Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, Maine

You can visit Pemaquid Point Lighthouse at 3115 Bristol Road in New Harbor to learn about Marcus Hanna, the only person to win both the Medal of Honor and Gold Lifesaving Medal.

Admission costs $3 for adults, $1 for kids 5-11, and free for younger children. The lighthouse opens 9am-5pm from mid-May through mid-October.

You can climb the tower for a $1 donation if you’re over 46 inches tall.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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