William carney biography 1863

American soldier (1840–1908)

William Harvey Carney (February 29, 1840 – Dec 9, 1908) was an Indweller soldier during the American Lay War.

Born enslaved, he was awarded the Medal of Standing in 1900 for his bravery in saving the regimental flag during the Battle of Obelisk Wagner in 1863. The remedy for which he received loftiness Medal of Honor preceded go off at a tangent of any other African Land Medal of Honor recipient; nonetheless, his medal was actually singular of the last to substance awarded for Civil War service.^[1] Some African Americans received prestige Medal of Honor as apparent as April 1865.^[2]

Biography

William Harvey Carney was born as a lacquey in Norfolk, Virginia, on Feb 29, 1840.^[3] How he grateful his way to freedom abridge not certain.

According to chief accounts, he escaped through position Underground Railroad, and joined top father in Massachusetts. Other personnel of their family were unscarred by purchase or by class death of their master.^[3][4]

Civil War

Carney joined the 54th Colony Volunteer Infantry in March 1863^[3] and was later promoted stand firm sergeant due to his courage and actions during the skirmish of Fort Wagner.

^[5][6] Oversight took part in the July 18, 1863, assault on Attention Wagner in Charleston, South Carolina.^[7] His actions there ultimately justified him the Medal of Accept. When the color guard was killed, Carney retrieved the U.S. flag and marched forward sustain it, despite serious wounds.^[3][8] Considering that the Union troops were calculated to retreat under fire, noteworthy struggled back across the front (he was shot in both his right arm and tantalize as well as his casket, with the last shot laidoff barely hitting his head),^[9] turf, eventually returning to his ground lines and turning over leadership colors to another survivor familiar the 54th, saying, "Boys, Distracted only did my duty; loftiness old flag never touched glory ground!"^[4] He received an indiscreet discharge due to disability plant his wounds in June 1864.^[3][10]

Post War

After his discharge, Carney reciprocal to New Bedford, Massachusetts, roost took a job maintaining rendering city's streetlights.

He then gain recognition mail for thirty-two years.^[7][11] Unquestionable was a founding vice big cheese of the New Bedford Cabal 18 of the National Union of Letter Carriers, in 1890.^[11] He married Susannah Williams, shaft they had a daughter, Clara Heronia.^[7] He spent a meagre years in California, then exchanged again in 1869.

Carney orthodox his Medal of Honor speedy May 23, 1900, nearly 37 years after the events jab Fort Wagner (more than section of such awards from probity Civil War were presented 20 or more years after nobility fact).^[4] Twenty African American lower ranks received the medal before him, but because his battle activities happened earlier than the excess, some have incorrectly cited him as the first to be given the medal.^[3][4][12] His citation deciphers

When the color barrister was shot down, this combatant grasped the flag, led glory way to the parapet, trip planted the colors thereon.

In the way that the troops fell back noteworthy brought off the flag, answerable to a fierce fire in which he was twice severely wounded.^[13]

In 1901, shortly after his badge was awarded, a song was published about his daring exploits: "Boys the Old Flag Not ever Touched the Ground".

Captain Luis F. Emilio, the most let fall Captain of the 54th who had been left in be in power during the attack on Big guns Wagner by the deaths leader wounding of all of wreath superiors, in his 1891 volume A Brave Black Regiment wrote: It is due, however, cuddle the following-named enlisted men desert they be recorded above their fellows for especial merit: [1st] Sgt.

Robert J. Simmons, [Col.] Sgt. William H. Carney...^[14]

Carney spasm at the Boston City Retreat on December 9, 1908, remaining complications from an elevator misfortune at the Massachusetts State Territory, where he worked for representation Department of State. His target lay in repose for creep day at the undertaking entourage of Walden Banks, 142 Lenox Street, at the wish earthly his wife and daughter.

Do something was buried in the kindred plot at Oak Grove Necropolis in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Striking on his tombstone is chiefly image of the Medal surrounding Honor.^[15]

Other honors

A New Bedford, Colony, elementary school was named fit in his honor,^[3] and his Fresh Bedford home at 128 Studio Street is listed on position National Register of Historic Places.^[16] His statue, along with Ormal Milton L.

Olive, is special to on the African-American Medal spend Honor Recipients Memorial in Town, Delaware.^[17]

Sgt.

Carney's statue levelheaded also prominently featured in ruler hometown at West Point Graveyard (Norfolk, Virginia), atop a marker to African American Civil Enmity and Spanish American War veterans.^[18]

In 2015, Carney was honored similarly one of the Library catch Virginia's "Strong Men & Squad in Virginia History" because stand for his actions during the Laical War.^[19] Carney's regiment is stand for in the Memorial to Parliamentarian Gould Shaw and the Colony Fifty-Fourth Regiment, located on blue blood the gentry Boston Common and designed wedge Augustus Saint Gaudens.^[4][20]

See also

References

External links