William Harvey Carney
A snapshot biography
“I only did my duty; the old flag never touched the ground!” – William Harvey Carney
William Harvey Carney was born into enslavement in 1840. It’s not certain how he became a free man but based on most accounts, he escaped through the Underground Railroad.
In 1863, he joined the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. And on July 18th of that year, this regiment led the charge on Fort Wagner.
As the regiment marched in battle, the unit’s color guard was shot. William, only a few feet away from the falling color guard, rushed over to catch the flag. He caught the flag and proceeded to march forward.
Then he, too, was shot. Twice.
But he continued to march forward, holding the flag high as he went up the hill to Fort Wagner’s walls, rallying the soldiers to follow him. Planting the flag firmly in the sand at the fort’s base, he steadfastly held it upright until aid came to rescue him.
And still, he didn’t want to give the flag up. Witnesses said that William held on to the flag until he returned to the regiment’s temporary barracks. The flag never touched the ground.
William was promoted to sergeant after this battle.
After the war, William returned home to New Bedford, Massachusetts. He took a job maintaining the city’s streetlights. And then he delivered mail for thirty-two years.
Thirty-seven years after the battle at Fort Wagner, William received the Medal of Honor, the first African American to receive the honor.
Sources:
First portrait of William - taken circa 1905 by James E Reed, Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, Howard University / “William Harvey Carney by James E. Reed - Restoration.” Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:William_Harvey_Carney_by_James_E_Reed_-_Restoration.jpg
Second portrait of William - taken circa 1864 by John Ritchie. Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Garrison Family in memory of George Thompson Garrison, https://nmaahc.si.edu/object/nmaahc_2014.115.8 / “William Harvey Carney c1864.” Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Foundation, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:William_Harvey_Carney_c1864.jpg
Lange, Katie. “Meet Sgt. William Carney: The first African-American Medal of Honor recipient.” DoD News, Defense Media Activity, U.S. Army, https://www.army.mil/article/181896/meet_sgt_william_carney_the_first_african_american_medal_of_honor_recipient
“U.S. Army Medal of Honor Recipients.” Military Awards for Valor, U.S. Department of Defense, https://valor.defense.gov/Recipients/Army-Medal-of-Honor-Recipients/
“William Carney.” American Battlefield Trust, https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/william-carney
“William Harvey Carney.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Harvey_Carney
What an awesome American,