BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : AFRICAN AMERICAN " WILLIAM H. CARNEY " WAS A UNION SOLDIER WHO THROUGH IS ACT OF BRAVERY IS REMEMBERED AS A CIVIL WAR FEARLESS AND BRAVE SOLDIER : GOES INTO THE " HALL OF BLACK HEROES "

BLACK   SOCIAL   HISTORY                                                                                     WILLIAM H. CARNEY

William Carney was born a slave on February 29, 1840 in Norfolk, Virginia. His father, also named William, escaped slavery through the underground railroad. William Carney's father worked hard to buy the freedom of the rest of his family.  The family reunited in the second half of 1850 in New Bedford. William Carney learned to read and write at the age of 15. He learned secretly under the guidance of a local minster. He was interested in becoming a minister.  William Carney had taken odd jobs to save sufficient funds to acquire training to be a minister, but later William Carney gave up on being a minister. Instead of being minister, William Carney decide to join the army. This career had a great impact on his life. Abraham Lincoln signed a bill in 1862 authorizing the recruitment of African American troops. This was opposed by many people. In January 1863 Governor John Andrew of Massachusetts was authorized to raise a regiment of African Americans. At the age of 23 William Carney joined the Morgan Guards which became Company C of the 54th Massachusetts regiment. The battle that William Carney is known for is the Battle of Fort Wagner. During this battle William Carney had risked his life. When the colored sergeant who was holding the flag was shot down, William Carney went to grab a hold of it. Carney was heading to the parapet to plant the flag, when he was shot in the leg. He saw soldiers all around him falling down, but he ignored the pain and kept going. He finally planted the flag, but he as all alone, but then there were confederate soldiers who he had mistaken for the union soldiers. Carney grabbed the flag in order to protect it and ran. A bullet struck him in his chest, another in his right leg, and another in his right arm. Although he was in so much pain he struggled on. He would not let the flag fall to the enemy. A member of the 100th New York had passed him and offered to help him, but Carney refused to let him take the flag. Carney did not want anyone other than someone in the 54th to take the flag. Another bullet grazed his head. Carney still did not give up. He finally reached safety  And before he collapsed he said, "Boys, The Old Flag never touched the ground!" William Carney was discharged from the army on June 30, 1864, because of the lingering effects of his wounds.On October 11, 1865 he married Susannah Williams. They had one child who later became a successful music teacher in the New Bedford area. In 1866 William Carney was made superintendent of streetlights for New Bedford. He then went to California, but then later returned to New Bedford in 1869. He became a letter Carrier for the postal service. He then retired 32 years later. He was awarded the medal of honor on May 23 1900, which was almost 40 years after he served the 54th Massachusetts Regiment. he was the first black soldier to receive this award. When he was asked about his herioc actions, all William Carney said was "I only did My duty." And After her retired he was employed as a messenger at the Massachusetts State House, where he was injured in accident the trapped his leg in an elevator, which caused his death on December 8, 1908.