Remembering Sergeant Carney

[NH Civil War Gal]

This is from the Emerging Civil War Series - I thought with Memorial Day Weekend coming up, this would be a good time remember him and other veterans.

by Todd Arrington

One hundred and eighteen years ago today—May 23, 1900—William H. Carney received the Medal of Honor for actions in July 1863 during the Civil War. President William McKinley, who issued the Medal in the name of Congress (hence the oft-used misnomer "Congressional Medal of Honor") was himself a Civil War veteran, having enlisted in the 23rd Ohio as a private in the war's early days and rising to the rank of major by war's end. Hundreds of Medals of Honor were awarded to Civil War soldiers in the decades after the war. In fact, some of the Civil War's most famous recipients of the Medal did not receive it until many years later. For example, Daniel E. Sickles and Joshua L. Chamberlain both received the award for actions at the July 1-3, 1863 battle of Gettysburg. But Chamberlain did not receive the award until 1893, and Sickles waited until 1897 for his.

So Carney receiving his award decades after his action was not at all unusual. What was somewhat out of the ordinary, though, was that Carney was African American. In fact, because his action preceded those of other Medal of Honor recipients, Carney is considered the first African American to receive the nation's highest award for military valor.
Read the rest at:
https://wp.me/p1K1nm-Juy

William H. Carney later in life and wearing his Medal of Honor. (Howard University)

Todd Arrington | May 23, 2018 at 1:00 PM

 

[Larryh86GT]

What a sad ending for a Medal of Honor recipient.

 

[JOHN42768]

MOH winners remember this Memorial Day

 

[Kip124thNY]

Thanks for posting. Stories like this should not be forgotten.

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

This is from the Emerging Civil War Series - I thought with Memorial Day Weekend coming up, this would be a good time remember him and other veterans.

by Todd Arrington

One hundred and eighteen years ago today—May 23, 1900—William H. Carney received the Medal of Honor for actions in July 1863 during the Civil War. President William McKinley, who issued the Medal in the name of Congress (hence the oft-used misnomer "Congressional Medal of Honor") was himself a Civil War veteran, having enlisted in the 23rd Ohio as a private in the war's early days and rising to the rank of major by war's end. Hundreds of Medals of Honor were awarded to Civil War soldiers in the decades after the war. In fact, some of the Civil War's most famous recipients of the Medal did not receive it until many years later. For example, Daniel E. Sickles and Joshua L. Chamberlain both received the award for actions at the July 1-3, 1863 battle of Gettysburg. But Chamberlain did not receive the award until 1893, and Sickles waited until 1897 for his.

So Carney receiving his award decades after his action was not at all unusual. What was somewhat out of the ordinary, though, was that Carney was African American. In fact, because his action preceded those of other Medal of Honor recipients, Carney is considered the first African American to receive the nation's highest award for military valor.
Read the rest at:
https://wp.me/p1K1nm-Juy

William H. Carney later in life and wearing his Medal of Honor. (Howard University)


Todd Arrington | May 23, 2018 at 1:00 PM

Report of Col. Edward N. Hallowell, Fifty-fourth Massachusetts (Colored)
Infantry.

MORRIS ISLAND, S. C.,
November 7, 1863.
GEN.: In answer to your request that I furnish a report of the part taken
by the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers in the late assault upon Fort
Wagner, I have to state:

During the afternoon of the 18th of July last, the Fifty-fourth
Massachusetts Volunteers, Col. R. G. Shaw commanding, landed upon Morris
Island and reported at about 6 p. m. to Brig. Gen. G. C. Strong. Col.
Shaw's command present consisted of a lieutenant-colonel of the field, a
surgeon, adjutant and quartermaster of the staff, 8 captains, and 11
subaltern officers of the line and 600 enlisted men. Gen. Strong presented
himself to the regiment and informed the men of the contemplated assault
upon Fort Wagner and asked them if they would lead it. They answered in the
affirmative. The regiment was then formed in column by wing, at a point
upon the beach a short distance in the advance of the Beacon House. Col. R.
G. Shaw commanded the right wing, and Lieut. Col. E. N. Hallowell the left.
In this formation, as the dusk of the evening came on, the regiment
advanced at quick time, leading the column; the enemy opened upon us a
brisk fire; our peace now gradually increased till it became a run. Soon
canister and musketry begun to tell upon us. With Col. Shaw leading, the
assault was commenced. Exposed to the direct fire of canister and musketry,
and, as the ramparts were mounted, to a like fire on our flanks, the havoc
made in our ranks was very great. Upon leaving the ditch for the parapet,
they obstinately contested with the bayonet our advance. Notwithstanding
these difficulties, the men succeeded in driving the enemy from most of
their guns, many following the enemy into the fort. It was here, upon the
crest of the parapet, that Col. Shaw fell; here fell Capt.'s Russell and
Simpkins; here also were most of the officers wounded. The colors of the
regiment reached the crest, and were there fought for by the enemy; the
State flag then torn from its staff, but the staff remains with us.
Hand-grenades were now added to the missiles directed against the men.

The fight raged here for about an hour. When compelled to abandon the fort,
the men formed a line about 700 yards from the fort, under the command of
Capt. Luis F. Emilio, the ninth captain in the line. The other captains
were either killed or wounded.

The regiment then held the front until relieved by the Tenth Connecticut
Regt. at about 2 a. m. of the 19th. The assault was made upon the south
face of the fort. So many of the officers behaved with marked coolness and
bravery, I cannot mention any above the others. It is due, however, to the
following-named enlisted men that they be recorded above their fellows for
special merit: Sergt. Robert J. Simmons, Company B; Sergt. William H.
Carney, Company C; Corpl. Henry F. Peal, Company F; Private George Wilson,
Company A.

The following is the list of casualties: Col. R. G. Shaw, killed; Lieut.
Col. E. N. Hallowell, wounded; Adjt. G. W. James, wounded; Capt. S.
Willard, wounded; Capt. C. J. Russell,* missing, supposed killed; Capt. W.
H. Simpkins,* missing, supposed killed; Capt.
George Pope, wounded; Capt. E. L. Jones, wounded; Capt. J. W. M. Appleton,
wounded; Capt. O. E. Smith, wounded; First Lieut. R. H. L. Jewett, wounded;
First Lieut. W. H. Homans, wounded; Second Lieut. C. E. Tucker, wounded;
Second Lieut. J. A. Pratt, wounded.

Enlisted men--killed, 9; wounded, 147; missing, 100; total, 256.*

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. N. HALLOWELL,
Col., Cmdg. Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers.

Gen. TRUMAN SEYMOUR,
Cmdg. U. S. Forces, Morris Island, S. C.

Source: Official Records
CHAP. XL.] OPERATIONS ON MORRIS ISLAND, S. C. PAGE 362-46
[Series I. Vol. 28. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 46.]

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[Legion Para]

 

[gary]

In researching the Siege of Battery Wagner, I read everything I could find on the 54th Massachusetts that was relevant to the siege. This would include:

Corporal Henry Gooding's letters published as On the Altar of Freedom;
Luis Emilio's A Brave Black Regiment, and;
A Voice of Thunder: Civil War Letters of George E. Stephens.

One author Stephen Wise, Gate of Hell, asserted that when the ad-hoc Union sharpshooter company was raised, men from the 54th were included. I've never found confirmation.