Sgt. William Harvey Carney Died December 9, 1908 b. 1840 American soldier. His acts of bravery in the Civil War were the first actions to earn an African American the Medal of Honor. In 1863, during the Civil War assault on Fort Wagner in Charleston, South Carolina, Carney, although seriously wounded, struggled across the battlefield carrying the Union flag. His citation reads, “When the color sergeant was shot down, this soldier grasped the flag, led the way to the parapet, and planted the colors thereon. When the troops fell back he brought off the flag, under a fierce fire in which he was twice severely wounded.” This battle is portrayed in the film Glory (1989). rochestermilitary.com
