1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class is a production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:09,639 Speaker 1: Hello and Welcome to This Day in History Class, a 3 00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: show that pays tribute to heroes of the past by 4 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:17,800 Speaker 1: telling their stories. Today, I'm Gay Bluesier, and in this episode, 5 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:21,160 Speaker 1: we're looking at the earliest act of African American valor 6 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: to be recognized with the nation's highest military award. The 7 00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 1: day was May twenty third, nineteen hundred. William H. Carney 8 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:41,920 Speaker 1: was awarded the Medal of Honor for bravely defending the 9 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 1: American flag during the Civil War. William Harvey Carney was 10 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 1: born in Norfolk, Virginia, on February twenty ninth, eighteen forty. 11 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 1: Like many black soldiers who served in the Civil War, 12 00:00:56,400 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 1: he had been born into slavery and spent much of 13 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 1: his early life in the Exact details of when and 14 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:06,840 Speaker 1: how his parents attained their freedom are debated to this day, 15 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:11,919 Speaker 1: but many accounts involved the underground railroad. Whatever the truth, 16 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 1: Carney's family was able to escape their unjust bondage and 17 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:19,399 Speaker 1: build a new life for themselves in New Bedford, Massachusetts. 18 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 1: Laws of the era made it illegal to teach African 19 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 1: Americans to read and write, but Carney had been educated 20 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:29,760 Speaker 1: in secret in Virginia and was able to continue his 21 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:33,960 Speaker 1: academic pursuits in the North. He began studying the Bible 22 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:37,040 Speaker 1: in depth as a teenager and soon set his sights 23 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:42,039 Speaker 1: on becoming a preacher. However, once the Emancipation Proclamation was 24 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 1: signed and the U. S Army began recruiting young black 25 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 1: men as soldiers, Carney decided to take a different path. 26 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:53,160 Speaker 1: In an eighteen sixty three letter, he explained his change 27 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:57,520 Speaker 1: of heart, writing, I had a strong inclination to prepare 28 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 1: myself for the ministry, but when the country called for 29 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 1: all persons, I thought I could best serve my God 30 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:08,120 Speaker 1: by serving my country and my oppressed brothers. The sequel 31 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:12,679 Speaker 1: is short. I enlisted for the war. Carney joined the 32 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: Union Army in March of that year and was assigned 33 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 1: to Company C of the fifty fourth Massachusetts Colored Infantry Regiment, 34 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 1: the first official black unit recruited for the Civil War. 35 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 1: The forty other black soldiers who served alongside him, including 36 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 1: two of Frederick Douglas's sons, were trained and led by 37 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:36,839 Speaker 1: white commanding officers. The fifty fourth completed training in May 38 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:40,359 Speaker 1: of eighteen sixty three and engaged in their first combat 39 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:45,399 Speaker 1: mission at James Island, South Carolina, on July sixteenth. Two 40 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 1: days later, Carney's unit was deployed to nearby Charleston, where 41 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 1: they took part in the Battle of Fort Wagner under 42 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:57,800 Speaker 1: the command of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, Union ships stationed 43 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 1: just offshore, pummeled the fort within cannon fire to weaken 44 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:05,239 Speaker 1: its defenses. Then, in the early evening, the fifty fourth 45 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:08,520 Speaker 1: led a ground assault on the fort, Facing off against 46 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 1: nearly two thousand Confederate soldiers under heavy enemy fire, Carney's 47 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:17,120 Speaker 1: unit slowly advanced up the slope leading to the fort, 48 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:20,520 Speaker 1: and although they were badly outnumbered, they managed to hold 49 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:24,519 Speaker 1: their ground for more than two hours. Carney fought close 50 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 1: to the front line that day and was there to 51 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:30,639 Speaker 1: witness the deaths of Colonel Shaw and the unit's color guard, 52 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 1: or flag bearer, Sergeant John Wall. Carney, nursing a bullet 53 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 1: wound of his own, was standing just a few feet 54 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 1: away when Wall was shot. He watched the sergeant stumble 55 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 1: and saw his grip slacken on the flagpole he'd been carrying. Then, 56 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:51,040 Speaker 1: reacting on impulse, Carney dropped his gun and scrambled to 57 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 1: catch the American flag before it touched the ground. He 58 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 1: reached it just in time and hoisted it high for 59 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 1: all his brothers on the battlefield to see. Zie. With 60 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 1: one hand pressed against his wound and the other holding 61 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 1: up the flag, Carney resumed his march toward the fort 62 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:11,920 Speaker 1: and implored others to follow him. He was shot several 63 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: more times along the way and was eventually reduced to crawling, 64 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:19,159 Speaker 1: Yet still he refused to drop the flag or to 65 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 1: hand it off to soldiers of other regiments. Instead, Carney 66 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 1: dragged himself up the slope and planted the flag in 67 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:29,600 Speaker 1: the sand at the base of Fort Wagner. He then 68 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 1: remained there, holding it upright until the Union forces were 69 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 1: ordered to retreat and his colleagues helped him to safety. 70 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 1: Only after reaching the Union's temporary barracks did Carney finally 71 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:45,600 Speaker 1: hand off the flag in order to receive medical treatment, 72 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:48,760 Speaker 1: and while the other members of the fifty fourth praised 73 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 1: him for his bravery, he modestly told them, quote, boys, 74 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:57,000 Speaker 1: I only did my duty. The old flag never touched 75 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:01,720 Speaker 1: the ground. Carney was promoted to sergeant for his actions 76 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 1: at Fort Wagner, but due to the lingering effects of 77 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 1: his injuries, he was honorably discharged from the army. About 78 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 1: a year after the battle, he returned home to New Bedford, Massachusetts, 79 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:15,720 Speaker 1: where he got married, had a daughter, and became one 80 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 1: of the state's first black mail carriers. Carney stayed with 81 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:23,119 Speaker 1: the postal Service for thirty two years and then worked 82 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:26,919 Speaker 1: as a messenger at the Massachusetts State House. He also 83 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 1: stayed involved with black veterans organizations during this time and 84 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:36,840 Speaker 1: would regularly attend reunions and memorials. Almost forty years after 85 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 1: the Battle of Fort Wagner, William Carney's heroism was finally 86 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 1: recognized by his country. On May twenty third, nineteen hundred, 87 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:48,479 Speaker 1: he was presented the Congressional Medal of Honor by President 88 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:53,800 Speaker 1: Theodore Roosevelt. His citation read quote, When the color sergeant 89 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 1: was shot down, this soldier grasped the flag, led the 90 00:05:57,839 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 1: way to the parapet and planted the thereon. When the 91 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:04,919 Speaker 1: troops fell back, he brought off the flag under a 92 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:09,360 Speaker 1: fierce fire in which he was twice severely wounded. It's 93 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:12,800 Speaker 1: a common misconception that Sergeant Carney was the Medal of 94 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 1: Honor's first black recipient, but in fact he was one 95 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:19,560 Speaker 1: of the last of the twenty five African Americans to 96 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:23,600 Speaker 1: receive one for service during the Civil War. The first 97 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:26,800 Speaker 1: had been awarded to Robert Blake for his actions aboard 98 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:31,520 Speaker 1: the USS Marblehead in late eighteen sixty three. Blake had 99 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 1: received his medal in April of the following year, nearly 100 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 1: four decades earlier than Carney. However, it's worth noting that 101 00:06:40,279 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 1: the Battle of Fort Wagner took place five months before 102 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 1: Blake's actions at sea. That means that while Carney wasn't 103 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:51,920 Speaker 1: the first black soldier to be awarded the Medal of Honor, 104 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 1: he was the first to earn one. Sergeant William Carney 105 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:01,800 Speaker 1: passed away eight years later after sustaining fatal injuries from 106 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:05,560 Speaker 1: an elevator accident while working at the Massachusetts State House. 107 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 1: On the day of his death, December ninth, nineteen o eight, 108 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 1: the Massachusetts government ordered all flags to be flown at 109 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 1: half mast, the first time in state history that such 110 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:22,120 Speaker 1: an honour was extended to a Black American. Twelve years 111 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 1: after that, a life size bronze statue of Carney was 112 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 1: erected in his hometown of Norfolk. It was placed atop 113 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:33,400 Speaker 1: an existing memorial in West Point Cemetery. And is one 114 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 1: of just a few monuments in the South to honor 115 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 1: the nearly two hundred thousand black veterans of the Civil War. 116 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:44,720 Speaker 1: As for the fifty fourth Regiment in which Carney served, 117 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:48,559 Speaker 1: it was disestablished at the war's conclusion in eighteen sixty five, 118 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: but in two thousand eight it was reactivated as the 119 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 1: fifty fourth Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment. It now serves as a 120 00:07:57,440 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 1: ceremonial unit of the state's National gaulne, taking part in 121 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 1: military funerals and other state functions. One of the fifty 122 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:10,240 Speaker 1: fourth's most high profile appearances was at President Barack Obama's 123 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:14,440 Speaker 1: first inauguration in two thousand and nine. The unit's twenty 124 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:17,520 Speaker 1: six members were invited to march in the day's parade, 125 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 1: including the unit's then current color guard, Sergeant Theodore Doc Bowen, 126 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:27,239 Speaker 1: a Black soldier himself, Bowen paid tribute to the unit's 127 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 1: proud history by carrying a replica of the regimental flag 128 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:35,080 Speaker 1: used by the original fifty fourth, and just like Sergeant 129 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:38,560 Speaker 1: Carney before him, he made sure that it never touched 130 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 1: the ground. I'm Gabe Blues Gay, and hopefully you now 131 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:49,559 Speaker 1: know a little more about history today than you did yesterday. 132 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:52,120 Speaker 1: If you'd like to keep up with the show, you 133 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:55,920 Speaker 1: can follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at TDI 134 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 1: HC Show, and if you have any comments or suggestions, 135 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:02,520 Speaker 1: feel free to send them my way by writing to 136 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 1: This Day at iHeartMedia dot com. Thanks to kazb Bias 137 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 1: for producing the show, and thanks to you for listening. 138 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:13,440 Speaker 1: I'll see you back here again tomorrow for another day 139 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:14,800 Speaker 1: in History class.