| Birth: | Feb. 29, 1840 | | Death: | Dec. 9, 1908 | 
Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor recipient. He was the first African-American to be recognized as having performed an act of bravery that warrented the awarding of the Congressional Medal of Honor. He was a member of Company C, 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. On July 18, 1863, during the Battle of Fort Wagner, South Carolina, he was nearby when commander Colonel Robert G. Shaw was shot down. Summoning all of his strength, Carney held aloft the colors and continued the charge. Having been shot several times, he kept the colors flying high, and miraculously survived the struggle. It has been estimated that over half of the regiment became casualties in this deadly engagement, which was depicted in the movie "Glory" (1989). (bio by: Warrick L. Barrett)
Family links:
Spouse:
Susanna Williams Carney (1846 - 1916)*
*Calculated relationship
Search Amazon for William Carney | | | Burial:
Oak Grove Cemetery
New Bedford
Bristol County
Massachusetts, USA |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Originally Created by: Warrick L. Barrett
Record added: Oct 06, 2002
Find A Grave Memorial# 6826582 |
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