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Underground Railroad
This event was extremely important to Carney because his dad escaped through it. His dad escaped then worked hard for a long time to earn enough money to buy his family back to him. -
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Carney gets his name
Between these years, William Carney meets a white William Carney. The white William gave him his name. Carney needed this to serve in the 54th Massachusetts Regiment. Without a name, he wouldn't have been let into the army. -
Birth
He was born in Norfolk, Virginia. He was born into slavery with no last name. Also, his dad escaped through the under ground railroad, then worked hard to buy the rest of his family freedom. -
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Civil War
This war is when the South seceded from the North. The North and South battled over a bunch of stuff. The main conflict was slavery. The south needed slaves to help run their plantations. The north didn't need slaves as much because they fought against slavery while the south fought for slavery. -
Emancipation Proclamation
This gave freedom to slaves. Abraham Lincoln issued this document, but few followed it. -
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The 54th Massachusetts Regement was formed
This was the regement whom Carney fought with, and the first and most famous black regement in the north. This regement was very important because if they weren't good, then blacks wouldn't have been used in the war. The union kept a watchful eye on them. -
The Battle of James Island
This was the first time that he saw battle. -
Battle of Fort Wagner
This is the battle that Carney is known for. He was hurt three times, but he continued in order to save the American Flag. He told his fellow soldiers after it, "Boys, I only did my duty. The flag never touched the ground." -
William Carney is awarded the Medal of Honor
He was awarded the medal of honor for not letting the flag touch the ground after he was seriously injured three times in the process. -
Death
William Harvey Carney died at his home in New Bedford on December 9, 1908, and is buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery there. Engraved on the white marble is a gold image of the Medal of Honor, a tribute to a courageous soldier and the flag he loved so dearly.
