Black Soldiers Who Won The Medal Of Honor During The Civil War

Until the American Civil War, there were no medals for valor awarded to American soldiers,
sailors or Marines. The first such medal was the Navy Medal of Honor, in 1862. The medal of honor
for the Army followed quickly. Both medals were supposed to be limited to enlisted personnel, but this
was quickly disregarded for junior officers. Seventeen Black soldiers and six Black sailors were
awarded the Medal of Honor for their heroism during the Civil War. Several of their white officers
were also awarded the Medal. Fourteen of the Medals of Honor awarded to Black soldiers occurred in
one battle— the battle of New Market Heights, Virginia, September 29, 1864. The Black Medal of
Honorees are:

The Navy:

 Anderson, Aaron. USS Wyandock. The War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union
and Confederate Navies, Series 1, Vol. 5, pp. 535-36, Report of Lt. Comm. T. H. Eastman to
Comm. Parker, Potomac Flotilla. March 18, 1865. The white boatswain commanding the
launch was also awarded the Medal of Honor. The citation does not cite Anderson's actual
conduct while the boatswain's operation of the howitzer is specifically mentioned. Black
historians and triumphalists have asserted that either the general statement about the boat's oars
being cut in half by musketry or the operation of the howitzer the to imply that either or both
were attributable to Anderson. As Anderson was awarded the Medal of Honor for his action, his
heroism or contribution must have been greater than the other crewmen, and equal to the
boatswain's.
 Blake, Robert. USS Marblehead. December 25, 1863. Action in the Stono River at
Legareville, South Carolina. Citation: “excited [the ship captain's] admiration by the cool and
brave manner in which he served the rifle gun.” The War of the Rebellion: Official Records of
the Union and Confederate Navies, Series 1, Vol. 15, p. 191, Report of Lt. Comm. Richard
Meade, USS Marblehead, December 25, 1863. Also at 38th Cong., 2nd sess., House Executive
Document #1, Annual Presidential Message to Congress, December 5, 1863, Vol. 6; “Report of
the Secretary of the Navy;” Appendix, p. 263.
 Brown, Wilson. USS Hartford. Battle of Mobile Bay, Alabama. August 5, 1864. Citation: “
Wilson Brown, landsman, was stationed at the shell whip on the berth deck. A man was killed
on the ladder above him and thrown with such violence against Brown as to knock him into the
hold, where he laid for a short time senseless; but on recovering he immediately returned to his
station, though besides himself only one of the original six belonging there had escaped.”; The
War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies, Series 1, Vol. 21,
p. 437. Report of Capt. Drayton, USS Hartford, to Adm. Farragut, August 7, 1864,
recommending ten men for Medals of Honor.
 Lawson, John. USS Hartford. Battle of Mobile Bay, Alabama. August 5, 1864. “John
Lawson, landsman, was one of six men stationed at the shell whip on the berth deck. A shell
killed or wounded the whole number. Lawson was wounded in the leg and thrown with great
violence against the side of the ship, but as soon as he recovered himself, although begged to go
below, he refused, and went back to the shell whip, where he remained during the action.” The
War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies, Series 1, Vol. 21,
p. 437. Report of Capt. Drayton, USS Hartford, to Adm. Farragut, August 7, 1864,
recommending ten men for Medals of Honor.
 Mifflin, James. USS Brooklyn. Battle of Mobile Bay, Alabama. August 5, 1864.
 Pease, Joachim. Battle between the USS Kearsarge and the CSS Alabama. Citation: “the
conduct of [Pease] in battle fully sustained his reputation as one of the best men in the ship.”
 The War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies, Series 1, Vol.
3, pp. 66-67, Report of Acting Master D. H. Sumner, Third Division, USS Kearsarge, June 20,
1864.

The Army: Most awards—to whites and Blacks alike—of the Medal of Honor during the Civil
War were for saving the national or regimental colors, often after a battle was lost.
th
 Carney, John. 54 Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. Ft. Wagner, South Carolina. July 18,
1864. First Black to be awarded the Medal of Honor, for saving his regiment's national colors
(the American flag), after the third color bearer fell, and, wounded several times, carried it back.
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 Dorsey, Decatur. Co B, 39 USCT. Battle of the Crater. July 30, 1864. Saved his regimental
colors. His citation reads: “Bravery while acting as color sergeant of his regiment at Petersburg,
Va.” The War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Ser. 1,
Vol. 40, pt. 1, p. 748, “Medal of Honor Awarded for Distinguished Services.”
 Hawkins, James. The War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate
Armies, Ser. 1, Vol. 40, pt. 1, p. 748, “Medal of Honor Awarded for Distinguished Services.”
 Smith, Andrew J. Battle of Honey Hill, South Carolina. November 30, 1864. “For
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of
duty: ...” Smith was cited for the Medal of Honor by his commanding officer in a letter to the
Secretary of War in 1913, but the award was never made. In 2000, Pres. William “Bill”
Clinton, having been made aware of the officer's 1913 letter, posthumously awarded Smith the
Medal of Honor. The language of Pres. Clinton's citation is the language of modern Medal of
Honor awards, not the language of the Civil War citations.

THE BATTLE OF NEW MARKET HEIGHTS

4th USCT
 Fleetwood, Christian. Battle of New Market Heights, Virginia. September 30, 1864.
“Christian A. Fleetwood, sergeant-major, Fourth U. S. Colored Troops, when two color bearers
had been shot down, seized the national colors and bore them nobly through the fight. He has a
special medal for gallant conduct.”
 Hilton, Alfred. Battle of New Market Heights, Virginia. September 30, 1864. “Alfred B.
Hilton, color-sergeant, Fourth U. S. Colored Troops, the bearer of the national colors, when the
color sergeant with the regimental standard fell beside him, seized the standard, and struggled
forward with both colors, until disabled by a severe wound at the enemy's inner line of abatis,
and when on the ground he showed that his thoughts were for the colors and not for himself. He
has a special medal for gallantry, and will have his warrant as first sergeant.
 Veal, Charles. Battle of New Market Heights, Virginia. September 30, 1864. “Charles Veal,
color bearer Company D, Fourth U. S. Colored Troops, after two bearers of the regimental color
had been shot down, seized it close to the enemy's works and bore it through the remainder of
the action. He has a medal for gallantry, and will have the warrant of color-sergeant.”
5th USCT
 Holland, Milton. Battle of New Market Heights, Virginia. September 30, 1864.
 Bronson, James. Battle of New Market Heights, Virginia. September 30, 1864.
 Pinn, Robert. Battle of New Market Heights, Virginia. September 30, 1864.
 Beatty, Powhatan. Battle of New Market Heights, Virginia. September 30, 1864.
6th USCT
 Kelly, Andrew. Battle of New Market Heights, Virginia. September 30, 1864. “Alexander
Kelly, first sergeant Company F, Sixth U. S. Colored Troops, gallantly seized the colors, which
had fallen near the enemy's inner line of abatis, raised them, and rallied the men, at a time of
confusion, and a place of the greatest possible danger. He has a medal for his gallantry.
36th USCT
 Gardnier, James. Battle of New Market Heights, Virginia. September 30, 1864. “Private
James Gardiner, Company I, Thirty-sixth U. S. Colored Troops, rushed in advance of his
brigade, shot at a rebel officer, who was on the parapet cheering his men, and then ran him
through with his bayonet. He will have a sergeant's warrant and a medal for gallant daring.”
 Miles, James. Battle of New Market Heights, Virginia. September 30, 1864. “Corpl. Miles
James, Thirty-sixth U. S. Colored Troops, after having his arm so badly mutilated that
immediate amputation was necessary, loaded and discharged his piece with one hand, and urged
his men forward; this within thirty yards of the enemy's works. He has a medal and a sergeant's
warrant.”
38th USCT
 Ratcliff, Edward. Battle of New Market Heights, Virginia. September 30, 1864. “First Sergt.
Edward Ratcliff, Company C., Thirty-eighth U. S. Colored Troops, thrown into command of his
company by the death of the officer commanding, was the first enlisted man in the enemy's
works, leading his company with great gallantry, for which he has a medal.”
 Harris, James. Battle of New Market Heights, Virginia. September 30, 1864. “Sergeant
Harris, Company B, Thirty-eighth U. S. Colored Troops, has a medal for gallant conduct in the
assault of the 29th instant.”
 Barnes, William. Battle of New Market Heights, Virginia. September 30, 1864. “Private
William H. Barnes, Company C, Thirty-eighth U. S. Colored Troops, among the very first to
enter the rebels works, although himself previously wounded, has a medal for his gallantry.

The medal being awarded in these citations for the Battle of New Market Heights was not the
Medal of Honor, but the Butler Medal, commissioned by Maj. Gen. Benjamin Franklin Butler,
commander of the Army of the James and the author of the Union victory at New Market Heights. One
hundred and ninety seven of these medals were awarded, of which these thirteen men also were
awarded the Medal of Honor, based on the same actions and citations. There is a movement to have the
Butler Medal recognized as an official medal of the U. S. Army.

The Medal of Honor citations are at The War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and
Confederate Armies, Ser. 1, Vol. 42, pt. 1, pp. 848-50. For all but Barnes, the citation reads “Gallantry
in Action at Chaffin's Farm, near Richmond, Va.” For Barnes it reads “Among the first to enter the
rebel works, although wounded, at Chaffin's Farm, near Richmond, Va.”