The story of the Massachusetts Fifty-fourth Regiment during the Civil War has been dramatically recounted in the motion picture 荣耀 在许多历史，诗歌和艺术作品中，包括 纪念碑 到马萨诸塞州议会大厦对面的兵团. The stories of individual and collective bravery by the African American members of the regiment who faced down racism at home and on the battlefield are legion, 但没有什么比威廉·H·史密斯中士的故事更引人入胜的了. 马萨诸塞州新贝德福德的卡尼说.， C公司的成员.

战斗随之而来

1863年7月18日，夜幕降临, the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts prepared to lead the assault on the Confederate forces at 瓦格纳堡, S.C. 尽管与饥饿作斗争, 睡眠不足, 还有闷热多变的天气, the regiment was in "excellent temper and spirits" according to their Captain Luis F. 埃米利奥. 在四分之三英里的沙滩上前进, the Fifty-fourth encountered little fire at first 但 when they slowed to pass through a narrow spot, 瓦格纳堡, 用埃米利奥的话来说, 变成了一堆火, 呕吐子弹和炮弹 ... 空气中充满了震耳欲聋的爆炸声 ... the mound seemed fairly to rock and tremble with internal heavings.兵团仍在前进, 在敌人的包围下冲向他们, 同志和军官倒下了. 一篇发表在 解放者 on 28 August 1863 recounts the horror of the scene and William 卡尼's actions under fire:

在离堡垒100码的地方, the rebel musketry opened with such terrible effect that for an instant the first battalion hesitated—但 only for an instant, 对坳. Shaw, springing to the front and waving his sword, shouted, "Forward, my brave boys!" and with another cheer and a shout they ru她d through the ditch, 获得了右边的护墙, 并很快与敌人展开了肉搏战. Col. 肖是最早爬上长城的人之一. 他站得笔直，催促部下前进, 一边喊着让他们继续前进, 他被枪杀了, 掉进了堡垒. His body was found, with twenty of his men lying dead around him, two lying on his own body ...

But above all, the color-bearer deserves more than a passing notice. 约翰·沃尔中士. G. 在第一营担任军旗, 当靠近堡垒时, 他掉进了深沟里, 他叫他的侍卫来帮助他. 他们不能停下来，但是警长. 威廉H. 卡尼公司. C. 捕捉到色彩, 发扬光大, and was the first man to plant the Stars and Stripes upon 瓦格纳堡. 当他看到那些人往后退时, 他自己胸部受了重伤, 他把颜色去掉了, 匍匐在膝上, pressing his wound with one hand and with the other holding up the emblem of 免费的dom. The moment he was seen crawling into the hospital with the flag still in his possession, 他受伤的同伴, 黑白兼有, 从他们躺着的稻草上升起, 他们为他欢呼，直到精疲力竭，喊不出声来. 作为对这次接待的回应, 勇敢而受伤的旗手说:“孩子们, I 但 did my duty; the dear old flag never touched the ground."

威廉H. 卡尼用自己的话说

战斗结束后, 卡尼 recounted the story of his life in a letter that was publi她d in the 6 November 1863 issue of the 解放者:

我出生在弗吉尼亚州的诺福克., in 1840; my father's name was William 卡尼; my mother's name before her marriage was Ann Dean; 她 was the property of one Major 卡尼, 但, 在他死后, 她, 和他的众民, 是按他的旨意造的吗 免费的. 在我14岁的时候, 当我无事可做的时候, I attended a private and secret school kept in Norfolk by a minister. In my fifteenth year I embraced the gospel; at that time I was also engaged in the coasting trade with my father.

In 1856, 我离开大海一段时间, and my father set out to look for a place to live in peace and 免费的dom. 他首先在威廉佩恩的土地上停留 ... 但 he rested not there; the black man was 不安全 在《og体育官网》的诞生地上. 他走得很远. Then he visited the empire State—great New York—whose chief ambition seemed to be for commerce and gold ... 她只来得及把那个皮肤黝黑的男人甩了一顿, 让他觉得自己在自己的祖国是个异乡人.

At last he set his weary feet upon the sterile rocks of "Old Massachusetts.他呼吸的空气使他的精神充满了热情. 是的，他在旧时的海湾州找到了一个躲避压迫的地方. He selected as his dwelling-place the city of New Bedford, where "Liberty Hall" is a sacred edifice. Like the Temple of Diana which covered the virgins from harm in olden time, so old Liberty Hall in New Bedford protects the oppressed slave of the 19th century. After stopping a short time, he sent for his family, and there they still dwell. 我和家人留在城里, 为商店做杂工的业余爱好, 在我能找到工作的地方. I soon formed connection with a church under the charge of the Rev. Mr. 杰克逊，现在是第55团的牧师. 志愿者.

在组建有色人种部队之前, I had a strong inclination to prepare myself for the ministry; 但 when the country called for all persons, I could best serve my God by serving my country and my oppressed brothers. 续集很短我应征入伍参战.

因他的英勇行为而受到表彰

卡尼's actions earned him the notice and commendation of his superior officers. 在这张特写照片中，卡尼穿着昆西A. Gillmore medal, first issued on 28 October 1863 by Union Major General Quincy A. 吉尔莫向他在南卡罗来纳指挥的部队致敬. 它的特点是萨姆特堡的图像和日期8月8日. 23, 1863 on the obverse (front), and the motto "For Gallant and Meritorious Conduct Presented by Q. A. Gillmore Maj. Genl.在背后.

卡尼 was also awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery during the battle of 瓦格纳堡. 随附的引文注明, 当军士被击落时, 这个士兵抓住了旗帜, 带路去了护墙, 把色彩种在上面. 当部队后撤时，他把旗取了下来, 在一次猛烈的交火中，他两次受重伤." 卡尼 was the first African American awarded this highest of military honors. 

战后卡尼怎么了?

Although 卡尼 continued to serve with the Fifty-fourth after the Battle of 瓦格纳堡, he was eventually discharged due to disability at the end of June 1864 and returned to New Bedford. In October of 1865, he married Susanna Williams in New Bedford and had a daughter Clara. 多年来, 他是个邮递员, and later he worked in the Secretary of State's office in Boston. Tragically, 卡尼's leg was cru她d in an elevator accident at the State House on 23 November 1908. 据报纸报道, 住院的卡尼“尽量减少了自己的伤口和痛苦, 他自己的勇气似乎可以保证他的康复,但他于12月9日因伤去世. 根据一篇报道 波士顿环球报, 络绎不绝的来访者,“包括国家和州官员, viewed 卡尼's body as he lay in state at the funeral parlor of Walden Banks in Boston. The following day, 卡尼's body was taken by train to New Bedford for his funeral. 他被埋葬在 橡树林公墓在新贝德福德.