William H. Barnes

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

William Henry Barnes
1840 or 1845 – December 24, 1866
Image:Replace this image male.svg
William Henry Barnes, Medal of Honor recipient
Place of birth Saint Mary's County, Maryland
Place of death Indianola, Texas
Allegiance Union
Service/branch Union Army
Years of service 1864-1866
Rank Sergeant
Unit 38th U.S. Colored Infantry Regiment
Battles/wars American Civil War
*Battle of Chaffin's Farm
Awards Medal of Honor

William Henry Barnes (c. 1840 or 1845-December 24, 1866) was a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Barnes worked as a farmer before enlisting in the Army from from Norfolk, Virginia, on February 11, 1864. He joined as a private into Company C of the 38th United States Colored Infantry Regiment. His enlistment papers record his age as 23, implying a birth year of 1840 or 1841, but other sources give his birth as 1845.[1]

At the Battle of Chaffin's Farm, on September 29, 1864, Barnes' regiment was among a division of black troops assigned to attack the center of the Confederate defenses at New Market Heights.[1] The defenses consisted of two lines of abatis and one line of palisades manned by Brigadier General John Gregg's Texas Brigade. The attack was met with intense Confederate fire; over fifty percent of the black troops were killed, captured, or wounded.[2] Barnes was awarded the Medal of Honor for being "[a]mong the first to enter the enemy's works; although wounded."[3] His medal was issued six months after the battle, on 6 April 1865,[3] and he was promoted to Sergeant another three months later, on July 1, 1865.[2]

Barnes remained in the Army after the war, traveling to Texas with his regiment. He died of tuberculosis at an Army hospital in Indianola on December 24, 1866. A marker in his memory was placed in San Antonio National Cemetery, San Antonio, Texas.[2]

[edit] Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Private, Company C, 38th U.S. Colored Troops. Place and date: At Chapins Farm, Va., 29 September 1864. Entered service at:------. Birth: St. Marys County, Md. Date of issue 6 April 1865.[3]

Citation:

Among the first to enter the enemy's works; although wounded.[3]

[edit] See also

United States Army Portal

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b Hanna, p. 15
  2. ^ a b c Hanna, p. 16
  3. ^ a b c d Civil War Medal of Honor Recipients (A-L)

[edit] References

  • Hanna, Charles W. (2002). African American recipients of the Medal of Honor: a biographical dictionary, Civil War through Vietnam War. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, pp. 15-16. ISBN 0-7864-1355-7. 

[edit] External links