Barnes was born and raised in St. Mary's County Maryland and worked as a free tenant farmer there before enlisting in the Army 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 April 6, 1865,[3] and he was promoted to Sergeant another three months later, on July 1, 1865.[2]
Rank and organization: Private, Company C, 38th U.S. Colored Troops. Place and date: At Chaffins Farm, Va., September 29, 1864. Entered service at:------. Birth: St. Marys County, Md. Date of issue April 6, 1865.[3]
Citation:
Among the first to enter the enemy's works; although wounded.[3]
United States Colored Troops Memorial Statueedit
William H. Barnes is specifically honored and memorialized by the United States Colored Troops Memorial Statue in Lexington Park, Maryland (in St. Mary's County, where he grew up and also worked as a farmer). The informational kiosk at the memorial mentions him specifically.
Melvin Claxton and Mark Puls, Uncommon valor : a story of race, patriotism, and glory in the final battles of the Civil War, (Wiley, 2006) (ISBN0471468231)
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. ISBN0-7864-1355-7.
External linksedit
"William H. Barnes". Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients. Find a Grave. Retrieved 2007-01-08.
January 01, 1970
william, barnes, medal, honor, this, article, about, medal, honor, recipient, other, people, with, same, name, william, barnes, disambiguation, william, henry, barnes, 1840, 1845, december, 1866, union, army, soldier, during, american, civil, recipient, medal,. This article is about the Medal of Honor recipient For other people with the same name see William Barnes disambiguation William Henry Barnes c 1840 or 1845 December 24 1866 was a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War and a recipient of the Medal of Honor America s highest military decoration He was African American William Henry BarnesBorn1840 or 1845Saint Mary s County MarylandDiedDecember 24 1866 aged 25 26 or 1866 aged 20 21 Indianola TexasPlace of burialSan Antonio National Cemetery San Antonio TexasAllegianceUnited StatesUnionService wbr branchUnited States ArmyUnion ArmyYears of service1864 1866RankSergeantUnit38th Regiment United States Colored InfantryBattles warsAmerican Civil War Battle of Chaffin s FarmAwardsMedal of Honor Contents 1 Biography 2 Medal of Honor citation 3 United States Colored Troops Memorial Statue 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksBiography editBarnes was born and raised in St Mary s County Maryland and worked as a free tenant farmer there before enlisting in the Army 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 April 6 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 Medal of Honor citation editRank and organization Private Company C 38th U S Colored Troops Place and date At Chaffins Farm Va September 29 1864 Entered service at Birth St Marys County Md Date of issue April 6 1865 3 Citation Among the first to enter the enemy s works although wounded 3 United States Colored Troops Memorial Statue editWilliam H Barnes is specifically honored and memorialized by the United States Colored Troops Memorial Statue in Lexington Park Maryland in St Mary s County where he grew up and also worked as a farmer The informational kiosk at the memorial mentions him specifically See also edit nbsp Biography portal nbsp American Civil War portal nbsp United States portal List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients A F Melvin Claxton and Mark Puls Uncommon valor a story of race patriotism and glory in the final battles of the Civil War Wiley 2006 ISBN 0471468231 Notes edit a b Hanna p 15 a b c Hanna p 16 a b c d Civil War Medal of Honor recipients A L Medal of Honor citations United States Army Center of Military History August 6 2009 Archived from the original on September 2 2012 Retrieved July 1 2010 References edit Civil War Medal of Honor recipients A L Medal of Honor citations United States Army Center of Military History 2005 04 27 Archived from the original on 2012 09 02 Retrieved 2007 01 08 Hanna Charles W 2002 African American recipients of the Medal of Honor a biographical dictionary Civil War through Vietnam War Jefferson North Carolina McFarland amp Company Inc Publishers pp 15 16 ISBN 0 7864 1355 7 External links edit William H Barnes Claim to Fame Medal of Honor recipients Find a Grave Retrieved 2007 01 08 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William H Barnes Medal of Honor amp oldid 1217412018, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
