May 29, 2026
Introduction: In this article, Melissa Davenport Berry tells yet more inspiring stories of brave African American soldiers and sailors awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration. Melissa is a genealogist who has a website, americana-archives.com, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History.
Today I continue with my series focusing on African American soldiers who received the Medal of Honor for service in the American Civil War, American Indian Wars, and Spanish-American War.
The collage below shows 15 African American soldiers and sailors. These 15 Medal of Honor recipients are my subjects for this miniseries. I was able to utilize GenealogyBank’s Historical Newspaper Archives and other historical repositories to find some history about these men.
In this collage we see, from left to right: (top row) Sergeant Robert A. Pinn, Co. I, 5th U.S. Colored Troops Infantry Regiment; Sergeant Major Milton M. Holland, Co. C, 5th U.S. Colored Troops Infantry Regiment; Landsman John Lawson, U.S. Navy; (2nd row) Sergeant John Denny, Co. B, 9th U.S. Cavalry Regiment; Corporal Isaiah Mays, Co. B, 24th U.S. Infantry Regiment; Sergeant Powhatan Beaty, Co. G, 5th U.S. Colored Troops Infantry Regiment; Sergeant Brent Woods, Co. B, 9th U.S. Cavalry Regiment; (3rd row) Sergeant William H. Carney, Co. C, 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment; Sergeant Thomas Hawkins, Co. C, 6th U.S. Colored Troops Infantry Regiment; Private Dennis Bell, Troop H, 10th U.S. Cavalry Regiment; Sergeant James H. Harris, Co. B, 38th U.S. Colored Troops Infantry Regiment; (bottom row) Sergeant Thomas Shaw, Co. K, 9th U.S. Cavalry Regiment; Sergeant Alexander Kelly, Co. F, 6th U.S. Colored Troops Infantry Regiment; Private James Daniel Gardiner, Co. I, 36th U.S. Colored Troops Infantry Regiment; and Sergeant Major Christian Fleetwood, Co. G, 4th U.S. Colored Troops Infantry Regiment.
To recap: I ended Part 2 with an introduction to Sergeant Major Christian Fleetwood (1840-1914) who served in Company G of the 4th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry, Union Army.
Born Christian Abraham Fleetwood, a free Black man from Baltimore, Maryland, to Charles and Anna Marie Fleetwood.
Below is a photo of his father, Charles Fleetwood (1812-1884).
On 6 April 1865, Christian Fleetwood was awarded his country’s highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the Civil War. His citation reads:
“For meritorious action in saving the colors at Chapin Farm [sic], Va., September 29, 1864, where he seized them after two color bearers had been shot down, and bore them throughout the fight.”
I found a feature article on Fleetwood in the Navy Times which includes a photo.
The article printed a portion of his diary from 29 September 1864, after the Battle at Chaffin’s Farm – for which 14 African American soldiers were later honored for their actions:
“Stirred up [regiment] and knapsacks packed away. Coffee boiled and line formed. Moved out and we charged with the 6th at daylight and got used up, saved colors [flag]. Remnants of the line gathered under Col. Ames of the 6th USCT (U.S. Colored Troops).
“Marching in line and flank all day, saw Gen. Grant and staff, both Birneys and other stars.”
Below are photos of the Birney brothers, born to Kentucky abolitionist and politician James G. Birney.
More from Fleetwood’s diary:
“Retired at night, stacked arms and moved three times, ending up at a captured stronghold where we spent the remainder of darkness with the usual diversions of moving.
“Rec’d in morning (Friday) 193 recruits. Drilled a squad in morning. Rebels charged our lines three times. Repulsed… Moved in evening. Threw up entrenchments to protect flanks of position. First night’s sleep since [the] 27th.”
During his life Fleetwood was a commissioned officer in the D.C. National Guard, editor of the Lyceum Observer, musician, and government official.
He wrote The Negro as a Soldier for the Negro Congress at the Cotton States and International Exposition in Atlanta, Georgia, held in November 1895. The book examines the contributions and valor of African American soldiers throughout various conflicts, particularly in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the American Civil War.
I found a testimonial about Sergeant Major Fleetwood – and his reply – published in the Washington Bee in 1899.
The testimonial states:
“…We, therefore, desire to tender you a testimonial in some substantial manner, so that you may better know how much you, your long and faithful services to your country and mankind – especially by your immediate friends and neighbors – are appreciated.
“Accept our best wishes for your future prosperity and success, and indicate at what time in February it will suit your convenience to be the recipient of a public demonstration on the part of ourselves and others we represent.”
More than 100 friends and admirers of Sergeant Major Fleetwood, including Frederick Douglass, signed the testimonial letter, and the Washington Bee published his reply:
“I need not say to you, that the movement set forth in your favor for the 11th inst. [January] filled me with surprise not second to the gratitude and warm appreciation it has aroused in my being.
“For the past twenty-one years during which my lot has been cast with the people of this District, I have felt that their interest and mine were identical, and that it was my duty to lend my efforts, however humble, to any good cause that needed assistance. I have never so valued my services as to ask or accept payment, it is therefore, with all the deeper gratitude, I greet this offer as testifying that I perhaps have not altogether failed in my earnest efforts. I am honestly proud to have secured the good opinion of the honored gentlemen whose names grace this highly prized letter, representing as they do every station in life and every denomination in religion.
“It adds greatly to my pleasure to state also that the responses of the friends in whose companionship I have labored from time to time, have been so prompt and hearty that it can safely be promised the friends who shall do me the high honor to assemble at the Metropolitan church, on M. St. N.W., on Friday evening Feb. 15th, 1899, that they will have the pleasure of listening to one of the finest musical entertainments that has ever been offered in Washington, in addition to other amusements promised.
“Again thanking you, gentlemen and friends one and all, with a depth to which language cannot give expression, I remain, very respectfully, C. A. Fleetwood.”
To be continued…
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Note on the header image: tri-department Medals of Honor display. Credit: U.S. Special Operations Command; Wikimedia Commons.
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