Sgt. William Henry Barnes
Port Lavaca, Calhoun County, Texas
Marker Inscription
On March 3, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed an act calling for all able-bodied men to join the National Forces. William Barnes joined the union army the following February. He was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia and six months later was wounded in the Battle of New Market Heights on September 29-30, 1864. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his efforts. In July of 1865, Barnes was stationed along the Texas border and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Barnes, assigned to the U.S. Colored Troops, was vital to the protection of the Texas government and its coastal and southern border. Barnes died of consumption in December 1866. He was buried at Indianola and then reinterred in San Antonio National Cemetery.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
William Henry Barnes enlisted in the Union Army in early 1864, joining the U.S. Colored Troops during the Civil War. That September he was wounded storming the Confederate works at the Battle of New Market Heights in Virginia—valor that earned him the Medal of Honor. Promoted to sergeant and posted to the Texas border, he died of consumption in 1866 and was ultimately reinterred in the San Antonio National Cemetery.
Why it matters
Barnes was one of the Black soldiers whose courage under fire at New Market Heights proved the lie of doubts about African American troops, helping redefine citizenship after emancipation.
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Related people
- · William Henry Barnes
- · Abraham Lincoln
Related events
- · Battle of New Market Heights
Themes & tags
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