Battle of New Market Heights: USCT Soldiers Proved Their Heroism

14 Black soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor on 29 September 1864, when, during the Battle of New Market Heights in Virginia, black soldiers earned the award for their valor in leading the charge against Confederate fortifications after many of their officers were killed or wounded. An excerpt from the article:

"For months, no word came from Washington. Finally, on April 6, 1865, the War Department bestowed the Medal of Honor on 14 black veterans of New Market Heights. The recipients, except for Sergeant Alfred Hilton who died in a hospital on October 21, 1864, continued to serve with their regiments until the war ended. Sergeants Powhatan Beatty of the 5th USCT and Fleetwood and Alexander Kelly of the 6th USCT helped capture Fort Fisher in 1865. Sergeant Miles James of the 36th USCT asked to remain on active duty in spite of losing his arm, and was permitted to serve with the regimental provost guard. James marched with his company into Richmond on April 3, 1865, making him the only recipient of the Medal of Honor to reach the objective for which he and his comrades had sacrificed so much."