"Boys the Old Flag Never Touched The Ground" is a patriotic song that was sung at events about the Medal of Honor recipient Sgt.

The chorus celebrates Carney's actions: The full text of the song clearly shows the ethnicity of the hero whose virtues it extols: One night on Southern battlefields, down where Fort Wagner lay, A regiment of black men fought, The Blue against the Gray.

As the sun sank slowly in the West A thunderstorm and gale Wept tears to see the brave black troops Shot down by leaden hail.

Around the dead and dying lay; He reach'd the parapet, The old flag never touched the ground, As kneeling he held it yet.

The old flag did not bite the dust, Where the bold black hero lay; Two armies battled for the fort, The Blue against the Gray Amid the awful slaughter there, he said to all around, "I've only done my duty, boys, It did not touch the ground.