Alfred B. Hilton — Civil War Color Bearer Awarded the Medal of Honor

Feb 06 , 2026

Alfred B. Hilton — Civil War Color Bearer Awarded the Medal of Honor

Alfred B. Hilton’s hands gripped the colors with a death grip. Flesh torn, crimson seeping, yet he stood, staggering through the smoke and roar of Fort Wagner. The flag did not fall. Not on his watch. Not on this day.

The Son of Maryland

Born into bondage in Maryland around 1842, Alfred B. Hilton carried scars deeper than the flesh. Enslaved, yes—but this was a man forged by the yearning for freedom and unyielding faith. His resolve drawn from church pews and whispered psalms that promised deliverance.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1) A mantra during times of fear and hopelessness.

Hilton enlisted in the 4th United States Colored Infantry in 1863, when the war had already bled deep wounds into the nation’s soul. He became a color bearer, the man who carried the regimental and national flags into battle—a sacred and deadly role. The flags were lifelines, beacons of hope and order. Losing them meant chaos; protecting them demanded sacrifice.

Fort Wagner — A Crucible of Fire

July 18, 1863. Charleston, South Carolina. The 54th Massachusetts had just thrown its weight against the imposing Confederate fort. Hilton’s unit, the 4th US Colored Infantry, stood shoulder to shoulder with these pioneers.

The air thick with muskets and cannon fire. The ground, mud and blood mixed alike. Hilton gripped the national colors high—as bullets ripped through ranks, men fell screaming.

Three times, the flags went down. Three times, Hilton snatched them up.

Witnesses recounted seeing him stagger, bleeding from mortal wounds. Yet, his voice—strong, unwavering—called out to rally the regiment under the flag.

His last act: holding high that symbol when death reached to claim him. He died days later at sea, a fallen soldier with his mission complete.

Medal of Honor — A Price Paid in Blood

Alfred B. Hilton’s actions were recognized posthumously with the Medal of Honor—the nation’s highest military decoration.

Official citation:

“For gallantry in carrying the national colors at the Battle of Fort Wagner, when the bearers of the national and regimental colors fell, he seized the national colors and bore it aloft, until he fell severely wounded.”

His courage became a beacon—not just for Black soldiers, but all who understood what it meant to stand fast under fire.

Col. Robert Gould Shaw of the 54th noted the sacrifice of Black soldiers as a testament to valor beyond color. Hilton’s stand embodied this truth.

Enduring Legacy — More Than a Battle

Hilton’s story is not just of war, but of unbroken spirit. A man born into chains who chose to carry the standard of freedom. He died for a flag that promised equality yet demanded the highest price.

“Greater love hath no man than this...” (John 15:13) His sacrifice echoes across generations.

His name is etched into the history of those who fight not just for land, but for ideals. Hilton teaches us that courage is not the absence of fear. It is action in spite of it.

The colors wave still—carried by every veteran who refused to let the flag fall. Alfred B. Hilton’s blood watered the roots of a nation's redemption.

“Blessed are the peacemakers,” and even in war, they bear witness to a hope beyond the battlefield.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: Civil War (A–L) 2. McFeely, William S., Frederick Douglass (Yale University Press, 1991) 3. Trudeau, Noah Andre, Like Men of War: Black Troops in the Civil War, 1862–1865 (Liveright, 2022) 4. National Park Service, Fort Wagner, Battle Summary