Decatur Dorsey

Biography

Decatur Dorsey, born into slavery in 1836, seized the opportunity to enlist with the 4th United States Colored Infantry and stood with courage alongside his comrades. His determined action in the face of danger, including the moment he rescued the regiment's colors under fire, earned him the Medal of Honor and the gratitude of a nation struggling toward equality.

Following the war he remained devoted to his fellow veterans and to the quiet rebuilding of his own life, and in 1891 he was laid to rest at Flower Hill Cemetery, where his gallantry is still honored.