Quartermaster Sergeant Alexander Barnie, Jr.
Born: 1838.
Died: Unknown.
Buried: Unknown.
Occupation: Unknown.
Enlisted: April 18, 1861 at Brooklyn, New York to serve 3 years (aged 23 years).
Mustered In: May 23, 1861 as Corporal. Company: H
Promoted: Quartermaster-Sergeant on September 1, 1861.
Mustered Out: With regiment on June 2, 1864 at New York City, New York.
Quartermaster Alex Barney's story of how Frank Head met his death:
"Just as we were going into battle, General Wadsworth - that gray-haired old veteran whom the soldiers all loved - rode up. He held a revolver in one hand and with the other he caught the edge of the colors and 'Follow Me, Boys!' Head replied 'General, I'll follow you anywhere!' We charged among a lot of short pines when, looking back, we found that our line had been broken and that we were occupying an advanced position. We could see the rebels some distance in front of us, and for a moment we were undecided what to do. It was here that Frank Head received his fatal wound. We helped him along for a while and then he begged us to leave him. 'Never mind me, boys, save the colors!' We made him as comfortable as possible and pressed forward. He died soon after, but his body was recovered and his name perpetuated in Frank Head Post #16 GAR Brooklyn."
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On July 23, 1861, then Corporal Alex Barnie wrote a letter to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle denouncing rumors of the regiment's colors being captured at Bull Run.
The following is an excerpt from:
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
The Flag of the 14th Regiment Arlington, July 23, 1861To the Editor of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle,
In your Thursday's edition we saw a few remarks purporting to emanate from a member of the 14th regiment in regard to the colors of our regiment, stating that our colors were taken from us by the rebels. This we assert is untrue in every respect, and if not corrected might cast a stigma upon our regiment. We are happy to say that no rebel hand polluted our flag with his unholy touch. After our brave Ensign (F.T. Head) was wounded one of the color guards, Baldwin Cann, of Company B (Captain George Mallory's company) caught it up and carried it safely and triumphantly from the field. Hoping these facts will show things in their proper light, we remain,
Alex Barnie, Jr., Corporal, Co. H
Francis Doyle, Co. A
George Hudson, Jr., Co. C
Source: The History of the Fighting Fourteenth by Tevis & Marquis.
Brooklyn Daily Eagle.