[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 17353-17355]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING EDWARD DAY COHOTA, JOSEPH L. PIERCE, AND OTHER VETERANS OF 
  ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER DESCENT WHO FOUGHT IN THE UNITED STATES 
                               CIVIL WAR

  Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 415) honoring Edward Day Cohota, Joseph L. 
Pierce, and other veterans of Asian and Pacific Islander descent who 
fought in the United States Civil War, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 415

       Whereas soldiers of Asian and Pacific Islander descent 
     fought bravely and honorably during the United States Civil 
     War;
       Whereas Edward Day Cohota was among the soldiers of Asian 
     descent who fought in the Civil War;
       Whereas as a small child, Mr. Cohota stowed away in the 
     ship Cohota, leaving Shanghai, China, in 1845;

[[Page 17354]]

       Whereas Mr. Cohota enlisted in the 23rd Regiment, 
     Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry;
       Whereas during the Civil War, Mr. Cohota fought valiantly 
     in the fog-bound Battle of Drury's Bluff;
       Whereas Mr. Cohota proved his courage at Cold Harbor;
       Whereas Mr. Cohota served in the United States Army for 30 
     years;
       Whereas Joseph L. Pierce was also among the soldiers of 
     Asian descent who fought in the Civil War;
       Whereas Mr. Pierce enlisted in the 14th Regiment, 
     Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, in 1862;
       Whereas Mr. Pierce fought at Antietam and in the Battle of 
     Gettysburg; and
       Whereas many of the soldiers of Asian and Pacific Islander 
     descent who fought in the Civil War, including Edward Day 
     Cohota and Joseph L. Pierce, were denied rightful recognition 
     of their service: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes and expresses its appreciation for the 
     courageous and loyal contributions made by soldiers of Asian 
     and Pacific Islander descent during the United States Civil 
     War; and
       (2) recognizes and honors the 2 most documented of those 
     soldiers, Edward Day Cohota and Joseph L. Pierce, for their 
     distinguished and dedicated service to preserving and 
     maintaining the Union.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Indiana (Mr. Ellsworth) and the gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Drake) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Indiana.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Indiana?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ELLSWORTH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise in strong support of House Resolution 415, which honors Edward 
Day Cohota, Joseph L. Pierce, and other veterans of Asian and Pacific 
Islander descent who fought in the United States Civil War.
  Despite generations of exclusion and discrimination, Asian Pacific 
Americans have served in our American forces with loyalty and 
dedication since the time of our Civil War. Unfortunately, many of 
their stories too often do not receive the attention, recognition, or 
credit they fittingly deserve. The stories of Mr. Cohota, Mr. Pierce, 
and other veterans of Asian Pacific Islander descent who fought in our 
Civil War are a few of such stories.
  Edward Day Cohota, the best-documented Asian veteran of the Civil 
War, was found as a small child stowed away in a merchant ship bound 
for Massachusetts from the port of Shanghai, China, in 1854. The 
captain of the ship, Sergeant S. Day, discovered the half-starved child 
two days from port and adopted him as his own. Named after the merchant 
ship, Cohota, Edward Day Cohota spent the next several days sailing 
with Sergeant Day and Mrs. Day until Sergeant Day and his family 
retired to Gloucester, Massachusetts, in 1857.
  When the Civil War broke out, Cohota joined the 23rd Regiment, 
Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, and fought bravely in the Battle of 
Drury's Bluff near Richmond and at the Battle of Cold Harbor. Mr. 
Cohota went on to proudly serve in the United States Army for 30 years.
  In 1935, he died in Hot Springs, South Dakota, still a foreigner in 
the only homeland he had ever really known, as he had been denied 
American citizenship after the passing of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 
1882.
  Joseph Pierce is another Asian Pacific Islander who served in uniform 
during the American Civil War. At age 21, Pierce enlisted in the 14th 
Connecticut Infantry in August 1862. Connecticut ship captain Amos Peck 
found Pierce adrift in the South China Seas and brought him home where 
he was raised with the rest of the Peck family and the family's 
children. The 14th Connecticut Infantry unit participated in the Battle 
of Antietam on September 17, 1862, and he also fought with them at the 
Battle at Chancellorsville in May 1863. The 14th was also at the Battle 
of Gettysburg where they helped repel Pickett's Charge that fateful 
day.
  Since the Civil War through today's current conflict in Iraq and 
Afghanistan, Asian and Pacific Islanders continue to honorably and 
bravely serve our Nation in uniform.
  We in Congress recognize and express our sincerest appreciation for 
the courageous and loyal contributions made by soldiers of Asian and 
Pacific Islander descent during the Civil War. We honor their 
distinguished and dedicated service in preserving and maintaining the 
Union and are proud of the rich diversity of our heritage.
  I thank my colleague from California (Mr. Honda) for bringing forward 
this bill, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this 
important resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. DRAKE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I might 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 415, which 
recognizes the service of two remarkable Asian Civil War veterans and 
also pays respect to all participants of this war with Asian and 
Pacific Islander heritage.
  Arriving in America as a stowaway aboard a ship from China, Edward 
Day Cohota enlisted in the 23rd Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer 
Infantry, in the early years of the Civil War. He fought in the Battle 
of Drury's Bluff in Virginia on May 16, 1864. His wartime service 
continued at the Battle of Cold Harbor in Virginia on June 3, 1864. 
After the war, Mr. Cohota continued to serve for a total of 30 years 
active duty in the United States Army.
  Joseph L. Pierce enlisted in the 14th Regiment, Connecticut Voluntary 
Infantry, in 1862 and fought on America's bloodiest day, September 17, 
1862, in the Battle of Antietam. After managing to avoid being one of 
the 23,000 casualties of that battle, he continued to distinguish 
himself on the battlegrounds at Gettysburg where his unit helped to 
repulse Pickett's charge.
  These two soldiers are but two of the Asian and Pacific Islanders who 
served their adopted Nation so well in the Civil War.
  Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, Mr. Honda of California, 
for introducing this resolution. I would like to encourage my 
colleagues to give their appreciation to these volunteers whose service 
has not been fully recognized. Therefore, I urge a ``yes'' vote on 
House Resolution 415.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
my friend and colleague, the Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific 
American Caucus, the gentleman from California (Mr. Honda).
  Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues from Indiana 
and from Virginia for their wonderful support and recognition.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 415, a 
resolution I introduced which recognizes and honors Asian Pacific 
Islander American soldiers who fought during the United States Civil 
War.
  Recent historical research has uncovered evidence of over 250 
soldiers of Asian and Pacific Islander descent who served in the Union 
and Confederate forces during the United States Civil War.
  I have introduced H. Res. 415 to recognize and honor Edward Day 
Cohota and Joseph L. Pierce, as well as the numerous others veterans of 
API descent who bravely fought in the United States Civil War. These 
two men, both of Chinese ancestry, are explicitly named in this 
resolution as the most-documented and researched veterans of Asian and 
Pacific Islander descent in the U.S. Civil War.
  In comparison to the total population in the United States, a 
disproportionately high percentage of soldiers of API descent are 
listed on both the Union and Confederate rosters. By volunteering to 
serve in the Armed Forces of their adopted homeland, they risked their 
lives and declared their allegiances as vigorously as any other 
community.

[[Page 17355]]

  Instead of honoring and recognizing their service, our country denied 
these veterans the ability to naturalize through the bigoted laws 
enacted during this period.
  I believe that for their contribution to our Nation's history, and 
the injustices done to them despite their patriotism, veterans of API 
descent who fought in the U.S. Civil War are worthy of recognition by 
the United States House of Representatives.
  I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude to 
the Chinese American Citizens Alliance, without whose efforts this 
resolution would not be possible. In their own words, the Chinese 
American Citizens Alliance has been ``committed to achieving passage of 
this resolution because national historic recognition was the least our 
country could do posthumously for an important, special group of unsung 
heroes.'' The Chinese American Citizens Alliance has worked arduously 
on behalf of these veterans and their families for years, and their 
work pays off today as the House considers this resolution.
  In closing, Madam Speaker, I am pleased that this resolution is on 
the floor today. The families of these veterans and community 
supporters have waited a very long time for these brave soldiers to be 
honored by our government, and I urge my colleagues to support this 
small effort to recognize the contributions made by Asian Pacific 
Islander Civil War soldiers.
  Mrs. DRAKE. Madam Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WU. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 415, a 
resolution to honor and recognize veterans of Asian and Pacific 
Islander descent who fought valiantly in the United States Civil War.
  Historical research indicates that more than 250 soldiers of Asian 
and Pacific Islander descent served in both the Union and Confederate 
forces during the Civil War. Mr. Edward Day Cohota and Mr. Joseph L. 
Pierce, both of Chinese descent, are the most documented and researched 
of these veterans.
  Mr. Cohota enlisted in the 23rd Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer 
Infantry, in 1864 and fought courageously in the Battle of Drury's 
Bluff, where other soldiers reported that he had seven bullet holes in 
his coat but was not wounded. Mr. Cohota continued to serve in the U.S. 
Army for a total of 30 years.
  Mr. Pierce enlisted in the 14th Regiment, Connecticut Volunteer 
Infantry, in 1862 and fought in his first battle at Antietam. He 
further distinguished himself in the Battle of Gettysburg, and bravely 
volunteered for a perilous attack on Bliss Farm during the day of 
Pickett's charge.
  Remarkably, despite the fact that many people of Asian and Pacific 
Islander descent were not allowed to naturalize during this period, a 
disproportionately high percentage enlisted to fight on both sides of 
the Civil War. After the war, however, scores of these soldiers and 
sailors were unjustly denied their due recognition and benefits.
  H. Res. 415 is a long overdue expression of appreciation for the 
loyal service of the Civil War veterans of Asian and Pacific Islander 
heritage. The United States House of Representatives stands to 
recognize their contributions to our Nation's history and to speak 
against the injustices done to them despite their patriotism and 
honorable service.
  Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, at this time, I have no further 
speakers and yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Tsongas). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Ellsworth) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 415, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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