IV 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1069 

Honoring Edward Day Cohota, Joseph L. Pierce, and other veterans of 

Asian descent who fought in the Civil War. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 29, 2006 

Mr. HONDA (for himself, Mr. RADANOVICH, and Mr. LANTOS) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed 

Services, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period 

to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 

concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring Edward Day Cohota, Joseph L. Pierce, and other 

veterans of Asian descent who fought in the Civil War. 

Whereas it has been determined that soldiers of Asian descent fought bravely and honorably during the Civil War 

in both Union and Confederate forces; 

Whereas among the soldiers of Asian descent who fought in 

the Civil War was Edward Day Cohota, who as a small 

child stowed away in the ship Cohota, leaving Shanghai, 

China in 1845; 

Whereas Mr. Cohota enlisted in the 23rd Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, in 1864, fighting valiantly 

during the Civil War in the fog-bound Battle of Drury’s 


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•HRES 1069 IH 

Bluff, where other soldiers reported that he had seven 

bullet holes in his coat, but was not wounded; 

Whereas Mr. Cohota repeatedly proved his courage in the 

Battle of Petersburg and at Cold Harbor, where he heroically saved the wounded William E. Low from being 

among the 7,000 casualties suffered within a half hour 

and a minie ball left a permanent part in his hair; 

Whereas Mr. Cohota, although denied citizenship after honorably serving in the Union Army, served in United States 

Army for 30 years, helping to settle the American West; 

Whereas also among the soldiers of Asian descent who fought 

in the Civil War was Joseph A. Pierce, who was sold by 

his family to Captain Amos Peck III in 1852 and raised 

as an adopted son and who enlisted in the 14th Regiment, Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, in 1862; 

Whereas Mr. Pierce fought in his first battle at Antietam, 

distinguished himself in the Battle of Gettysburg, and 

bravely volunteered for a perilous attack on Bliss Farm 

during the day of Pickett’s charge; 

Whereas many of the soldiers of Asian descent who fought 

in the Civil War, including Edward Day Cohota and Joseph A. Pierce, were denied citizenship following their 

service as a result of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 

and general anti-Asian sentiment prevalent at that time; 

Whereas the Congress overturned the Chinese Exclusion Act 

of 1882 in 1943 to end that injustice to Asian immigrants but did not extend citizenship to those who had 

rightfully earned the honor of citizenship but were denied 

the opportunity to seek citizenship because they had died 

before the Act was repealed; and 


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•HRES 1069 IH 

Whereas many of those soldiers were unjustly denied rightful 

recognition of their service: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes and expresses its appreciation for 

3 the courageous and loyal contributions made by sol4 diers of Asian descent during the Civil War; 

5 (2) recognizes and honors the two most-docu6 mented of those soldiers, Edward Day Cohota and 

7 Joseph L. Pierce, for their distinguished and dedi8 cated service to preserving and maintaining the 

9 Union; 

10 (3) recognizes the denial of citizenship for those 

11 two men because of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 

12 1882; and 

13 (4) expresses its regret to the descendant rel14 atives of those two soldiers and others who are 

15 known for the injustice of the denial of citizenship. 

Æ 


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