Civil War: Unsung Chinese heroes who fought on both sides deserve recognition

From the Washington Times:  Civil War: Unsung Chinese heroes who fought on both sides deserve recognition

Edward Day Cohota shortly before his death in 1935

VIENNA, Va., September 29, 2012 — Part 2: In the first segment of this two part column, we looked at the little known stories of Chinese soldiers who served on both sides of the Civil War, fighting heroically and sometimes paying the ultimate price.
Today we turn to a story that resonated into the Twentieth Century, the true story of a young Chinese man who went from starving stowaway to the battle of Cold Harbor.
It began when Sing Loo was discovered as one of two little Asian boys, four and six years old, who had stowed away on board the square-rigged merchant ship Cohota, in 1845 on a regular trip from Shanghai to Massachusetts.
Sargent S. Day, captain of the ship, found the youngsters two days after sailing, and realized both were starving; how long before sailing they had eaten was anyone’s guess. The older of the two died and was buried at sea, but Captain Day took the younger boy, “adopted” him, and named him Edward Day Cohota, after the ship. The child sailed with the captain and his wife until Day retired in 1857, and they took him home with their own children, who accepted him as another brother.
When the war began, Edward Cohota enlisted in the 23^rd Massachusetts Infantry, and saw considerable action in the Battle of Drury’s Bluff in May of 1864. He said he came out of the action with “seven bullet holes thru” his clothes, but “none touched his flesh.”
A Permanent Part in His Hair
It was at the Battle of Cold Harbor three weeks later that a Confederate mini ball went right across his head, leaving a permanent part in his hair, but he was not seriously wounded.   It is believed that Cohota was the only one of the Asian soldiers, who returned to military service after the Civil War ended, remaining in the Army for 30 years. He was stationed at Fort Randall, Dakota Territory, married and had six children.
For that length of time, remembering the promise of the U. S. Government to give citizenship after service, Cohota assumed he was a U.S. Citizen. However, he put off submitting his second set of naturalization papers until after the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was passed, which rendered him not a citizen with no chance of becoming one.
Cohota evidently came through the whole episode with his sense of humor intact, since for years he enjoyed telling his children that he had always voted as a citizen, and had cast his ballot for Republicans for 30 years, even though he was not eligible all that time. He lived to the age of 93, served on the city council in Gloucester, and was Treasurer of Tyrian Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons.  He died in 1935 at the Battle Mountain Sanitarium for Veterans in Hot Springs, S.D. He also held a life membership in Masonic Arcania Lodge # 97 of Armour, S. D.
The amount of time Cohota spent in the military is the reason the military has more complete records on his life and service. Sometime in 1929, an article in the Rapid City Daily Journal gave tribute to Mr. Cohota, as follows:
"It is not an uncommon thing to see a grand old gentleman at the national sanitarium standing uncovered and at attention at "flag-down." This refined, splendid looking old gentleman, who stands with such reverence and respect for the flag of his adopted country, is Edward Day Cohota, the only native-born Chinaman who went through the Civil War.
"His retirement pay was still coming when he arrived at the sanitarium, but he soon took a final discharge from the army and applied for a pension as a Civil War veteran. His claim was allowed at $72 per month."
A caveat: in that era, and for decades afterward, “Chinaman” was a perfectly normal and accepted term for a person of Chinese descent. No opprobrium was intended or inferred.
From Silk Trade to Military
We have only slim information and conjecture as to how many of the Asian soldiers ended up in the army of either side. New Orleans was a favorite gathering place for those who had been in the navy, and many joined the troops to fight or were “invited” to join for a break from naval life.
Many Chinese in earlier years had first come to this country as part of the Manila, Philippines silk route, which ran from the island to Acapulco. We also have the Spanish to thank as they imported Chinese ship builders, one association leading to another. There were no Chinese women in the area, so they intermarried with native blacks, Creoles and others.
In any event, we now have verified service of more than a few Asians, including several Filipinos, who joined either the Confederacy or the Union forces to fight for their adopted land, and their dedication to this country deserves honor and respect.
Regrettably, it instead led to the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882, which made it technically illegal for Chinese to become U.S. citizens, much less be citizens. This act was enforced until 1943.
It is sad that the U.S. government never kept its promise to them, since an earlier law said only whites could be naturalized, and that their service to the country has been overlooked for so long. These brave men in an adopted land deserve far more recognition, not to mention the reward of citizenship as promised, than they received.
Several historians have zeroed in on this subject, and I am grateful for their work in putting together this abbreviated story of the brave Asians who served during the Civil War.

 

From Antietam to Iraq: American soldier on display

From Journal Star.com:  From Antietam to Iraq: American soldier on display

A grief-stricken American infantryman, whose buddy was killed in action, is comforted by another GI as a medic methodically fills out the casualty tags in the Haktong-ni area of South Korea, Aug. 28, 1950.

OMAHA -- The first photographs of men at war were produced during the Mexican-American War of 1847. In the 165 years since then, American fighting men and women have gone to war in eight conflicts, all captured by cameras.
“The American Soldier: From the Civil War to the War in Iraq,” a new exhibition at the Durham Museum, contains 166 images showing soldiers in each of those conflicts -- the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War and Afghanistan/Iraq.
Together, they provide a portrait of the soldier that links the men and some women across the decades. There are, obviously, great differences in weaponry and terrain, styles of warfare and in the type and quality of the photographs. But within each is a picture of a person, usually young, putting themselves at risk to fight for the country.
A handful of familiar images appears in the chronologically presented “American Soldier.” Most notable are “California Joe,” the Civil War sharpshooter lying on his side against a log; Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders gathered atop a rise during the Battle of San Juan Hill in the Spanish-American War; and a from-behind shot of American troops piling out of a landing craft headed to Normandy Beach on D-Day in World War II.
But most of the images, including two recent Pulitzer Prize winners from Iraq, rarely have been seen. They are pulled from nearly 4,000 photographs held in museums and private collections examined by curator Cyma Rubin.
Choosing those lesser-known pictures gives “American Soldier” a freshness that makes the viewer truly look at the photographs and, in doing so, provides a vivid portrait of servicemen and servicewomen through the years.
With the exception of the Roosevelt photograph, Rubin also wisely omitted pictures of generals and politicians, making the exhibition very appropriately about the ordinary soldier.
“American Soldier” isn’t an exhibition about war, per se. There’s no description of battles and strategy or depiction of key conflicts -- there are, for example, no pictures of Pearl Harbor. Rather, it more often shows men away from battle -- a handful of guys freezing in a chow line during the Korean War; a smoking soldier leaning on a pile of blankets during the Battle of the Bulge; and a member of the dog platoon hunkered down in a foxhole with a Doberman keeping watch on Iwo Jima.
That said, there are some powerful images of a gun crew in the Argonne Forest during World War I and POWS being marched in World War II; and touching pictures, such as that of a soldier holding a baby rescued after residents of the area committed suicide during the South Pacific campaign of World War II.
There are, by necessity, images of death throughout the exhibition: a doctor examining a body before preparing it to be shipped home during the Civil War; a body bag being carried in Vietnam; and rows of coffins coming off a plane during the Iraq War. But the photos in the exhibition are not graphic. In fact, the earlier Pulitzer Prize-winning photo show at Durham contained far more disturbing images than “American Soldier.”
Shot by soldiers and war correspondents, the pictures are shown large scale and unframed, allowing for maximum ease of viewing. All the images up to those of the first Gulf War are in black-and-white. The remainder of the show is in color.
One of those pictures, a closeup of a female soldier saluting with a tear running down her face on the anniversary of 9/11 is among the most powerful of the exhibition. Around the corner comes the most optimistic and reassuring: another female soldier united with her family when she comes home.
On view in conjunction with “The American Soldier” is “Worn with Pride: Americans in Uniform,” an exhibition curated by the Durham staff that showcases military uniforms used during the time period covered by the photo show, along with various artifacts, including diaries, carbines from Korea and a fortified laptop.
Together, the two exhibitions provide an illuminating, always timely look at the American soldier. They bring those who have fought for the country into sharp focus and again remind us never to forget.

If you go 

What: "The American Soldier" and "Worn with Pride: Americans in Uniform" 

Where: Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St., Omaha

When: "The American Soldier" through Jan. 6; "Worn with Pride" through Feb. 3.
Hours: 1-5 p.m. Sunday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Closed Mondays and major holidays.
Admission: Adults, $8; seniors, $6; children 3 to 12, $5.

Scheduled programs

* Guided Tours: Sunday, Oct. 28, Nov. 25, Dec. 30, all at 2 p.m. Lt. Gen. Lee W. Smith II (USAF retired), the former Durham Museum director, will conduct tours of both “The American Solider” and “Worn with Pride,” which contains his West Point uniform and his dress blues.
* Lecture: “Answering the Call” by Dan Sullivan, Oct. 30 at 6:30 p.m. Sullivan, editor for World-Herald Books, will explore the roles Nebraskans and eastern Iowans played in World War II, including aircraft and munitions manufacturing, pilot training and munitions manufacturing.
* Veterans Day: Nov. 12. Daylong programming features kids' activities, including a “boot camp,” musical performances and a 2 p.m. lecture by Peru State English professor Dan Holtz titled “From Bleeding Kansas to Old Virginia: Songs and Stories of the Civil War.”
* Preserving Veterans' Memories,  through Nov. 17. The Durham has partnered with NET to record war veterans’ accounts of their experiences. Veterans who would like to share their stories should contact the Durham education department at 402-444-5027 to arrange an appointment for the recordings, which will be transcribed and preserved by the Durham and might be used in future NET programs.
To make reservations for the guided tours and lectures, call 402-444-5071 or email reservations@Durham.org.

 

Broadwell: What's your take on the Civil War?

From the Fayetteville Observer: Broadwell: What's your take on the Civil War?

Toward the end of his talk in Washington, D.C., I asked Hari Jones what he thought of the movie "Glory."
It's one of my favorites, the gripping story of the all-black 54th Massachusetts Volunteers and their heroic fight for freedom in the Civil War.
My question was a bit of a softball setup. From what I had seen, during this visit last year to the African-American Civil War Museum in Washington, Hari Jones wasn't one to toe the traditional line of history.
He challenges long-held assumptions about what we think we know about the war.
He cites statistics. He fires off facts. He poses questions.
As for "Glory"? There's a lot of Hollywood there, Hari Jones will tell you. There's a largely unknown story to be told about how black and white Americans fought to end slavery, and the movie doesn't do it justice. It's a start, and an eye-opener at that, but it's just a start.
That's similar to the reports earlier this month on the 150th anniversary of President Lincoln's initial Emancipation Proclamation. There are so many layers to peel back: The vintage version is that Lincoln "freed the slaves," of course, but it's much more complicated. It's political, military, constitutional and bloody, so terribly bloody.
Nothing about the Civil War is really easy. We're still debating its causes and issues to this day and will do that for generations to come.
And now, how would you like to hear from Hari Jones?
He's the assistant director and curator of the museum in Washington, and he's scheduled to speak here at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre on Monday at 7 p.m. The free program is sponsored by the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Foundation, which is developing a long-range plan for a new museum to tell North Carolina's own Civil War story.
There's no telling what Monday's program could spark or inspire. During my visit to the museum in Washington last year, a woman shared her family's Civil War heritage. She's white, but in her genealogy search she learned that she had black ancestors who fought for the Union, and she wanted us to know that.
It was a powerful moment, the kind of drama that our all-American war can still deliver.

‘Fireside Chat’ underscores Lincoln’s decree

From Frederickburg.com: ‘Fireside Chat’ underscores Lincoln’s decree

President Abraham Lincoln issued his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation on Sept. 22, 1862, warning Confederate states that if they didn’t return to the Union by Jan. 1, their slaves would go free.

On Friday, almost 150 years to the day, a group of nationally renowned Civil War historians gathered at the University of Mary Washington to discuss the document’s enduring legacy.

Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates William Howell welcomed the audience and speakers, remarking, “I can’t imagine a better location than Fredericksburg for this conversation.”

James I. Robertson Jr., a Civil War expert and retired history professor at Virginia Tech, opened the “fireside chat” before a crowd of about 300 in Dodd Auditorium. The stage was modeled after a sitting room in the White House, complete with armchairs and a projected fire.

“The Emancipation Proclamation has been described as the single most significant proclamation in history,” said Robertson.

He was joined by three key speakers: Edna Greene Medford, history department chair at Howard University; Frank Williams, retired chief justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court; and Harold Holzer, vice president for government relations and public affairs at New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Each speaker approached the proclamation—issued in its final form on Jan. 1, 1863—from a different perspective.

Holzer shared a series of Civil War-era drawings, paintings and photographs that depicted the various responses to the Emancipation Proclamation.

One drawing showed President Lincoln writing the Emancipation Proclamation in his study with the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and an American flag in the background, illustrating Lincoln’s patriotism in authoring the document.

Another drawing from the Confederate perspective depicted Lincoln writing the document with his foot on the Bible, and a devil-shaped inkwell, a vulture’s head and a glass of whiskey on the table in the background, demonizing Lincoln in this act.

“Why [pictorial images are] important is they’re not just pictures . They reflect passionate points of view, pro and con, North and South,” said Holzer.

‘A TRANSFORMATIVE MOMENT’

Williams, the retired judge, began with a story of how he became infatuated with Lincoln when he was in the sixth grade.

“I spent my lunch money buying Lincoln books—all of 25 cents a day,” he said. “One of the reasons I became a lawyer [was] because Lincoln was a lawyer.”

He later explained how Lincoln used his powers as commander in chief during wartime to write and enforce the controversial document, something he would not have been able to do during peacetime.

Williams said the proclamation was a combination of social, moral, military and political factors.

“It was a transformative moment in American history, probably as transformative as the Declaration of Independence,” he said.

Medford approached the issue more from the African–Americans’ perspectives. She emphasized two clauses in the proclamation: first, the entreaty to the slaves not to resort to violence unless it was in self-defense, and second, the inclusion of African–Americans in the Union Army.

Not all slaves followed the course of nonviolence, said Medford, citing uprisings in which slaves seized firearms and attacked their former masters.

But many did opt to join the military. Former slaves played a very important role in the Union victory, according to Medford. They were involved in at least 400 battles, and 39 of these were very important in the outcome of the war, she said.

Because they had fought in the war, the African–American men believed they were entitled to full citizenship, voting rights, landownership, education and fair treatment.

“They believed that, in issuing the proclamation, that’s what Lincoln was offering them,” said Medford. “The first generation came to revere Lincoln because they thought they would receive, not only freedom, but equal treatment. When they realized they weren’t getting that, they became very disillusioned.”

It was a disillusionment toward Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation that, according to Medford, still persists today among many African–Americans.

FOR FREEDOM, EQUALITY

Medford noted that there was also a small African–American press whose papers wrote scathingly critical editorials on Lincoln before the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.

“The proclamation was extremely important at the time that it was issued, on Jan. 1, 1863. It remains important because what it does is it helped to recommit the nation to freedom and equality, and, although it did not end slavery throughout the country, it was a major step toward that end, and so it leads to the 13th Amendment,” Medford said.

Holzer tried to use a modern example to explain the document’s importance. In terms of its impact, he said the Emancipation Proclamation is in many ways comparable to President Barack Obama’s DREAM initiative, which defers deportation for some illegal immigrants who came to this country as children, opening the door to potential citizenship.

Likewise, the telegraph cables of the Civil War era are comparable to Facebook and Twitter messages nowadays, he said. And the Republican and Democrat papers of that era aren’t much different from today’s MSNBC and CNN, he added.

As for the claim that many African–Americans supported the Confederacy during the Civil War, “It’s just not true,” he said.

He referenced a situation where a Virginia elementary school textbook taught that African-Americans served in the military for the Confederacy. When questioned where she got the information, the author said she had found it on the Internet.

According to Holzer, “Secession occurs because of slavery, the war occurs because of secession, and the end result is the war to restore the Union and destroy slavery.”

Robertson concluded the discussion saying, “this evening we have all been witness to one of the most remarkable and concise discussions ever conducted on the Emancipation Proclamation.”

One attendee of the discussion, Ida Jeffries, drove from Stevensville, Md., to hear the scholars speak.

“It’s a tremendous opportunity to learn about the Civil War,” Jeffries said.

One attendee, Latika Le, came from Midlothian “to learn more about the background of the proclamation, the document that so many black Americans, African–Americans, consider the document that freed our ancestors.”

Howell emphasized the importance of Virginia’s involvement in the sesquicentennial celebrations and how events, such as this discussion, bring educational and tourism opportunities throughout the state.

Heralded as a historical triumph on behalf of equality and freedom, the Emancipation Proclamation was a risky document for its time—one that took moxie to write.

“There are very few people in world history who possessed the courage of Abraham Lincoln,” Williams said. “He learned to trust his own judgment. He knew his own mind, despite criticism . He was obsessed with character, selflessness and honor.”

Opinion: The Civil War through new eyes

From FayObserver: Opinion: The Civil War through new eyes

Hidden among the plethora of museums in Washington, D.C., is the African American Civil War Museum, where we found a national treasure in the personage of Hari Jones. The breadth and depth of his knowledge of the Civil War, and particularly the role of African Americans in North Carolina, is amazing. His presentation was thorough and well researched, and was an impassioned explanation of Civil War history that we had either taken for granted or never even considered. This transformative encounter happened only because a last-minute schedule change landed us at exactly the right place at exactly the right time. As one member of our group said later, "This chance encounter with Hari was almost providential." We all agreed we had to have Hari come to Fayetteville to speak. Thanks to the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex Foundation, he's doing just that at 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 1, at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre on Hay Street. Admission is free.

So, what were we doing in Washington in the first place?

The Civil War Museum Planning Committee is part of a statewide committee that is working to transform what is now the small, regionally focused Museum of the Cape Fear into something much bigger and with a much greater reach: the nation's first state-supported museum that interprets the Civil War and its aftermath. Not a small undertaking.

During this trip, we looked at a half-dozen museums, each of which was carefully selected for what it might teach us - lessons, good and bad, for the museum we are planning here in Fayetteville. While we learned a lot about museums, the three of us agreed that Hari Jones was one of our greatest finds.

Why? Because, more than any one thing we saw or experienced, Hari spoke to why this new museum could be so important to our city, county, region and state.

No one disputes that the Civil War and its aftermath were some of the most cataclysmic events ever to befall Fayetteville, the state of North Carolina, and the nation. The results of our national conflict helped to build a better America, but those results continue to echo that more work needs to be done to build a "more perfect union." But like any great event, people can take away different and sometimes contrary lessons. Black, white, American Indian, male and female all have a "narrative" of what the Civil War was all about. Hari Jones will challenge you to at least rethink your narrative, especially as it relates to the role of the African American during and after the war. As one of us likes to say, "It's the Civil War as you have never heard it before."

Hari Jones is assistant director and curator of the African American Civil War Museum in Washington. He is a regular contributor to the History Channel and a consultant to the Smithsonian, and he has spoken to groups ranging from the esteemed Civil War Preservation Trust to major universities across the country. He has advised the National Park Service, the Public Broadcasting System and other national organizations on Civil War history. His passion is also rooted in the fact that he is a proud former Marine intelligence officer.

We invite you to share the evening of Oct. 1 with Hari Jones, the three of us and other members of the planning committee, and many local residents who want to know more about the Civil War and about what a much broader version of the new Civil War Museum will mean to our community.

We promise you a thought-provoking, mind-expanding and thoroughly entertaining experience.

Posts resume Sept 24 2012

My mom, who is 75, wants to go up to teeny tiny town near Rapid City, to see her sister, who is 80. They live in a house in the boonies and have no internet.

I'll be back online on Monday the 24th and promise not to miss another day.

Please bear with me, your patience is appreciated!

Civil War ‘Living History’ Day Planned In Shelton

Valley Independent Sentinel:  Civil War ‘Living History’ Day Planned In Shelton

During this sesquicentennial year of the American Civil War everyone from privates to the President (Lincoln, that is) will be at the Civil War Living History Day on the grounds of Shelton History Center, 70 Ripton Road., Oct. 6. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Several members of Company F, 14th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry will portray the original regiment, give firing demonstrations, set up their camp and its accoutrements, and answer questions for the public. Of all the regiments Connecticut sent to the Union armies in the Civil War, the most famous was the 14th.
The regiment marched and fought with Lincoln’s Army, the Army of the Potomac, and participated in 34 battles and skirmishes.
The 14th lost more men killed in battle, in proportion to its size, and captured more prisoners, cannon and battle flags than any other Connecticut regiment. More information about Company F is available at www.cof14thcvi.com.
Company F is unique in offering both the military and civilian aspects of the Civil War Era. In addition to presenting the life of the common soldier, Bill Mellow, a retired pastry chef, portrays a company cook, and demonstrates period cooking over an open fire. Its civilian re-enactors present the contributions of the US Christian Commission and those of the home front to the success of the Union armies.
A popular misconception of the Civil War is that it was fought exclusively by white Anglo-Saxons, but many ethnic groups took part in this great struggle. However, few people are aware that the Chinese were among them and the highest ranking of those, Joseph Pierce, fought with the 14th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry.
Irving Moy, who portrays Cpl. Pierce, explains why he participates with his fellow Civil War enthusiasts, “Though our living history events and classroom presentations where our audience can see and touch the uniforms and equipment and be able to hear and ask questions about the contributions of both civilian and military and events that shaped that conflict, we hope to spark an interest where they will want to learn more about the Civil War and ultimately our Nation’s history.”
Also appearing at Shelton History Center will be Steve Wood of Claremont, New Hampshire, who bears an uncanny resemblance to President Abraham Lincoln. Mr. Lincoln will review the troops and make a speech or two. One of them might be the Emancipation Proclamation, a plan that Lincoln revealed after the Union victory at Antietam in Maryland in September 1862 that freed slaves in the rebellious states. Mr. Wood’s interpretation of Lincoln has been featured in New Hampshire Magazine, and on both NH Public Radio and WCVB in Boston.
Several civilian women will be presenting throughout the day on the effects the war had on the home front and the work that was done at home to support the North.
Children will be able to play the kinds of games that youngsters enjoyed in the 1860’s. Representatives from Civil War Monument, Inc., Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Wooster-Russell Camp #22, and the 20th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry and Ladies Auxillary will be in attendance.
Admission is $5.00/person or $15.00/family. Proceeds benefit the Shelton Historical Society and its programs. The Shelton Historical Society owns Shelton History Center, a museum complex of six historic buildings located just north of the Huntington Green, and strives to provide programs of historical interest to the community. For more information or directions, please call (203) 925-1803 or visit www.sheltonhistoricalsociety.org.