U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH) reintroduced legislation on Friday in the House to right a 150-year old injustice.
The bill, co-sponsored by Rep. Al Green (D-TX), would effectively restore the military commission of Sgt. Major Milton M. Holland.
Holland, a confirmed Civil War Hero, was promoted to captain for his acts of valor during the war. The promotion was later nullified because he was African-American.
“Milton Holland earned the rank of captain for his acts of valor during the Civil War, and it was an outrage that he was stripped of the rank because of his race,” Stivers said. “It is many years later, but I hope this bill will, in some small way, right a wrong.”
Born a slave in Texas, Holland was later freed and moved to Ohio to attend school at Albany Enterprise Academy. When the federal law prohibiting African-Americans in the military was repealed, Holland enlisted into the Fifth United States Colored Infantry Regiment.
At the Battle of Chapin’s Farm in Virginia in 1864, Holland’s unit took heavy losses, and all of the white officers were killed or wounded. Holland then took charge and led his regiment to win the battle. His acts of bravery in this battle earned him the Medal of Honor and the promotion to captain.
When the U.S. Department of War learned that Holland had actually taken command of the company, it was determined that he was in violation of the ban on non-white officers, and he was demoted.
In an attempt to correct the injustice suffered by Holland, the Stivers bill would return his rank to captain, honoring the sacrifices he made.