User:Thtriumph/civilwar

Jeremiah Asher (1812-1865) was a noted black abolitionist pastor from Philadelphia who as newly-enrolled soldier in the 6th U.S. Colored regiment when he arrived in Yorktown, VA. He established, with former slave John Carey, the Shiloh Baptist Church of Slabtown (near Yorktown, VA) which became the spiritual home of many freedman.

Biography
Holland was born as the son of Bird Holland, a white slaveowner (killed in action at the Battle of Mansfield) and an African-American slave. He joined the Army from Athens, Ohio. At the Athens County Fairgrounds he signed to the recruitment rolls 149 young black men and raised what was to become Company C of the 5th United States Colored Infantry. He was serving as a Sergeant Major in the 5th USCI when his unit participated in the Battle of Chaffin's Farm on September 29, 1864 in Virginia. Three days before the end of the war, on April 6, 1865, he was issued the Medal of Honor for his actions at Chaffin's Farm.

Holland's wife was Virginia W. Dickey. Milton Holland died from a heart attack at the age of 53 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington County, Virginia.



Medal of Honor citation

 * Rank and organization: Sergeant Major, 5th U.S. Colored Troops.
 * Place and date: At Chaffin's Farm, Virginia, September 29, 1864.
 * Entered service at: Athens, Ohio.
 * Born: 1844, Austin, Texas.
 * Date of issue: April 6, 1865.

Citation:

"Took command of Company C, after all the officers had been killed or wounded, and gallantly led it."