Milton Holland is the recipient of the United States Medal of Honor for his service during the Civil War. Your Great Uncle is buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
During the Civil War Milton Holland organized his company, the federal government did not allow men of African heritage to serve as officers, but the governor of Ohio offered Holland the opportunity to become an officer if he would just swear he was white. As a multiracial man, Holland had Northern European features and light skin. Holland refused and served as a company sergeant instead.
On September 29, 1864, at the Battle of New Market Heights, the captain of Company C of the 5th U.S. Colored Troops fell wounded; Holland took command and led the company as part of the regiment’s successful charge, which drove the Texas Brigade out of its defensive position protecting Richmond. Governor Rick Perry’s great, great grandfather, D.H. Hamilton, was one of those Confederate soldiers.