#VeteranOfTheDay Civil War Veteran Joseph Pierce

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Civil War Veteran Joseph Pierce (his chosen name as a Chinese immigrant). Joseph served during the Civil War and attained the rank of corporal and is thought to be the highest rank of any Chinese American in the Union Army.

Joseph was brought to the United States by his adoptive father, ship captain Amos Peck of Connecticut. He enlisted in the early 1860s and eventually became a member of the Second Brigade of the Third Division, Second Army Corps of the Army of the Potomac. Joseph is believed to have been the only Chinese soldier in the Army of the Potomac, which was the main Union Army in the Civil War’s eastern theater. Joseph fought in campaigns in Antietam and Gettysburg and remained with the Army through the end of the war.

Joseph settled in Meriden, Connecticut after the war and worked in the area until he retired in 1914. He married an American woman named Martha Morgan and had four children. Joseph passed away on Jan. 3, 1916 at the age of 73. His picture hangs in the Gettysburg Museum.

We honor his service.

Nominate a Veteran for #VeteranOfTheDay

Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? You’re in luck! VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.

It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. All it takes is an email to newmedia@va.gov with as much information as you can put together, along with some good photos. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission.

Graphic created by Dominique Ramirez: Dominique is a member of VA’s Digital Media Engagement team. He manages multiple pages across the VA.gov domain, including the VAntage Point blog. He also creates graphics for VA’s social media channels.