George Swift Family c1905 - umra.umn.edu

GeorgeSwiftFamilyc1905

•GeorgeandCarrieSwift•Children

• Carrie(b1881)• Ida(b1883)• Mary(b1887)• GeorgeJr(b1895)

GeorgeEarlSwift(1848-1936)

Attheageof13,Georgejoinedthe3rdMinn.Reg.atFortSnellingandservedasadrummerboythroughouttheCivilWar.The3rdMinn.wascapturedduringthebattleofMissionaryRidge.Afteranexchangeofprisoners,hewasplacedinCo.F.,69thOhio,whichwaspartofSherman’sMarchtotheSea.

CarrieSwiftCraigChristmas,1952

Thebeginningofthequest

Thebeginningofthequest

PrivateJohnBoxell“…keptaneyeononeofthedrummerboys,thirteen-year-oldGeorgeStringer,whowas,hesaid,aboutthesizeofhisownson,Billy.”(p61)

???

???

• AreGeorgeSwiftandGeorgeStringerthesameperson?

???


• HowcouldGeorgeenlistatsuchayoungage?

???


• HowcouldGeorgeenlistatsuchayoungage?

• HowdidhetransferfromtheMinnesota3rdtotheOhio69th

DESERTER?

FamilyGenealogy(revisited)

• GeorgeEarlSwiftwasborninBoston,July16,1848• George’sfatherdrownedin1848,beforehissonwasborn.• George’smothermarriedWilliamStringerin1850.

• TheyhadchildreninBoston,St.Paul,andMinneapolis

• Afterthewar,hewasaprofessionalmusicianuntil1885,whenhebecameadruggist;owneddrugstoresinMinneapolis,Osseo,andRobbinsdaleuntil1915.

Enlistatage13?

Enlistatage13?

• ThefamilylivedinSt.Paulin1861

Enlistatage13?

• ThefamilylivedinSt.Paulin1861• “Mymothersentmeafterthecows.ThatwasmyeveningjobandIwasgettingtiredofit.

Enlistatage13?


• “Therewasmuchtalkofthewaramongthemenandithadcometomyearseveryday.Ihadtheurgetojointhearmy.Becauseofmyyouth,Iwasnotpermittedtojoinacompany.

Enlistatage13?



• “ButthatnightIdidnotreturntothecows.IgotonaboatwhichwasgoingdownriverinsteadandIwenttoFortSnelling.ThereIhungaroundthe‘oldMinnesotaThird,’andafterafewweeksfoundmyselfwithSherman’sarmymarchingtothesea.”

Enlistatage13?




GeorgeEarlSwift

Enlistatage13?




GeorgeEarlSwiftMinneapolisDailyStar

Enlistatage13?




GeorgeEarlSwiftMinneapolisDailyStar

February21,1925

FirstBattleofMurfreesboro(July13,1862)


• North:23rdBrigade.(900men)• ProtectNashvilleandChattanoogaRRsupportingtroopsmovingsouth• RegimentsfromMinnesota,Michigan,andTennessee.CalvaryfromKentuckyandPennsylvania

• ScatteredaroundMurfreesboro




• South:CavalryBrigadeunderGen.NathanBedfordForrest(1400men)




• South:CavalryBrigadeunderGen.NathanBedfordForrest(1400men)

• Northsurrenderedaftermostunitswereoverrun• Minnesotansrespondedwith“amazement,regretandgrief.”

PrisonerExchange/Parole

PrisonerExchange/Parole

• LackingmeansfordealingwithlargenumbersofcapturedtroopsearlyintheAmericanCivilWar,theUnionandConfederategovernmentsbothreliedonthetraditionalEuropeansystemofparoleandexchangeofprisoners.

• Aprisonerwhowasonparolepromisednottofightagainuntilhisnamewas"exchanged"forasimilarmanontheotherside.Thenbothofthemcouldrejointheirunits.Whileawaitingexchange,prisonerswerebrieflyconfinedtopermanentcamps.

• Theexchangesystembrokedowninmid-1863whentheConfederacyrefusedtotreatcapturedblackprisonersasequaltowhiteprisoners.

WikipediaonCivilWarPrisonCamps

Minnesota3rdInfantryAfterMurfreesboro

• “Paroled”toBentonBarracks,Missouri(St.Louis)



• Route:• MarchtoNashville• TraintoLouisville• SteamboattoSt.Louis



• Route:• MarchtoNashville• TraintoLouisville• SteamboattoSt.Louis

• NashvilleunderGarrisonControlofOhio69th• Minnesotanstherefor“aboutaweek”• Askedtohelpdefendthecityandprovidesentryduty• Soldiersfelt“honorbound”torefuse• GeorgeenlistswithOhio

Ohio69thRoster

•George’sEnlistmentdetails

•August1,1862• 19daysafterMurfreesboro• 16daysafterhis14thbirthday

Replacesinjureddrummer.

1891PensionApplication

1891PensionApplication• NationalArchives


• USCivilWarPensionFiles



• SameinformationinMinnesotaPensionFiles



• SameinformationinMinnesotaPensionFiles

• 1936ObituarylistsOhioservice,nothingaboutMinnesota

WhyswitchtoOhio69th?


• Tiredofchoresathome?


• Tiredofchoresathome?• DisappointedwithMinnesotaloss?


• Tiredofchoresathome?• DisappointedwithMinnesotaloss?• Movetoawinner?


• Tiredofchoresathome?• DisappointedwithMinnesotaloss?• Movetoawinner?• Formalizeenlistment?


• Tiredofchoresathome?• DisappointedwithMinnesotaloss?• Movetoawinner?• Formalizeenlistment?• SeekmoreAdventure?

AdventureswithOhio69th


• BattleofStonesRiver(12/31/62to1/2/63)


• BattleofStonesRiver(12/31/62to1/2/63)• BattleofMissionaryRidge(11/25/63)


• BattleofStonesRiver(12/31/62to1/2/63)• BattleofMissionaryRidge(11/25/63)• MarchonAtlanta(May1864.AtlantafallsinAugust)


• BattleofStonesRiver(12/31/62to1/2/63)• BattleofMissionaryRidge(11/25/63)• MarchonAtlanta(May1864.AtlantafallsinAugust)• BattleofSavannah(December1864)


• BattleofStonesRiver(12/31/62to1/2/63)• BattleofMissionaryRidge(11/25/63)• MarchonAtlanta(May1864.AtlantafallsinAugust)• BattleofSavannah(December1864)• CarolinasCampaign(Jan–April1865)


• BattleofStonesRiver(12/31/62to1/2/63)• BattleofMissionaryRidge(11/25/63)• MarchonAtlanta(May1864.AtlantafallsinAugust)• BattleofSavannah(December1864)• CarolinasCampaign(Jan–April1865)• GrandReviewoftheArmies,WashingtonDC(May23-24,1865)


• BattleofStonesRiver(12/31/62to1/2/63)• BattleofMissionaryRidge(11/25/63)• MarchonAtlanta(May1864.AtlantafallsinAugust)• BattleofSavannah(December1864)• CarolinasCampaign(Jan–April1865)• GrandReviewoftheArmies,WashingtonDC(May23-24,1865)

• George“MusteredoutJune5,1865,atWashingtonD.C.,byorderoftheWarDepartment,”sixweeksshortofhis17thbirthday

LookingBack

October1908,hetraveledtoHamiltonOhiotoparticipateinthe29thAnnualReunionofthe69thRegiment.

LookingBack

October1908,hetraveledtoHamiltonOhiotoparticipateinthe29thAnnualReunionofthe69thRegiment.

“Sometimesasoldiercarriedthedrumofatiredboyandononeortwooccasionscarriedtheboyhimselfforshortdistanceswhenitjustseemedhecouldn’tgoon.”

MinneapolisJournal,February27,1929

Sources1.Carrie Swift Craig Family Genealogy, 1952 2.Fitzgerald’s book on the 3rd Minnesota in the Civil War 3.Stones River National Battlefield (phone) 4.Minnesota History Center (consultation/visit) 5.National Archives pension files 6.State Infantry records

a) Ohio Civil War Central website b) Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars, 1891

7.Star Tribune newspaper archive (Tribune, Daily Star, Journal, Etc.) 8.Local Archives

a) Hennepin County Library Special Collections b) Robbinsdale Historical Society

9.Lake Crystal Cemetery

https://www.ohiocivilwarcentral.com/entry.php?rec=621

RobbinsdaleDrugstore• 4157WestBroadway

• “theSwiftgirlswilldeliveryourorder”

• 1893Village’sfirsttelephone

• Villagepost-office/postmaster

• AnotherstoreonBryantN&BroadwayinMinneapolis

GeorgeESwift

Undated.Probablytakenyearslater

Theodore Read

Theodore Read

Born 11 April 1835 Athens Ohio

Theodore Read

Born 11 April 1835 Athens Ohio

Died 6 April 1865 Appomattox High Bridge Prince Edward County, Virginia

My relationship to Theodore Read

Katherine CraigEliot Swan

Craig Swan



Craig Swan

Hugh Craig Jessie McKlveen



Craig Swan


John Henderson CraigAlice Read



Craig Swan


John Henderson CraigAlice ReadTheodore Read



Craig Swan


John Henderson CraigAlice ReadTheodore Read

Daniel Read Alice Brice


Family

Heirlooms

Family

Heirlooms

Family

Heirlooms

Theodore Read - Timeline


1854 Graduated Indiana University


1854 Graduated Indiana UniversityProsecutor, Bloomington, Indiana



Department of Interior, Washington, DC




1860 Attorney, Paris, Illinois





April 1861 Three month enlistment 8th Illinois Infantry regiment





April 1861 Three month enlistment 8th Illinois Infantry regiment

October 1861 Commissioned Assistant Adjutant General with rank of Captain

Read accepts Commission, October 1861


and encloses signed Oath of Office


and encloses signed Oath of Office

When promoted in

August 1864

the Oath of Office

had become

a more

elaborate document

When promoted in

August 1864

the Oath of Office

had become

a more

elaborate document

When promoted in

August 1864

the Oath of Office

had become

a more

elaborate document

Siege of YorktownApril 1862

Seven Days BattleJune 1862

Second Battle of Bull RunManassasAugust 1862

AntietamSeptember 1862

FredericksburgDecember 1862

ChancellorsvilleMay 1863

Letter fromDaniel Read



Battle of the WildernessMay 1864

Cold HarborJune 1864

Fort HarrisonSeptember 1864

Theodore marries

Theodore marries

19 October 1864

Mary Vincent

Appottamox River

Appottamox River

Appottamox River

Appomattox

Appottamox River

High BridgeAppomattox

High Bridge over the Appomattox River

Lithograph by Edward Beyer, 1857

High Bridge over

Appomattox River

Photo byT. H. O’Sullivan

Library of Congress

High Bridge over

Appomattox River

Photo byT. H. O’Sullivan

Library of Congress

Battle of High Bridge 4th Massachusetts Cavalry

by Mortimer Lamb

High Bridge today

Read Family plotForest Hill Cemetery - Madison, Wisconsin

Read Family plotForest Hill Cemetery - Madison, Wisconsin

ReferencesFamily Heirlooms

Commission, uniform buttons, Grants Memoirs

Web Resources Fold3 - military documents, images and other materials

available through many local libraries or private subscriptionCampaigns of the Army of the Potomac, William Hinton, 1871 Theodore Read, Memorial by Col J. W. Foster, Bloomington Republic, May 27, 1865 Battle of High Bridge, WikipediaCompilation of Official Records The War of the Rebellion, US Gov’t Printing Office, 1895 Report of the Proceedings of The First Triennial Reunion of the Army of the James, 1868 Indiana University: Its History from 1820, when Founded, to 1890, by Theophilus A. Wylie,

1890 ,pp 208-209

Inter-Library Loan General Theodore Read, undated manuscript by J.G. Salsman

Documents

George Swift Family c1905 - umra.umn.edu