Lieutenant Colonel Frederic William Swift, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on November 16, 1863 at Lenoire Station, Tennessee during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with 17th Michigan Infantry. Swift was 32 years old.
7 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on February 15, 1897, 33 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Brevet Brigadier General.
Swift was born on January 30, 1831 in Mansfield Center, Tolland County, Connecticut. His Medal of Honor is credited to Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. Swift died on January 30, 1916 in Detroit, Michigan, at the age of 85. He is buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Detroit, Michigan.
Swift is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 112 credited to Michigan.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Gallantly seized the colors and rallied the regiment after three color bearers had been shot and the regiment, having become demoralized, was in imminent danger of capture.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Places
- Buried: Elmwood Cemetery — map
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Timeline
- January 30, 1831Born in Mansfield Center, Tolland County, Connecticut
- November 16, 1863Act of valor — Lenoire Station, TennesseeAge 32. 17th Michigan Infantry
- February 15, 1897Medal of Honor presented
- January 30, 1916Died in Detroit, MichiganAge 85.
- Resting placeElmwood CemeteryDetroit, Michigan
Biography
Frederick William Swift (January 30, 1831 – January 30, 1916) was a Colonel of the United States Army who was awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry in the American Civil War. He was awarded the medal on February 15, 1897, for actions performed at the Battle of Lenoir's Station in Tennessee in November 1863.
From the Wikipedia article “Frederick W. Swift”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
