Private Jacob E. Swap, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on May 5, 1864 at Wilderness Campaign, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company H, 83d Pennsylvania Infantry. Swap was 17 years old.
13 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on November 19, 1897, 33 years after the action.
Swap was born on August 12, 1846 in Coeymans, Albany County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to Springs, Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Swap died on January 22, 1925 in Lakeport, California, at the age of 78. He is buried at Oakland Cemetery in Lakeport, California.
Swap is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 380 credited to Pennsylvania.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Although assigned to other duty, he voluntarily joined his regiment in a charge and fought with it until severely wounded.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
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Timeline
- August 12, 1846Born in Coeymans, Albany County, New York
- May 5, 1864Act of valor — Wilderness Campaign, VirginiaAge 17. Company H, 83d Pennsylvania Infantry
- November 19, 1897Medal of Honor presented
- January 22, 1925Died in Lakeport, CaliforniaAge 78.
- Resting placeOakland CemeteryLakeport, California
Biography
Jacob E. Swap (12 August 1846 – 22 January 1925) was a private in the United States Army who was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions performed on 5 May 1864 at the Battle of the Wilderness during the American Civil War.
From the Wikipedia article “Jacob E. Swap”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
