Wager Swayne

Wager Swayne (November 10, 1834 – December 18, 1902) was a Union Army general during the American Civil War who received America's highest military decoration the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Second Battle of Corinth. He was also appointed military Governor of Alabama during the early days of Reconstruction, serving from 1867 to 1868.

Biography

Born in Columbus, Ohio, he was the son of Noah Haynes Swayne, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

He graduated from Yale University and became a lawyer in Ohio.

He served in the Union Army during the Civil War as a field officer in one of Ohio's three-year infantry regiments. In August 1861, Governor William Dennison appointed Swayne as major of the 43rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which was being organized in Mount Vernon, Ohio. He fought at the battles of Iuka and Corinth, and was promoted to fill the vacancy caused by the death of the regiment's colonel.

Swayne led the 43rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry with distinction during the Atlanta Campaign. On March 13, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln appointed Swayne brigadier general of volunteers to rank from March 8, 1865.^[1] President Lincoln submitted the nomination to the U.S. Senate on that date and the Senate confirmed the appointment on March 10, 1865.^[1] Swayne had his leg amputated from a severe wound suffered in 1865 in South Carolina. On May 1, 1866, President Andrew Johnson appointed Swayne a major general of volunteers to rank from June 20, 1865.^[2] The President nominated Swayne for the promotion on March 21, 1866 and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on April 26, 1866.^[2] Swayne was mustered out of the volunteer army on September 1, 1867, but stayed in the Regular Army.^[2]

After the war, he served in the Freedmen's Bureau and moved to Alabama, where he served as military governor. He retired from the Army July 1, 1870^[3] and moved to Toledo, Ohio, where he established a law practice. He moved in 1881 to New York City, where he set up another law practice, specializing in representing telegraph and railroad companies.

In 1893, he was awarded a Medal of Honor for "conspicuous gallantry in restoring order at a critical moment and leading his regiment in a charge" at Corinth.

He died in New York City and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery Arlington County, Virginia, Plot: Section 3, Lot 1406.^[4]

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and Organization:

Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, 43d Ohio Infantry. Place and date: At Corinth, Miss., October 4, 1862. Entered service at: Columbus, Ohio. Born: November 10, 1834, Columbus, Ohio. Date of issue: August 19, 1893.

Citation: Conspicuous gallantry in restoring order at a critical moment and leading his regiment in a charge.^[5][6]

See also

• List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients: Q–S
• List of American Civil War generals
• List of Ohio's American Civil War generals

Notes

References

• Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, Civil War High Commands. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.