Harlan J. Swift (2 October 1843 – 6 October 1910) was a

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

in the

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who was awarded the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

for gallantry during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. He was awarded the medal on 20 July 1897 for actions performed during the Siege of Petersburg in

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

in 1864.

Personal life

Swift was born on 2 October 1843 in Allegany County,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

to parents Calvin Swift and Sevilla R. Ault. He was one of four children in the family. He married Martha A. Higgins and fathered three children. Swift died in Lakeview,

on 6 October 1910 and was buried in Cuba Cemetery in

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

, New York.

Military service

Swift enlisted in the Army as a

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on 5 January 1864 in Buffalo,

. He was assigned to Company H of the 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. He was commissioned as a

sergeant Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...

on 6 January 1864. He was quickly promoted to

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

on 4 February 1864. On 30 July 1864, during a Union charge at the Siege of Petersburg, he singlehandedly captured four retreating

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between ...

infantrymen, an action which earned him the Medal of Honor. Swift's account of the action states: He was promoted to

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...

on 20 October 1864 and to captain on 5 January 1865. Swift's Medal of Honor citation reads: He was mustered out of the Army on 10 August 1865. His medal is attributed to New York.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swift, Harlan J. 1843 births 1910 deaths