b. 02/10/1843 New Hudson, New York. d. 06/10/1910 Lakeview, New York.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 30/07/1864 Petersburg, Virginia.
Swift was born on 2 October 1843 in Allegany County, New York 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 enlisted in the Army as a private on 5 January 1864 in Buffalo, New York. He was assigned to Company H of the 2nd New York Mounted Rifles. He was commissioned as a sergeant on 6 January 1864. He was quickly promoted to second lieutenant on 4 February 1864. On 30 July 1864, during a Union charge at the Siege of Petersburg, he singlehandedly captured four retreating Confederate infantrymen, an action which earned him the Medal of Honor.
MOH CITATION:
Having advanced with his regiment and captured the enemy’s line, saw four of the enemy retiring toward their second line of works. He advanced upon them alone, compelled their surrender and regained his regiment with the four prisoners.
BURIAL LOCATION: CUBA CEMETERY, CUBA, NEW YORK.
OSC, LOT 427.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
