James Swanson
James Swanson was born around 1836 in Camden, New York, to William and Margaret Swanson. His parents were Scottish immigrants. His father worked as a farmer, and by 1850, he owned $1,000 of real estate. Swanson grew up and attended school in Camden before beginning work as a sawyer and mechanic. He married Mary Elizabeth Remore around 1855, and they had at least three children: Ella, born around 1856; Isabella, born around 1860; and Minnie, born around 1862.
 
He enlisted in the Union army on August 29, 1862, and mustered in as a private in Company E of the 146th New York Infantry on October 10. According to his service records, he was 5 feet, 9 inches tall, with dark hair and blue eyes. The regiment took part in the Battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and the Wilderness. In February 1863, he expressed discontent with the Union war effort. He wished he could leave the army, writing that “this fiting for n-----s and politicks wont pay and I dont want to do it.” By March 1863, however, his morale had improved. He noted that General Joseph Hooker “takes betar care of his men than ever [Ambrose] Burnsides did.” He urged his wife to “ceep up good corege and if it is God will I will soon be home once more.” He was promoted to sergeant on September 14, 1863, but he was reduced to the ranks on February 22, 1864. He died on May 5, 1864, in the Battle of the Wilderness.
1110
DATABASE CONTENT
(1110)Swanson, James18361864-05-05
  • Conflict Side: Union
  • Role: Soldier
  • Rank in: Private
  • Rank out: Sergeant
  • Rank highest: Private
  • Gender: Male
  • Race: White

Documents - Records: 36

  • (1982) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, undated
  • (1983) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 22 October 1862
  • (1984) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 8 November 1862
  • (1985) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 1 December 1862
  • (1986) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 9 December 1862
  • (1987) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 1 January 1863
  • (1988) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 4 January 1863
  • (1989) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 9 January 1863
  • (1990) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 19 January 1863
  • (1991) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 29 January 1863
  • (1992) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 15 February 1863
  • (1993) [writer] ~ James Swanson to William Swanson and Margaret Swanson, 28 February 1863
  • (1994) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 20 March 1863
  • (1995) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 16 April 1863
  • (1996) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 15 May 1863
  • (1997) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 21 May 1863
  • (1998) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 9 June 1863
  • (1999) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 12 June 1863
  • (2000) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 17 July 1863
  • (2001) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 25 July 1863
  • (2002) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 5 August 1863
  • (2003) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 10 August 1863
  • (2004) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 16 August 1863
  • (2005) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 19 August 1863
  • (2006) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 8 October 1863
  • (2007) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 7 November 1863
  • (2008) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 28 December 1863
  • (2009) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 2 January 1864
  • (2010) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 16 January 1864
  • (2011) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 6 February 1864
  • (2012) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 13 February 1864
  • (2013) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 18 February 1864
  • (2014) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 28 February 1864
  • (2015) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 10 March 1864
  • (2016) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 3 April 1864
  • (2017) [writer] ~ James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 23 April 1864

People - Records: 3

  • (1111) Swanson, Mary Elizabeth is the [wife of] (1110) Swanson, James
  • (1112) Swanson, William is the [parent of] (1110) Swanson, James
  • (1113) Swanson, Margaret is the [parent of] (1110) Swanson, James

Places - Records: 2

  • (1012) [birth] ~ Camden, Oneida County, New York
  • (1013) [death] ~ Spotsylvania County, Virginia

Show in Map

Regiments - Records: 1

  • (16) [enlisted] [E] ~ 146th New York Infantry
SOURCES

1850 and 1860 United States Federal Censuses, available from Ancestry.com; 1855 New York State Census, available from Ancestry.com; Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865, available from Ancestry.com; New York Registers of Officers and Enlisted Men Mustered into Federal Service, 1861-1865, available from Ancestry.com; Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Dependents of Civil War Veterans, ca. 1861 – ca. 1910, available from Fold3.com; New York Civil War Muster Roll Abstracts, 1861-1900, available from Fold3.com; James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 15 February 1863, DL0337.011, Nau Collection; James Swanson to Mary E. Swanson, 20 March 1863, DL0337.013, Nau Collection