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The Resource Stephen A. Swails : Black freedom fighter in the Civil War and Reconstruction, Gordon C. Rhea

Stephen A. Swails : Black freedom fighter in the Civil War and Reconstruction, Gordon C. Rhea

Creator
Author
Summary
"Stephen Atkins Swails played significant roles in the Civil War and Reconstruction in South Carolina. Born a free Black in Pennsylvania, Swails volunteered to serve in the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, the first African American regiment raised in the North. He earned distinction in a series of major battles, including the bloody assault to capture Battery Wagner in Charleston Harbor, the Battle of Olustee in north Florida, and Potter's raid into central South Carolina. Swails's service was so exemplary that his commanding officer recommended him for an officer's commission-a request the War Department initially denied because of his "African blood." After vigorous lobbying and support from Massachusetts' governor, the War Department changed course and made Swails the first African American commissioned as a combat officer in the United States military. After the war, Swails remained in South Carolina, where he held important positions in the Freedmen's Bureau, helped draft South Carolina's progressive constitution, and served in the state legislature. From his leadership position in the state senate, Swails was instrumental in securing legislation benefitting newly-liberated Black citizens. Later, he settled in Kingstree, a small South Carolina town, where he raised a family, became mayor, and practiced law. Swails remained active in South Carolina politics after Reconstruction until violent followers of racist Governor Wade Hampton drove him from the state. Despite threats against his life, Swails frequently returned to South Carolina and remained a prominent figure in state politics. After Swails died in 1900, state and local leaders erased him from the historical narrative. He would likely have remained forgotten if not for historians' recent efforts to revive his military, political, and civil rights contributions. Award-winning author Gordon Rhea's biography is the first of Swails and one of only a handful for any of the nearly 200,000 African Americans who fought in the Civil War or figured prominently in Reconstruction. Unlike many of his comrades, Swails was literate and wrote numerous letters, memoranda, and documents. Amazingly, the bulk of his most important personal papers ended up in a trash dump before two junk collectors rescued them. Rhea relied heavily on those documents, which comprise a wealth of Swails' writings, including his role in the assault on Battery Wagner and on post-war attempts on his life by political opponents. Rhea also utilized unpublished 54th Massachusetts sources at the Massachusetts Historical Society, extensive Freedmen's Bureau records in the National Archives, and Swails' letters and official documents from his years as a senator during Reconstruction. Swails's life story is a saga of an indomitable human being who confronted deep-seated racial prejudice in various institutions but persisted until he had achieved all he could. His is an inspiring story that is especially timely today"--
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Extent
188 pages
Contents
  • An Angel of God Come Down to Lead the Host of Freedom
  • One Plane of Ashes and Blackened Chimneys
  • Looking Out from among the Ghastly Corpses
  • Why Can't We Have a Soldier's Pay?
  • I Now Recommend His Being Allowed to Serve as a Commissioned Officer
  • Crowned with Laurels
  • This Is a White Man's Government
  • The Political Boss of Williamsburg County
  • A Campaign of Intimidation and Terror
  • What a Mockery of Justice Is This?
  • A Proper Denouement to an Extraordinary Man
Isbn
9780807176269
Instance
Label
Stephen A. Swails : Black freedom fighter in the Civil War and Reconstruction
Title
Stephen A. Swails
Title remainder
Black freedom fighter in the Civil War and Reconstruction
Statement of responsibility
Gordon C. Rhea
Title variation
Black freedom fighter in the Civil War and Reconstruction
Creator
Author
Subject
Genre
Language
eng
Summary
"Stephen Atkins Swails played significant roles in the Civil War and Reconstruction in South Carolina. Born a free Black in Pennsylvania, Swails volunteered to serve in the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, the first African American regiment raised in the North. He earned distinction in a series of major battles, including the bloody assault to capture Battery Wagner in Charleston Harbor, the Battle of Olustee in north Florida, and Potter's raid into central South Carolina. Swails's service was so exemplary that his commanding officer recommended him for an officer's commission-a request the War Department initially denied because of his "African blood." After vigorous lobbying and support from Massachusetts' governor, the War Department changed course and made Swails the first African American commissioned as a combat officer in the United States military. After the war, Swails remained in South Carolina, where he held important positions in the Freedmen's Bureau, helped draft South Carolina's progressive constitution, and served in the state legislature. From his leadership position in the state senate, Swails was instrumental in securing legislation benefitting newly-liberated Black citizens. Later, he settled in Kingstree, a small South Carolina town, where he raised a family, became mayor, and practiced law. Swails remained active in South Carolina politics after Reconstruction until violent followers of racist Governor Wade Hampton drove him from the state. Despite threats against his life, Swails frequently returned to South Carolina and remained a prominent figure in state politics. After Swails died in 1900, state and local leaders erased him from the historical narrative. He would likely have remained forgotten if not for historians' recent efforts to revive his military, political, and civil rights contributions. Award-winning author Gordon Rhea's biography is the first of Swails and one of only a handful for any of the nearly 200,000 African Americans who fought in the Civil War or figured prominently in Reconstruction. Unlike many of his comrades, Swails was literate and wrote numerous letters, memoranda, and documents. Amazingly, the bulk of his most important personal papers ended up in a trash dump before two junk collectors rescued them. Rhea relied heavily on those documents, which comprise a wealth of Swails' writings, including his role in the assault on Battery Wagner and on post-war attempts on his life by political opponents. Rhea also utilized unpublished 54th Massachusetts sources at the Massachusetts Historical Society, extensive Freedmen's Bureau records in the National Archives, and Swails' letters and official documents from his years as a senator during Reconstruction. Swails's life story is a saga of an indomitable human being who confronted deep-seated racial prejudice in various institutions but persisted until he had achieved all he could. His is an inspiring story that is especially timely today"--
Assigning source
Provided by publisher
Biography type
individual biography
Cataloging source
DLC
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Rhea, Gordon C
Index
index present
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
Series statement
Southern biography series
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Swails, Stephen A
  • Reconstruction (U.S. history, 1865-1877)
  • Southern States
  • South Carolina
  • United States
  • African American legislators
  • United States
  • United States
  • African Americans
  • South Carolina
Label
Stephen A. Swails : Black freedom fighter in the Civil War and Reconstruction, Gordon C. Rhea
Instantiates
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
An Angel of God Come Down to Lead the Host of Freedom -- One Plane of Ashes and Blackened Chimneys -- Looking Out from among the Ghastly Corpses -- Why Can't We Have a Soldier's Pay? -- I Now Recommend His Being Allowed to Serve as a Commissioned Officer -- Crowned with Laurels -- This Is a White Man's Government -- The Political Boss of Williamsburg County -- A Campaign of Intimidation and Terror -- What a Mockery of Justice Is This? -- A Proper Denouement to an Extraordinary Man
Control code
on1249496644
Dimensions
23 cm.
Extent
188 pages
Isbn
9780807176269
Lccn
2021010896
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations (black and white), maps (black and white)
System control number
(OCoLC)1249496644
Label
Stephen A. Swails : Black freedom fighter in the Civil War and Reconstruction, Gordon C. Rhea
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
An Angel of God Come Down to Lead the Host of Freedom -- One Plane of Ashes and Blackened Chimneys -- Looking Out from among the Ghastly Corpses -- Why Can't We Have a Soldier's Pay? -- I Now Recommend His Being Allowed to Serve as a Commissioned Officer -- Crowned with Laurels -- This Is a White Man's Government -- The Political Boss of Williamsburg County -- A Campaign of Intimidation and Terror -- What a Mockery of Justice Is This? -- A Proper Denouement to an Extraordinary Man
Control code
on1249496644
Dimensions
23 cm.
Extent
188 pages
Isbn
9780807176269
Lccn
2021010896
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations (black and white), maps (black and white)
System control number
(OCoLC)1249496644

Subject

Genre

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