American Historical Ephemera & Photography

Society of the Army of the Tennessee medal, overall approx. 3 3/8 x 1 7/8 in. Two-part medal with tricolor ribbon (ribbon with some wear and fraying to bottom edge and central white panel). Top bar reads "Henry L. Swords." Eagle-form suspended badge features a circle with numerals "1" and "3" flanking an enamel XV Corps badge. The eagle grasps an arrow in its talons. Reverse engraved "U.S. Vols." -- Society of the Army of the Potomac medal, overall approx. 2 3/4 x 1 3/8 in. Two-part medal (missing top bar) with sky blue and white ribbon (some wear to ribbon). Crossed cannon insignia connects ribbon to suspended badge in the form of a red enameled six-armed cross bearing the badges of six of the corps assigned to the army, with a central seal featuring the XI and XII Corps insignia surrounding letters "AP." Reverse engraved "1025." -- Together, 2 veteran's medals, one identified to Henry L. Swords.

[With:] "Head Quarters First Division, Ninth Army Corps" envelope stamped "Official Business" and addressed to "Capt. Henry L. Swords."

Henry L. Swords enlisted as a private on 26 June 1862 and mustered into Company B of the 36th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment the following month. His first brush with combat occurred at Fredericksburg, where the 36th was lightly engaged and lost no men. After Fredericksburg, the regiment moved west with the rest of the IX Corps, bringing the élan of the Army of the Potomac to the hard fighting westerners of the Army of the Tennessee.

The 36th joined the siege at Vicksburg, keeping a watchful eye on Joe Johnston's Army at Jackson. Private Swords was present at the surrender of Vicksburg. Soon after, the 36th took part in Sherman's Jackson Expedition, on which they suffered their first combat casualties. Major Swords would later write a short story about his time campaigning with the Army of the Tennessee, so entitled.

Private Swords was promoted directly from private to second lieutenant, mustering into the 59th Massachusetts Infantry. Before heading south with the regiment, Swords received another promotion, to first lieutenant of Company D. The 59th, like the other four Massachusetts Veteran regiments would "perform most gallant service throughout the closing and most bitterly contested campaign of the war. Like the others, too, only a pitiful remnant of the heroic band survived the trying ordeal." (The Union Army. Vol. 1. 1908).

Swords saw the worst of the war with the 59th. During the Overland Campaign the 59th found itself on the tip of Grant's spear. Losing heavily at the Wilderness, Spotsylvania and the North Ana. It was at the North Ana where Lt. Swords was severely wounded by a gunshot to the abdomen. He received a 30 day leave, but returned to his regiment just in time for the bloody battles of the Richmond/Petersburg Campaign. The 59th would suffer heavy casualties at the Second Battle of Petersburg and the Crater. Swords apparently distinguished himself at Petersburg, as he was prompted to captain on 17 June 1864. Beyond these famous engagements Swords and his regiment would fight at the Poplar Grove Church and Fort Stedman, where Swords was taken prisoner in the initial rebel onslaught.   

At the war's end Swords received a brevet promotion to major, mustering out on 30 July 1865. Swords went on to marry and have four children, including a son who was a MOLLUS member (the AoP medal featured here could have belonged to him). Swords served as Commander of the New York MOLLUS Commandery, and died in April of 1929.