It was an ordinary day. Reading a story written by a fellow teacher, Jeffrey Hudson who was a Social Studies teacher at Lampeter-Strasburg High School. The story told of the life of Mr. Stephen A. Swails, a native of nearby Columbia, Pennsylvania who was one of the first black United States Army commissioned officers. The article also told of Lancaster's President of the United States, James Buchanan and perhaps one of the reasons why President Buchanan is now considered one of the worse Presidents in the history of the United States. Goes back to March 4, 1857 when Buchanan delivered his inaugural address from the steps of the U.S. Capitol. His speech gave everyone the impression that he thought his election would solve the problem of slavery in the United States. Shortly after, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney issued his opinion in the Dred Scott case which found that Dred Scott, a slave who claimed he should be a free man, since he had been taken to a free state, had no right to sue for his freedom because he wasn't a citizen. This decision incensed abolitionists and gave momentum to the anti-slavery movement and served as a stepping stone to the Civil War. Buchanan thought that the slavery conflict wasn't one that he had the capacity to solve. Then, Confederate Vice-President, Alexander Stephens rejected the Declaration of Independence's statement that "all men are created equal" and said that the Confederacy's government is founded upon exactly the opposite idea and that the negro is not equal to the white man. The Confederates eventually made war on the very idea upon which America was founded. Lancaster native Stephen A. Swails was the child of a Black father and white mother who was born in nearby Columbia in 1832. At the age of 8 his family moved to Manheim which is to the north west of Lancaster. When the Civil War began the family moved once again to New York where Stephen enlisted in the 54th Massachusetts Colored Infantry. He did realize that he could not become an officer since he was Black, but little did he know that he would not be paid the same as a white soldier. He was so well liked by his comrades that they all refused the meager amount they were given until Stephen was also given the same. Finally in June of 1864 Congress passed the equal pay law for black soldiers and granted retroactive pay to those who had been freemen at the time of their enlistment. On July 18, 1863 the 54th led the attack on Fort Wagner which helped protect Charleston Harbor in South Carolina. They suffered enormous casualties with Col. Robert Gould Shaw, their commanding officer, killed in the line of duty. William Carney planted the regiment flag at the top of the parpapet and was wounded. He later became the first Black man to receive the Medal of Honor. Sgt. Swails also made it to the top along with two white officers, one being killed and the other mortally wounded. Sgt. Swails sustained a severe head injury at the Battle of Olustee in Florida and Gov. Andrew recommended him for promotion to second Lieutenant. Swails' promotion was the first for a line officer and put him in the position to give orders to white soldiers. The promotion was eventually removed when it was found that he was of African descent. Then Gov. Andrew wrote to the Sec. of War telling that he was a man of character and intelligence and a soldier of superior meat and worthy of the recognition. He received his commission once again and would later be promoted to first Lieutenant after being wounded a second time near the end of the war. Over 200,000 Black soldiers fought in the Civil War which was considered a "white man's war." As the war progressed, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant encouraged the formation of more Black units. Being that the South was outnumbered, they granted some Blacks their freedom to join the rebel cause. Confederate Gen. Howell Cobb said, "If slaves make good soldiers, our whole theory of slavery is wrong." Then Confederate Pres. Jefferson Davis signed the "Negro Soldier Law" allowing slaves to be recruited into the Confederate Army.
 |
| Lt. Stephen Atkins Swails |
Stephen A. Swails, a native of Columbia, Pennsylvania proved that the "whole theory of slavery" was wrong and destroyed the very idea on which the Confederacy was founded. Lately there has been a crusade to remove statues as a way of reckoning with America's past. Perhaps with the departure of some of Lancaster's monuments from the past, a new monument featuring Lt. Stephen Atkins Swails, America's first Black line officer and patriot could be added, if not in downtown Lancaster, surely in our neighboring town of Columbia. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
No comments:
Post a Comment