Rare Id’d Original Civil War Officer’s Pants – Lieut. Henry R. Swan, 8th NYHA

SOLD

These rare, original Civil War officer’s pants accompanied the frock coat, vest and sword of 2nd Lieutenant Henry R. Swan, when purchased by a client of ours. He contacted us and, being unable to display the pants, wanted to know if we wanted to obtain them from him; we did so. The pants are constructed of a fine quality, deep blue, indigo dyed, English broadcloth wool and remain in overall fine condition. Along the front of the pants is an area of scattered insect damage, which could be repaired, if so desired, but does not detract from the appearance of the pants; there is some moth tracking visible along the back calf area of each pant leg, most likely incurred during storage. Swan’s name was hand-inked in his vest, which we photographed, when we obtained the pants. The current owner of Swan’s frock coat, vest and sword has supplied us with some of the pictures included in this listing.  

 

The pants exhibit all of the following characteristics that determine Civil War officer use: 

• Deep blue, English broadcloth wool  
• Highly curved back profile  
• Size adjustment belts on the back with a period, black japanned adjustment buckle 

• Buckram lined cuffs with two pairs of bone buttons on either side of the cuff interior for a strap for under the boot arch 
• Off white, polished cotton lining (just like the lining that was in Swan’s vest) almost completely hand sewn into position 
• Bone buttons throughout – suspender attachment areas and fly 
• Hand-whipped button holes 
• “Dog Ear” type front pockets 

These are truly a fine pair of rarely encountered, Id’d Civil War officer’s pants, worn by an officer in an artillery unit that saw considerable action at Spottsylvania, Totopotomy, Cold Harbor and the Siege of Petersburg.  

 

Henry R. Swan
 

Residence was not listed; 21 years old.  Enlisted on 8/12/1862 at Lockport, NY as a 2nd Lieutenant.  On 8/12/1862 he was commissioned into “E” Co. NY 8th Heavy Artillery  He died of disease on 6/14/1864 at Cold Harbor, VA   Promotions: * 1st Lieut 2/22/1864   

 

SWAN , HENR Y R.—Age, 21 years. Enrolled, August 12, 1862, 

at Lockport, N . Y. ; mustered in as second lieutenant, Oo,; E , 

One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Infantry, August 12, 1862 

(which became the Eighth Artillery, December 19, 1862), to 

serve three years; mustered in as first lieutenant, February 22, 

1864; died of disease, June 14, 1864, near Cold Harbor, Va. ; 

commissioned second lieutenant, September 10,1862, with rank 

from August 12, 1862, original; first lieutenant, February 10, 

1864, with rank from January 25, 1864, original. Swan was the Son of Brigadier General Lansing B. Swan of Rochester, NY. 

 

8th NY Heavy Artillery
( 3-years ) 

Organized: Lockport, NY on 12/19/62
Mustered Out: 6/5/65 at Munson’s Hill, VA

Officers Killed or Mortally Wounded: 19
Officers Died of Disease, Accidents, etc.: 4
Enlisted Men Killed or Mortally Wounded: 342
Enlisted Men Died of Disease, Accidents, etc.: 298
(Source: Fox, Regimental Losses)  

 

From	To	Brigade	Division	Corps	Army	Comment
Aug ’62	Jan ’63	Artillery	Defenses of Baltimore	8	Middle Department
Jan ’63	May ’64	2nd Separate		8	Middle Department
Jul ’63	Aug ’63	2	Maryland Heights		Department of West Virginia
Mar ’64	May ’64	1st Separate		8	Middle Department	Co. F
May ’64	May ’64	Artillery	Tyler’s HA	2	Army of Potomac
May ’64	Jun ’64	4	2	2	Army of Potomac
Jun ’64	Jun ’65	2	2	2	Army of Potomac	Mustered Out
Jul ’64	Jun ’65	1st Separate		8	Middle Department	Det. Mustered Out

 

New York
EIGHTH REGIMENT OF ARTILLERY (HEAVY)
 

      Col. Peter A. Porter received, July 7, 1862, authority to  recruit a regiment in the counties of Genesee, Niagara and  Orleans.  This regiment was, August 28, 1862, designated the 129th Regiment of Infantry.  It was organized at Lockport, and  there mustered in the service of the United States for three  years, August 22, 1862.  It was converted into a regiment of  artillery, and December 19, 1862, designated the 8th Regiment  of Artillery.  Two additional companies were organized at  Lockport in December, 1863, and January, 1864, and mustered in  the United States service for one and three years.       Three companies were recruited in the county of Genesee,  three in the county of Orleans, and four in Niagara county;  Company L at Bennington, Bergen, Lewiston, Pavilion, LeRoy,  Oakfield, Bethany, Pembroke, Alabama, Darien, Alexandria,  Batavia, Rochester, Middleburg and Stafford; and M at Warsaw,  China, Rochester, Sheldon, Lima, Lockport, Avon, Java and  Wethersfield.       The regiment (ten companies) left the State August 23,  1862, and served as heavy artillery and infantry at Baltimore,  Md., and vicinity from August 27, 1862; at Harper’s Ferry, W.  Va., from July 10, 1863; at Baltimore, Md., and vicinity from  August 3, 1863, in the Middle Department, 8th Corps.  Companies  L and M joined in February, 1864, and the regiment served in  Tyler’s Division, 2d Corps, from May 17, 1864; in the 4th  Brigade, 2d Division, 2d Corps, from May 29, 1864; and in the  2d Brigade, 2d Division, 2d Corps, from June 26, 1864.       June 5, 1865, Companies A to K were, under the command of  Lieut.-Col. Joseph W. Holmes, mustered out and honorably  discharged at Munson’s Hill, Va.; the men not discharged with  their respective companies were transferred, those of Companies  G, H, I and K to the 4th N. Y. Volunteer Artillery, and those  of Companies A, B, C, D, E and F, and also Companies L and M,  to the 10th N. Y. Volunteer Infantry, of which the men of  Companies A, D and F formed Company K; those of B, C and E  Company I; Company L became Company H and M Company G. 

 

 

8th New York Heavy Artillery 

The 8th New York Heavy Artillery Regiment lost 19 officers and 342 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 4 officers and 298 enlisted men by disease during the Civil War. The regiment is honored by a monument in the National Cemetery on the Cold Harbor battlefield. 

 

1862
July	Organized at Lockport, N.Y., as the 129th Volunteer Infantry Regiment under Colonel Peter   Porter, Lieutenant Colonel Willard Bates and Major James M. Willett
October 19	Designation changed to 8th New York Heavy Artillery Regiment
October	Garrison duty at Forts Federal Hill, Marshall and McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland attached   to Defenses of Baltimore, Md., 8th Army Corps, Middle Department
1863
January	Attached to 2nd Separate Brigade, 8th Army Corps
July 10	At Maryland Heights, attached to 2nd Brigade, Maryland Heights Division, Army of West Virginia
August 3	At Baltimore attached to 2nd Separate Brigade, 8th Army Corps
1864
February	At Green Springs Run and Romney for a few days. Companies L and M join Regiment at Baltimore
May 12	Ordered to Join Army of the Potomac in the field attached to Tyler’s Heavy Artillery Division, 2nd Army Corps
May-June	Rapidan Campaign
May 15-29	Attached to 4th Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Army Corps
May 17-21	Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
May 19	Harris Farm or Fredericksburg Road
May 23-26	North Anna River
May 26-28	On line of the Pamunkey
May 28-31	Totopotomy
June 1-12	Battle of Cold Harbor  The monument in the National Cemetery at Cold Harbor lists the names of the men killed or mortally wounded in the fighting on   June 3. They include Colonel Porter. Lieutenant Colonel Bates was promoted to colonel. Major Willett was shot in the right   side but survived and was promoted to lieutenant colonel. Captain Joel B.G. Baker of Company B was promoted to major.
June 16-18	First Assault on Petersburg
June 16 to April 2	Siege of Petersburg
June 22-23	Jerusalem Plank Road  Colonel Bates was mortally wounded, shot in the stomach, on June 22. Lieutenant Colonel Willett took over the regiment.
June 26	Attached to 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Army Corps
July 1	Lieutenant Colonel Willett was promoted to colonel.
July 27-29	Demonstration north of the James
July 27-28	Deep Bottom
July 30	Mine Explosion, Petersburg (Reserve)
June 24	Colonel Bates died at the City Point Hospital of his wound from June 22. Lieutenant Colonel Willett was promoted to colonel.
August 13-20	Demonstration north of the James
August 14-18	Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom
August 25	Ream’s Station
October 27-28	Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run  Colonel Willett took command of the brigade while Major Baker commanded the regiment.
1865
January 14	Colonel Willett resigned due to “pressing private reasons” and the results of his wound from Cold Harbor. Lieutenant Colonel   Baker was promoted to colonel.
March 25	Watkin’s House
March 28-April 9	Appomattox Campaign
March 31	Crow’s House
April 2	Fall of Petersburg
April 6	Sailor’s Creek
April 7	High Bridge and Farmville
April 9	Appomattox Court House  Surrender of Lee and his army.
May 2-12	March to Washington, D.C.
May 23	Grand Review
June 5	Mustered out. Veterans and Recruits of Companies G, H, I and K transferred to 4th New York Heavy Artillery;   Companies A, B, C, D, E and F to the 10th New York Infantry, becoming companies H, G & I. Colonel Baker took command of   the 10th New York Infantry.

 

8th Artillery Regiment
Civil War
Albany County Regiment; Seymour Guard. 

History
The following is taken from New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. Frederick Phisterer. Albany: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912. 

Mustered in as the 129th regiment of infantry: August 22, 1862
Designated 8th regiment of artillery (heavy): December 19, 1862
Mustered out: June 5, 1865 

Col. Peter A. Porter received, July 7, 1862, authority to recruit a regiment in the counties of Genesee, Niagara and Orleans. This regiment was, August 28, 1862, designated the 129th Regiment of Infantry. It was organized at Lockport, and there mustered in the service of the United States for three years, August 22, 1862. It was converted into a regiment of artillery, and December 19, 1862, designated the 8th Regiment of Artillery. Two additional companies were organized at Lockport in December, 1863, and January, 1864, and mustered in the United States service for one and three years. 

Three companies were recruited in the county of Genesee, three in the county of Orleans, and four in Niagara county; Company L at Bennington, Bergen, Lewiston, Pavilion, LeRoy, Oakfield, Bethany, Pembroke, Alabama, Darien, Alexandria, Batavia, Rochester, Middleburg and Stafford; and M at Warsaw, China, Rochester, Sheldon, Lima, Lockport, Avon, Java and Wethersfield. 

The regiment (ten companies) left the State August 23, 1862, and served as heavy artillery and infantry at Baltimore, Md., and vicinity from August 27, 1862; at Harper’s Ferry, W. Va., from July 10, 1863; at Baltimore, Md,, and vicinity from August 3, 1863, in the Middle Department, 8th Corps. Companies L and M joined in February, 1864, and the regiment served in Tyler’s Division, 2d Corps, from May 17, 1864; in the 4th Brigade, 2d Division, 2d Corps, from May 29, 1864; and in the 2d Brigade, 2d Division, 2d Corps, from June 26, 1864. 

June 5, 1865, Companies A to K were, under the command of Lieut-Col. Joseph W. Holmes, mustered out and honorably discharged at Munson’s Hill, Va.; the men not discharged with their respective companies were transferred, those of Companies G, H, I and K to the 4th N. Y. Volunteer Artillery, and those of Companies A, B, C, D, E and F, and also Companies L and M, to the 10th N. Y. Volunteer Infantry, of which the men of Companies A, D and F formed Company K; those of B, C and E Company I; Company L became Company H and M Company G. 

During its service the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 11 officers, 199 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 9 officers, 145 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 4 officers, 302 enlisted men; total, 24 officers, 646 enlisted men; aggregate, 670; of whom I officer and 113 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy 

 

8th New York Heavy Artillery 

The 8th New York Heavy Artillery Regiment lost 19 officers and 342 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 4 officers and 298 enlisted men by disease during the Civil War. The regiment is honored by a monument in the National Cemetery on the Cold Harbor battlefield. 

This monument to the Eighth New York Heavy Artillery stands in the Cold Harbor National Cemetery, across the road from where the New Yorkers actually fought on June 3, 1864.