Joshua S. Swihart, 20th Indiana Infantry

Grave of Joshua Swihart

Joshua S. Swihart was born February 1, 1845 in Stark County , Ohio near the town of Canton. He was the son of farmer, John J. and Mary (Miksel) Swihart. John and family migrated to Indiana  along with his parents (Peter & Elizabeth (Plamer) Swihart), and several brothers and sisters. John would settle on a farm in Marshall County, Indiana, son Joshua is shown  in the 1860 Federal Census a being a farmer on his father’s farm. When the Civil War broke out Joshua was only 16 years old. It is not known if Joshua tried to enlist in ‘61, his age and probably his father would make him wait.

After a year of war Joshua enlisted in the Union Army and was mustered into service on September 20, 1862. He enlisted as a recruit in Company C of the 20th Indiana Regiment. They had been in the field since the outbreak of the war and were veterans of the Seven Days Battles on the  Virginia Peninsula as well as 2nd Bull Run.  Joshua would be a “fresh fish” among many veteran soldiers in his regiment, he would have to prove himself. He did not have to wait long, on December 13, 1862 the Army of the Potomac was in front of Fredricksburg, Virginia, the 20th Indiana would make an assualt on the Confederate positions there. The Army of the Potomac was severely repulsed, but Joshua had stood true. He and the men of the 20th would spend the winter and early spring around the banks of the Rappahannock River. At the beginning of May the Union Army would try another route to Richmond, at Chancellorsville the army would fight again. As was the case at Fredricksburg, the Army of the Potomac would be defeated again. The 20th Indiana did have great success in the battle, taking many prisoners of the 23rd Georgia Regiment.

June of 1863 the army was on the move again, this time in pursuit of General R.E. Lee’s invading Army of Northern Virginia. On July 1, 1863 the battle of Gettysburg had opened, the battle raged until nightfall as more troops from both sides poured into the area. On July 2nd the 20th Indiana along with the rest of the 3rd Corps was moved into the area of  a small stream; Plum Run. They were moved  from the first position onto the Rose Farm near a field that was soon to become famous; the “Wheatfield.” Here is where Joshua and the 20th Indiana would see some of the toughest fighting of the war. Attacking them was General J.B. Hood’s Texas Brigade; they were know to be Lee’s best shock troops. The fight raged in this area for sometime, Union lines were pushed back and a running fight through the Plum Run Valley and “Devil’s Den ensued. The “western men” of the 20th Indiana had shown their fighting grit, but at a high cost. Two-Hundred officers and enlisted men were killed, wounded and missing. Among them was their Colonel; John Wheeler. On July 3rd Joshua and  the rest of the 20th were whiteness to Pickett’s Charge, they would help take prisoners and attend to wounded. The events of Gettysburg must have been with Joshua for the rest of his days.

The rest of July was spent chasing the Confederate Army into Virginia. Joshua and the other men had to be tired from such a large campaign. On July 30th, 1863 the regiment recieved orders to report to New York City. Their mission was to be part of a force to quell the New York draft riots. They performed their duty and were posted in the city for some time. New York City must have been unbelievable to Joshua and the rest of the men. The men were then sent to Indianapolis to rest and be resupplied.

On April 19, 1864 the regiment was sent back to Virginia; General Grant had taken command. In May, Grant would resume the fight. Joshua would fight in the hellish battle of  the Wilderness, the regiment lost 19 killed and 105 wounded. They would do it again a few days later at Spotsylvania where they would loose 85 men killed, wounded and missing. In early June the regiment would fight in Grant’s attack at Cold Harbor. On June 12 Joshua and the 20th crossed the James River, they would lay siege to the city. There would be battles and skirmishes around Petersburg for months. According to an 1883 “Marshall County Disabled Veteran’s” report, Joshua received a gunshot wound to his left eye in front of Petersburg on October 4, 1864.  It seems that he lost use of this eye, he would recover in an  army hospital and continue his service until the war’s end.  Joshua would muster out of the army on May 31, 1865.

Joshua would return to Marshall County, Indiana and resume his life. He would marry Catharine Rivar on Febuary 28, 1879. According to the Disabled Marshall County Veterans Report, Joshua recieved $8.00 a month for his eye wound. He was active in veterans functions and reunions. He had grown up during the war, it shaped the man he became. Joshua would pass away at Burbon, Marshall County, Indiana on March 14, 1896.

Written By Scott Busenbark