THEODORE SCHWAN
SCHWAN, THEODORE. The United States has always had the advantage of receiving into the number of its citizens, some of the strongest elements of the Old World. Many of our most useful and most highly valued citizens have been transplanted from the compact, cultivated traditional tillage of civilizations older than our own to become fruitful and powerful under the free institutions of our republic. During our Civil war, the fine military mind and training of more than one of our noted leaders was the gift of foreign lands. The history of many leaders beside Sigel and Schurz proves the attachment felt by Americans to the Germans, akin to us in racial stock and in their love of liberty.
Brigadier-General Theodore Schwan, United States army, retired, is a citizen of foreign birth to whom our country owes a debt of gratitude. His services began during the Civil war, but he is one of the few surviving general officers of that war whose length of service—forty-two years — has spanned the period including both the Civil war and the Spanish war. He was born in Hanover, Germany, July 9, 1841. His father, H. C. Schwan, was a clergyman, and also held the position of professor at the Gymnasium at Stade, Hanover.
In his early youth Theodore had a tutor and attended a public school; later he attended the Gymnasium at Stade, but he was not graduated, as at the age of sixteen he emigrated to America. He enlisted as a private in the United States army in 1857. He was promoted to the various non-commissioned grades, and served with his regiment in the Utah expedition, 1857-58, under General A. S. Johnston. With this same regiment he participated in the Chancellorsville and Gettysburg campaigns. He commanded, as second lieutenant, a company of his regiment in the battles of the Wilderness, May 5 to 7, 1864; Spottsylvania Court House, May 8 to 12; North Anna, Pamunkey and Totopotomey rivers, May 22 to June 1; Cold Harbor and vicinity, and Bethesda Church, in June, and in the siege of Petersburg, June-October, 1864. Bre vetted captain, October 1, 1864, for gallant service at the battle of Chapel House,
