cles to the " Times," afterward accepted an edito- rial place on that paper, and soon became manag- ing editor. During the absences of Henry J. Ray- mond he had the sole control, and wrote a large number of the leading articles. He resigned the post of managing editor at the close of the war, on account of impaired health, but continued his connection with the journal as an editorial writer till the death of Mr. Raymond. Subsequently he was managing editor of the New York " Sun." He became a leader in the movement for labor-re- forms, and in 1883 severed his connection with the "Sun "in order to expound his political and social views in a weekly journal that he called "John Swinton's Paper," which he ceased to publish in 1887. Besides other pamphlets, he has published "New Issue: the Chinese - American Question" (New York, 1870), and also a " Eulogy on Henry J. Raymond" (1870); "John Swinton's Travels" (1880) ; and an " Oration on John Brown " (1881). — His brother, William, author, b. in Salton, Scot- land, 23 April, 1833, was educated at Knox college, Toronto, and at Amherst, with the intention of be- coming a Presbyterian minister, and in 1853 began to preach, but adopted the profession of teaching. He was professor of ancient and modern languages at the Edgeworth female seminary, Greensborough, N. C, in 1853-4, and afterward went to New York city to take a professorship in Mt. Washington col- legiate institute. While in the south he contrib- uted to "Putnam's Monthly" some critical and philosophical articles, and a series of etymological studies that were afterward published under the title of " Rambles among Words : their Poetry and Wisdom " (New York, 1859 ; London, 1861). Hav- ing previously contributed articles to the New York " Times," he was taken on the staff of that journal in 1858, and in 1862 went to the seat of war as a correspondent. He was equipped for this work by close study of military art, and he discussed tacti- cal movements with such freedom that in 1864 Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside, whom he had criticised in his letters, procured an order for his exclusion from the camps of the army. He also, at a later date, in- curred the displeasure of Gen. Grant. In 1867 he travelled through the southern states and collected material for a history of the war from the military and civil leaders of the Confederacy. Returning to the office of the " Times," he resumed the work of literary criticism, in which province he had gained a reputation before he became a war-cor- respondent. Before abandoning journalism, he published in newspaper articles and in a pamphlet an exposure of the machinations of railroad finan- ciers to procure subsidies. In 1869 he became pro- fessor of belles-lettres in the University of Cali- fornia, where he remained for five years. Subse- quently he made Brooklyn, N. Y., his residence, devoting himself to the composition of educational works, most of which were widely adopted in pub- lic and private schools. For a series of these, which cover most of the studies pursued in schools, he re- ceived a gold medal at the Paris exposition of 1867 " for educational works of remarkable originality and value." His principal military works are " The ' Times's ' Review of McClellan : his Military Ca- reer Reviewed and Exposed" (1864); "Campaigns of the Army of the Potomac : a Critical History of Operations in Virginia, Maryland, and Penn- sylvania" (1866; revised ed., 1886) ; "The Twelve Decisive Battles of the War : a History of the East- ern and Western Campaigns in Relation to the Actions that Decided their Issue" (1867); and " History of the New York Seventh Regiment dur- ing the War of the Rebellion " (Boston, 1870).
SWISSHELM, Jane Grey, b. near Pittsburg,
Pa., 6 Sept., 1815; d. in Swissvale, Pa., 22 July,
1884. When she was eight years of age her father,
James Cannon, died, leaving a family in straitened
circumstances. The daughter worked at manual
labor and teaching till she was twenty-one, when
she married James Swisshelm, who several years
afterward obtained a divorce on the ground of
desertion. Two years later she removed with her
husband to Louisville, Ky. In this city she
became an outspoken opponent of slavery, and her
first written attack upon the system appeared in
the Louisville “Journal” in 1842. She also wrote
articles favoring abolition and woman's rights in
the “Spirit of Liberty,” of Pittsburg, for about
four years. In 1848 she established the Pittsburg
“Saturday Visitor,” a strong abolition and woman's
rights paper, which, in 1856, was merged with the
weekly edition of the Pittsburg “Journal.” In
1857 she went to St. Cloud, Minn., and established
the St. Cloud “Visitor.” Her bold utterances
caused a mob to destroy her office and its
contents, and to throw her printing-press into the
river. But she soon began to publish the St.
Cloud “Democrat.” When Abraham Lincoln was
nominated for the presidency, she spoke and wrote
in his behalf and for the principles of which he
was the representative. When the civil war began
and nurses were wanted at the front, she was one
of the first to respond. After the battle of the
Wilderness she had charge of 182 badly wounded
men at Fredericksburg for five days, without
surgeon or assistant, and saved them all. She was a
prolific writer for newspapers and magazines, and
published “Letters to Country Girls” (New York,
1853), and an autobiography entitled “Half of a
Century” (1881).
SWORD, James Brade, painter, b. in Phila-
delphia, Pa., 11 Oct., 1839. His early life was spent
in China, and he subsequently travelled extensive-
ly in the United States, sketching, and also in the
service of the government surveys. During 1861-'2
he studied under Christian Schussele at the Penn-
sylvania academy. He has been president of the
Philadelphia society of artists since 1878, and di-
rector of the art club since 1887. His works in-
clude " Quail Shooting," " Peep into Lake George,"
" Trenton Falls," " Silver-Thread Falls," " Mystery
of the Sea," and " Something in the Wind."
SWORDS, Robert Smith, author, b. in New
York city, 12 July, 1816 ; d. in Newark, N. J., 15
Jan., 1881. He was graduated at Columbia in
1834, and after studying law for three years with
Daniel Lord was admitted to the bar. Soon after
this he formed a partnership with Sylvester Ward
which lasted ten years, when he retired from the
practice of his profession, in the mean time serving
during several years as judge-advocate for the city
of New York. In 1849 he settled on Passaic river,
opposite Belleville, N. J., and while living there
was for twelve years a magistrate for Union town-
ship. Although an earnest Democrat and an op-
ponent of the administration of President Lincoln,
he placed his services at the disposal of the govern-
ment, in August, 1862, was commissioned lieuten-
ant-colonel of the 13th New Jersey volunteers, and
was with his regiment in the battles of Antietam
and South Mountain, being wounded in the former
engagement. He resigned in 1863 and removed to
Newark, N. J., where he afterward resided. For
many years he was secretary of the Board of trade
of Newark, and he was corresponding secretary of
the New Jersey state agricultural society, treasurer
of the New Jersey society for the prevention of
cruelty to animals, and treasurer of the Board of