Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Swartwout, Robert

SWARTWOUT, Robert (swart'-out), soldier, b. in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., in 1778 ; d. in New York city, 19 July, 1838. He was the son of Abraham, a Revolutionary soldier, and became a colonel of New York militia. After serving from August till November, 1812, in his native state, he was appointed quartermaster-general, with the rank of brigadier, 21 March, 1813, and had charge of the 4th brigade in the campaign of 1813 on St. Lawrence river, succeeding to the command on the fall of Gen. Leonard Covington at the battle of Chrysler's Field. After the war he resided in New York city, where he was a merchant and also agent of the navy. As the result of a political quarrel he fought a duel with Richard Riker, recorder of New York, in which the latter was wounded. — His brother, Samuel, b. in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., in 1783 ; d. in New York city, 21 Nov., 1856, accompanied Aaron Burr in his expedition in 1805, fought in the war of 1812, and afterward became a merchant in New York. He was captain of a city troop called the Iron Grays, celebrated by the poet Halleck, and was appointed collector of the port of New York by President Jackson, between whom and himself a strong personal attachment existed. Together with his brothers he owned all the meadows that lie between Hoboken and Weehawken and all the tract between Hackensack river and the approach to Newark. Fitz-Greene Halleck, in the concluding stanza of one of the "Croakers," says:

" Sam Swartwout ! where are now thy Grays?
Oh, bid again their banner blaze
O'er hearts and ranks unbroken !
Let drum and fife your slumbers break,
And bid the devil freely take
Your meadows at Hoboken."

— His nephew, Samuel, naval officer, b. in New York city, 10 May, 1804; d. in Brooklyn, N. Y., 5 Feb., 1867, entered the navy as a midshipman, 10 May, 1820, became passed midshipman, 4 June, 1831, and in 1834-'5 cruised in the schooner " Grampus," suppressing piracy in the West Indies, and in 1836-'7 in the " St. Louis " on the same duty. He was promoted to lieutenant, 9 Feb., 1837, was inspector of provisions and clothing at the New York navy-yard in 1841-'5, and cruised in the sloop "Vincennes" in the East Indies in 1845-'7, after which he was stationed at the New York navy-yard until 1850. In 1851 he served on the coast survey. He was promoted to commander, 14 Sept., 1855, and had the steamer "Massachusetts," of the Pacific squadron, in 1855-'7, during which time he had several engagements with Indians in Puget sound. In 1861-'3 he commanded the sloop " Portsmouth," of the Western Gulf blockading squadron, in which he took part in the engagements with Forts Jackson and St. Philip, on the lower Mississippi river, and the consequent capture of New Orleans. He was then placed on waiting orders, his health failed, and he was retired, 10 May. 1866. His sister, Frances, married Admiral Charles II. Bell.