Swains in the War of 1812

As I was researching the Swains who fought in the War of 1812 today I came across this:

Swain,Joshua, “1814 Nov. 17,” The War of 1812 in the Collections of the Lilly Library, accessed January 29, 2015, http://collections.libraries.iub.edu/warof1812/items/show/1788

"Camp at Billingsport Novr 17th 1814
To the Quarter Guard you are hereby directed to keep the following named persons on the following charges until regularly discharged agreeable to the sentence of a court martial to wit.
Samuel  Warrick for desertion from Camp Novr 5th
John Conover for desertion same date
                                            Joshua Swain - Captain"


So what Swains actually fought in the War of 1812? Normal online searches for war records are always a little overwhelming for me. I never know if I'm looking at the same record over and over again or if they are actually different enlistments. I found on familysearch.org a database of all the enlistments for the War, arranged alphabetically by surname. I added the Swaims and the Swaine's although I wonder if I should be adding Swans or McSwains too as a few times these names get interchanged. This database can be found here:

Swaim, Benjamin, Sergeant; Richmond County Battalion (Conner's), New York Militia. 
Swaim, Elias, Private; Major Andruss' Detachment (1812), New Jersey Militia. 
Swaim, Elias, Private (originally filed under Swain, Elias); 2nd reg't Artillery, US Vols. (from New York) (Col. Samuel Hawkins)
Swaim, Jacob C., Private, Sergeant (originally filed under Swain, Jacob C); 1 Reg't Art'y (Sticher's), New York Vols. 
Swaim, Jacob C., Private; 2 Regiment (Mapes'), New York Militia.
Swaim, John, Private; 7 Reg't (Pearson's). North Carolina Mil. Image 
Swaim, Joseph, Private, Corporal; 1 Reg't (MacArthur's), Ohio Vols. and Mil. Image 
Swaim, Marshal, Private; Richmond County Battalion (Conner's). New York Militia. Image 
Swaim, Michael, 2 Luitenant) 7 Reg't (Pearson's) North Carolina Mil.
Swaim, Mortimus, Private;  Richmond County Battalion (Conner's). New York Militia. Image 
Swaim, William, 1 Leutinant, Captain; 3 Artillery Regiment. New York.
Swaime, Elias, Private (original filed under Swaine, Elias) ; 2nd Reg't Artillery, U.S. Vols.

Swain, Anson, Private; 121 Reg't (Stewart's), New York Militia. Image 460
Swain, Anthon, Private; 121 Reg't (Stewart's), New York Militia. Image 461
Swain, Benjamin, Boatswain; Sea Fencibles, United States Volunteers Image 462
Swain, Benjamin, Private, 2 Reg't (Patterson's) Pennsylvania Mil. Image 463
Swain, Calvin, Chaplain, 121 Reg't (Stewart's), New York Militia. Image 464. 
See "Brooklyn's Founder" for more information on Calvin Swain
Swain, Charles E, Private (see also James Gee), 6 Reg't (Sharp's) Virginia Militia
Swain, Charles W, Sergeant; Detachment Art'y (Bleecker's), New York (See also Charles W. Swaine)
Swain, Charles W. Sergeant; 3 Artillery Regiment, New York (See also Detachment Arty. (Bleeker's) N.Y.
Swain, Dudley L. Private, 2 Reg't (Waugh, Jr's) Massachussets Mil. Image 468
Swain, Elias, Private (see also Swaim, Elias); Major Andruss' Detachment (1812). New Jersey Militia. Image 469
Swain, Elias, Private, 1 Reg't (Dodd's) New Jersey Militia. image 470
Swain, Elias, Private, 3 Regiment U.S. Volunteers (From New York) (Lieut Col Alexander Denniston)
Swain, Elican, Private, 1 Reg't (Flower's) North Carolina Militia (See also Swaine, Elican)
Swain, Elyme, Private (original filed under Swain, Ezra), 121 Reg't (Stewart's), New York Militia. image 473
Swain, Ezra, Private. 121 Reg't (Stewart's), New York Militia. image 474
Swain, George, Private; Major King's Detachment, District of Columbia Militia. Image 475
Swain, Henry, Private; 10 Regiment (Barbour's), Mounted, Kentucky Vols. Image 476
Swain, Henry, Lieutenant; 17 Reg't (Beall's) Maryland Militia Image 477
Swain, Hiram, Sergeant; 2 Reg't  (Patterson's) Pennsylvania Mil.
Swain, Horace, Private; 16 Reg't (Stranahan's), New York Militia
Swain, Horace, Private; 18 Reg't (Dobbin's). New York Militia
Swain, Isaac; Thompson's Detachment, Pennsylvania Miliita
Swain, Isaiah, Drummer; Read's Battalion New Jersey Militia
Swain, Isaiah, Private; 4 Reg't (Washburn's) Massachussetts Mil.
Swain, Jacob, Private (Original filed under Swan, Jacob); Abraham's Reg't New Jersey Militia (Image 484)
Swain, Jacob, Private; Steven's Batt'n, New York Vols. and Mil. Image 485 & 486
Swain, Jacob, Corporal, 1 Reg't (Laight's), New York Militia
Swain, Jacob, Private; 6 Reg't (Merrill's) Massachussetts Militia
Swain, Jacob C., Private, Sergeant; 1 Reg't Art'y (Sitcher's), New York Vols
Swain, James, Lieutenant; Brunswick Reg't (Moore's) North Carolina Militia
Swain, James, Private; Col Claiborne's Reg't Mississippi Militia
Swain, James, Private; Youngblood's Reg't South Carolina Mil. Image 493
Swain, James, Private; 1 Reg't (Flower's) North Carolina Militia (See also James Swaine)
Swain, James, Private; 10 Reg't (Boswell's) Kentucky Militia
Swain, Jeremiah, Private; 1 Reg't (Fisk's) New Hampshire Militia
Swain, Jeremiah, Private; 3 Reg't (Dickinson's) Virginia Militia
Swain, Jeremiah, Private; 3 Reg't (Pew's), Georgia Militia
Swain, Jeremiah, Private; 5 Reg't Virginia Militia
Swain, Jesse, Private; Youngblood's Reg't South Carolina Mil. Image 499
Swain, Jesse, Private; 1 Reg't (Flower's) North Carolina Militia
Swain, Jesse, Private; 3 Reg't Sise's New Hampshire Militia
Swain, John, Seaman; Batt'n Sea Fencibles (Leonard's), New York (record of payroll on ancestry.com) This ancestry 
              record states that this John Swain was borne as Swan and that he was discharged on 2 Nov 1814. He was in 
              service at  Fort Diamond, N.T. and paid from 10 Sep 1814-2 Nov 1814

Swain, John, Private; Brunswick Reg't (Moore's) North Carolina Militia
Swain, John Jr., Private; Waldron's Command, New Hampshire Mil
Swain, John, Lieutenant; Captain Willis' Company, Delaware
Swain, John, Private; 1 Reg't (Dodge's), New York Militia (See also Cromeline, Armond)
Swain, John, Private; 2 Regiment (Swift's) New York Militia
Swain, John, Sergeant; 2 Regiment (Zumalt's) Ohio Militia
Swain, John, Private; 51 Reg't (Amey's), Maryland Militia
Swain, John Jr., Private; 121Reg't (Stewart's), New York Militia (record of payroll on ancestry.com)
Swain, John C., Hospital Attendants, Vermont
Swain, John S., Private; 17 Reg't (Beall's) Maryland Militia
Swain, Joseph, Private; 1 Reg't (McArthur's), Ohio Vols. and Mil.
Swain, Joseph, ----; 9 Reg't (1813) Delaware Militia
*Swain, Joshua, Captain; Howell's Regiment New Jersey Militia (See record above)
Swain, Joshua, Private; 1 Reg't (Flower's) North Carolina Militia
Swain, Joseph, Private; 1 Reg't (Taylor's) Virginia Militia
Swain, Josiah R, Private; 3 Reg't (Pew's) Georgia Militia
Swain, Levi, Private; Major Lillington's Detachment, North Carolina Militia
Swain, Matthias, Corporal; 2 Reg't (Seward's) New Jersey Militia 
Swain, Nathaniel, Private; Brimblecom's Reg't Massachussetts Mil.
Swain, Orlando, Private; Prior's Regiment, New York Militia
Swain, Paris, Private; Capt Stone Co. Cavalry, New York
Swain, Paris, Private; Swift's and Dobbin's Regiment (1814), New York Vols
Swain, Paris, Private; Cavalry Reg't (Willcock's), New York
Swain, Paris, Private; 12 Reg't Cavalry (Boughton's) New York Militia
Swain, Peter, Matross; Batt'n Art'y (Duscomb's), New York . (War of 1812)
Swain, Peter, Private; 1 Regiment (Dodge's), New York Militia
Swain, Richard, Private; 76 Reg't (Tucker's) New York Militia
Swain, Richard, Private; 76 Reg't (Tuttle's) New York Militia
Swain, Robert, Private; Consolidated Art'y and Infantry Reg't. New York Militia
Swain, Robert, Private; Captain Willis' Company, Delaware
Swain, Samuel, __; Keys' Regiment, Ohio Militia
Swain, Simeon, Private; 1 Reg't (Flower's) North Carolina Militia
Swain, Stephen, Private; 1 Reg't  (Flower's) North Carolina Militia
Swain, Sterling, Private; 4 Regiment (Booth's) Georgia Militia
Swain, Thomas, Waiter; 1 Brigade (McCobb's) Massachusset's Mil
Swain, Thomas, ___; 6 Reg't (Coleman's, January-May 1814), Virginia Militia. See also U.S. Service
Swain, Walter, Private, Sergeant; 2 Reg't (Snow's) Massachussetts Militia
Swain, William, Matross; Fleming's Detachment, New York Vols and Militia
Swain, William, Sergeant; 1 Reg't (Flower's) North Carolina Militia
Swain, William, Private; 1 Reg't (Flower's) North Carolina Militia
Swain, William, Private; 1 Regiment Rifleman (Humphrey's), Pennsylvania Militia (Original filed under McSwain, William)
Swain, William, Private; 9 Reg't (1813) Delaware Militia
Swain, William, Private; 10 Reg't (Boswell's) Kentucky Militia
Swain, William, Private; 17 Regiment (Beall's) Maryland Militia
Swain, William M, Private; 1 Regiment Rifleman (Humphrey's) Pennsylvania Militia (Original filed under McSwain, William)

Swaine, Jeremiah, Private; 4 Regiment Virginia Militia (Lieut Col. Lucas. Major Wills) (See also Swane, Jeremiah)
Swaine, John, Private; Battalion of Art'y (1813-1814), Virginia Mil
Swaine, Joshua, Private; 1 Reg't (Flower's) North Carolina Militia (See also Swain, Joshua)
Swaine, Levi, Private, Major Lillington's Detachment, North Carolina Militia (original filed under Swain, Levi)
Swaine, Simeon, Private; 1 Reg't (Flower's) North Carolina Militia (original under Swain, Simeon)
Swaine, William, Sergeant; 1 Reg't (Flower's) North Carolina Militia (original filed under Swain, William)
Swaine, William, Private; 1 Reg't (Flower's) North Carolina Militia (original filed under Swain, William)


I was hoping to find some of my Swain family members within the enlistment records; but alas, I could find no such connections without more research. I held the most hope in Tennessee and Georgia records but all 10 enlistments in Tennessee were of men with the last name of SWAN, and in Georgia only 3 of the 10 were SWAIN. It is interesting grouping the enlistments of all Swans, Swains and Swaims by state and regiment and seeing what individuals fought together. It makes you wonder if they were brothers who fought together or close relatives.

Along with listing the enlistments here in this post, I also made spreadsheet of the Swain and Swan names. On the fourth page of the spreadsheet you can see the Swains listed by state. If any of these Swains are your relatives email me. I'm curious to know whether they fought with their siblings, cousins, or other relation.

  Detailed Spreadsheat of Swains in War of 1812






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