Title	Mr.
Last Name	Swanton
First Name	Edward
Middle Name
Maiden Name
Nick Name
Place of Birth
Date of Birth	1846-04-10
Place of Death	Bangor, ME
Date of Death	1909-01-27
Publication	The Eastern Gazette 2-4-1909, p.5
Obituary	Death of Edward Swanton. Edward Swanton, formerly of this place, died in Bangor, Wednesday, Jan. 27, after a long illness. Mr. Swanton had resided in this town much of the time until several months ago when he went to Bangor to reside. The deceased had a record as a soldier in the Civil war equal to any in this section. He served as a private in Co. D. of the 2Oth Maine Infantry, volunteers. He has the distinction of having been the man who sounded the long roll which summoned the troops from their barracks at Washington on the night of the murder of President Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth April 14,1865. The deceased was born on April 10 1846, and was mustered into the United States service Aug. 25, 1862. He was assigned to Co. D of the 20th Maine. He went with that regiment in all of its engagements as a private in the ranks and during the winter of '62 and '63 he remained in quarters at Rappahannock station. On May 4, 1863, the regiment crossed the Rapidan river at Germania Fords and formed in line of battle. In this fight the regiment lost heavily and on the two following days the regiment saw some hot fighting at Laurel hill. He was transferred to the invalid corps in June, 1863, the regiment then being at Baltimore, where he was assigned as drummer boy of the 10th Veteran Relief corps. This relief corps went with the troops to Jamaica, L. I., at the time of the riots in New York city and it was in these riots that Mr. Swanton received a bad wound. In consequence of this wound, he was unable to attend to the duties of a drummer and after doing patrol duty for a time, he was assigned as orderly to General Dix. Upon his recovery he went back to Baltimore and again took up the duties of a drummer boy. From that city, he went with his regiment to Washington, where the 20th Maine with other regiments was quartered about the monument of Gen. Washington., On the night of the assassination of Lincoln, Mr. Swanton was at Ford's theatre. His pass from camp ran out at nine o'clock. He had barely gotten back into camp and had just "turned in" when an officer came riding through the camps asking for a drum major. Unable to find the drum major, the officer ordered Drummer Swanton to sound the long roll which summoned the sleeping troops. Mr. Swanton was afterwards with the drum corps which formed a part of the escort to the remains of the dead President from the White House to the Capitol. He was honorably discharged on June 27, 1865. The deceased was born in Bangor and came to Dexter at the age of 10 years, and became a well-known and much-respected citizen of this town. He was a member of Gen. Hancock Post of Andover, Mass., a member of Samoset lodge of Foresters of Dexter, Me., and a charter member of Good Cheer lodge, I. 0. 0. F., of Guilford, Maine. In 1875 he was married to Mrs. Abbie R. Potter of Sangerville. They afterward resided in Dexter, where Mr. Swanton worked for the firm of Morse & Bridges twenty four years. About six years ago he moved to Massachusetts and was employed in the navy yard at Charlestown until a year ago, when ill health obliged him to return to Maine. The past year he spent in Bangor, where he made many friends. Besides his wife, he leaves one daughter, Mrs. Frank Healey of New York. Services were held at the Universalist church at Dexter, Saturday forenoon, Rev. Stanley Gates Spear officiating. Beautiful selections were sung by Mrs. Arthur Abbott and Mrs. S. L. Small. The bearers were O. W. Bridges, C. H. Batchelder, W. H. Snell and O. E. Blackden. Hutchinson & Gates had charge of the arrangements. The interment was at Mt. Pleasant cemetery. Besides the family, those present from out of town were Mrs. Fanny Weymouth of Bangor and George Jewett of Exeter, Me.