In this book, Rhea chronicles the life and career of a Civil War soldier and South Carolina politician whom he considers to be a “giant” in the Black freedom struggle (153). Born into a free Black family and raised in Pennsylvania and New York, Swails enlisted in the famous 54th Massachusetts in 1863, serving in numerous engagements and ultimately rising through the ranks to First Lieutenant, despite prohibitions on Black men receiving officers’ commissions in the United States Army. After the war, Swails settled in Kingstree, South Carolina, where he raised a family, practiced law, and served actively in Republican politics. He held many elected offices during Reconstruction, including mayor of Kingstree and state senator (also serving as speaker pro tempore of the South Carolina state senate).
Rhea devotes a substantial portion of the biography to piecing together Swails’ service in the 54th Massachusetts, when, as Rhea argues, Swails served...