WILLIAM HENRY SWEET -- 96th INFANTRYWILLIAM WALLACE SWEET -- 118th INFANTRYBECAME CASUALTIES IN VIRGINIA IN 1864 - Two distantly related WilliamSweets enlisted in Clinton County, William Henry Sweet and WilliamWallace Sweet. Both were farmers who enlisted in Mooers but in differentregiments. Coincidentally they were on the same battlefield when theybecame casualties.The first was the son of Solomon Sweet and Eliza Sweet. He was born inAlburgh, VT, in 1842, and enlisted in the 96th Infantry on October 26,1861. He was mustered in as a corporal on November 17th and promotedsergeant on January 21, 1863. Two months later he re-enlisted as aveteran, on January 21, 1864.The 96th had their first engagement in March and spent the rest of theyear in the Petersburg area. In May and June William survived heavyfighting while the regiment had over 300 casualties. Their next majorengagement was at Chaffin's Farm and William was killed in action onSeptember 29th. He was originally buried at Cox's Farm, VA, but wasreinterred at the Fort Harrison National Cemetery. There are also twostones in the Union Cemetery commemorating his life. Was his bodybrought home by the family?The second William was born at Caldwell Manor in Quebec to WilliamSamuel Sweet and Jane Parks. He enlisted in the 118th as a private onAugust 21, 1862, but a week later, became a corporal. For two years hesurvived with the 118th Infantry, until, on October 27, 1864, he wastaken prisoner and taken to Salisbury Prison. After four months he wasreleased by April 1865, he was home in Mooers.After he married Barbara Davenport, the couple moved to Freeborn County,MN. They farmed there for the rest of their lives.The Sweet families are members of the United Empire Loyalists who wentto Quebec during the Revolution and who gradually filtered south againin the early 1800s. Many descendants in the Towns along the Canadianborder in Clinton County.
