Benjamin Sweet

Sweet was born Benjamin Jeffery Sweet on April 24, 1832, in New York City. He later moved to Chilton, Wisconsin. Sweet died on January 1, 1874. He had two noteworthy daughters: Ada Celeste Sweet was a social reformer and pioneer for women serving in government office; Winifred Bonfils (born Martha Winifred Sweet) was a journalist and humanitarian. ==Political career==

Sweet was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate. He later served as Deputy Commissioner of Internal Revenue of the United States from 1872 until his death. ==Military career==

Soon after the outbreak of the American Civil War, on July 16, 1861, Sweet joined the 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment of the Union Army and was given the rank of major. On September 17, 1861, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel. Sweet's efforts to prevent the conspirators from achieving their objective earned him the thanks of the United States Department of War. On December 12, 1864, President Lincoln awarded Sweet the rank of brevet brigadier general of volunteers to rank from December 20, 1864, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the award on February 14, 1865. Sweet resigned from the army on September 19, 1865. He died from a sudden illness in 1874. ==References==