Biography of Silvius Emory Sweet, St Francis County, AR

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Submitted by: Paul V Isbell
        Date: 19 Nov 2008
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SWEET, 	SILVIUS	EMORY City Cemetery

1-5-1912 COLONEL SWEET REMINISCENT=Widener, Dec. 30, 1911-For the past 15 days,
whenever you meet a man his first words are, did you ever see so much rain and
mud in your life. I have frequently, but especially forty nine years ago, on the
15th of December,, when the 19th Tennessee Infanty was detached from the Army at
Murphreesboro and sent to LaVergne fifteen miles from Nashville, and there
employed as skirimishers to combat the whole Yankee army, until we reached Racon
creek on the night of Dec. 28th, where we burned the bridge, and delayed the
battle of Murphreesboro one day, the Yankees having to rebuild the bridge before
they could cross with their artillery. The rain having ceased on the night of
the 29th, on the night of the 30th, we were placed in line of battle on the
north bank of the Stone river, the ground frozen hard, we were not allowed a
spark of fire or light; the Yankee army in line on the Wilkerson Pike with a
battery composed of eighteen Napoleon guns, with their line of pickets and
sharpshooters only 300 yards in front. We had orders from the commanding
general, detailed each regiment by the Adjutant, to watch for the sky rocket
that would go up in the town of Murphreesboro the next morning, for Cheatham's
Division to open fire and advance on the enemy. We caught the Yankees napping,
and got some of their good coffee and ham, something we had not had in a long
time. I would like to know how many in St. Francis county today who were on that
memorable field. And well do I remember on the night of the 31st, in line of
battle all night, still cold and without light, and on Jan. 1st, when the
gallant General Raines charged those masked field pieces on the Murphreesboro
Pike and thereby lost his own life, three comrades who were there, W. H. Coffey,
W. H. McDaniel, and J. B. Hodges have crossed the river. I know no others
besides myself, but possibly many others in this county were there. I had the
honor, or misfortune to be there myself. I held the rank of high private in the
rear rank of Company C, 9th Tennessee Infantry; since the close of war, I have
held higher positions, having reached the rank as Colonel. Respectfully, S.
Emory Sweet. Our Senior, Col. Edwin Landvoight, was in this memorable fight, as
a member of the organization known throughout the army as "Clay King's
Hellhounds, " which was stationed on Breckinridges's right. Ed Vadakin, The
Times.

Copyright With Permission: 1905 Art Souvenir-Forrest City Times NewspaperWeston
McCollum Lewey, Publisher-Times Herald Publishing-Forrest City, Arkansas