Sweeny
THOMAS WILLIAM, an American military officer; born in Cork, Ireland, Dec. 25, 1820; settled in the in 1832 and learned the printer's trade. In 1846 he was made 2d lieutenant in the 1st New York Volunteers; took part in the bombardment of Vera Cruz, and in the assault on Churubusco, where he greatly distinguished himself, and lost his right arm.
After the Mexican War he was commissioned 2d lieutenant in the 2d United States Infantry , and was often engaged against hostile Indians. In January, 1861, he was promoted captain and assigned to the command of the arsenal in St. Louis. In his command were only 40 while there were nearly 3,000 hostile minute men in St. Louis. He kept all enemies at bay by the threat that if any violence were attempted he would blow the place to atoms. He became a brigadier -general of volunteers in May, 1861, and later colonel of the 52d Illinois Volunteers, with which regiment he took part in the capture of Fort Donelson. the first day of the action at Shiloh he held the key of the Union position.
He was promoted major of the 16th United States Infantry in October, 1863.
During the Atlanta campaign his command captured Snake Creek gap. He also took part in the action at Dallas and mountain; but won his greatest distinction distinction on July 22, 1864, in the enbefore Atlanta. He was retired in May, 1870, with the rank of Brigadier- General U. S. A. He died in Astoria, L. I., April 10, 1892.
SWEEPSTAKES, a gaming transaction in which a number of persons join in contributing a certain stake, which becomes the property of one or several of the contributors on certain conditions.
Thus, in a sweepstakes for horses starting in a race, the owner of the winner receives the whole stakes, or a portion of law. In 1848 he became a member of break of the Civil War he recruited the the Wisconsin Legislature.
At the out- 21st and 22d Wisconsin regiments, becoming colonel of the former. During the battle of Perryville his regiment formed a part of a corps that through an entire day sustained an attack from the the engagement he received a wound whole army of General Bragg. During which permanently broke his health.
Early in 1864 he was placed in command of Camp Douglas, Chicago, where about 10,000 Confederates were imprisoned. In June he learned of a scheme by which the prisoners expected to effect their escape on July 4, and afterward to burn garrison and thus killed the plot. In the city. He immediately reinforced the the following November he discovered another plot to arm the prisoners and burn Chicago.
He had only 796 men in reinforcements. He thereupon sumthe garrison and it was too late to secure moned to his aid John T. Shanks, a Texas ranger, who was a prisoner and knew the Confederate officers, and arranged with him to discover the guilty parties.
So well did Shanks perform his task that hended. In recognition of this service the leaders of the plot were all appre- Sweet was promoted brigadier-general of volunteers. In January, 1872, he was made 1st Deputy Commissioner of Internal Revenue and removed to Washington, D.
C., where he died Jan. 1, 1874. sum- (Rosa rubiginosa), naturalized in the