America 250, Caleb Sweet: An Original Member of the Society of the Cincinnati

1790, George Washington wearing the Society of the Cincinnati medal

Caleb Godfrey Sweet, born on October 12, 1732, in Kingston, Washington County (then part of Kings County), Rhode Island, was a notable figure in early American history as a physician, Revolutionary War surgeon, and one of our 5th great-grandfathers. 

He lived a long life, passing away on December 12, 1831, at age 99 in Galway, Saratoga County, New York, where he is buried. Sweet came from a Rhode Island family with roots in the colony's early settlement; his father, Thomas Sweet (1703–1763), and mother, Tabitha Bentley (1706–1755), were part of the region's English-descended Protestant community. 

In 1751, at around age 19, he married Isabell Sherman (also known as Isabel Babcock Sherman) in Rhode Island; she was born around 1727 and died in 1813. The couple had at least two documented daughters: Tabitha Sweet (born 1762) and Mary Sweet (1770–1846), the latter of whom married Solomon Brown (1765–1839) and had seven children, including Andrew (1790–1883), Francis P. (1794–1878), +Samuel R. (1798–1877), Gilbert (1800–1881), Justus (1802–1890), Emelia "Millie" (1806–1839), and Lydia (1809–1860). Family records suggest Sweet's descendants spread across New York and beyond, with some branches documented in Oswego County histories, reflecting migration patterns common among post-Revolutionary veterans seeking land grants or new opportunities in frontier areas.

Sweet's professional life centered on medicine, and he trained as a surgeon before the war. By the outbreak of the American Revolution, he had relocated to New York, where he served with distinction in the Continental Army. He initially held the rank of surgeon in the 4th New York Regiment from 1775 to 1776, providing medical care during the early chaotic phases of the conflict, including potential involvement in the defense of New York. He later transferred to the 1st New York Regiment, authorized on May 25, 1775, and organized in New York City from late June to early August of that year. 

As the regiment's surgeon, Sweet would have treated wounds, illnesses, and injuries amid grueling campaigns. The 1st New York participated in major actions, including the ill-fated Invasion of Canada (1775–1776), the naval Battle of Valcour Island on Lake Champlain (October 1776), the pivotal Battles of Saratoga (1777) that turned the tide of the war, the Battle of Monmouth (1778), the Sullivan Expedition against Loyalist and Native American forces in upstate New York (1779), and the decisive siege at Yorktown (1781). 

The unit was furloughed on June 2, 1783, at Newburgh, New York, and formally disbanded on November 15, 1783, marking the war's effective end. Contemporary accounts describe Sweet as a dedicated officer, and some family narratives place him as a member of General George Washington's staff at points during the war, likely in a medical advisory or direct support role given the Continental Army's need for experienced surgeons close to command.

Sweet's connection to George Washington appears to stem from both his wartime service and postwar recognition. While direct evidence of personal interactions is sparse in surviving records, Sweet's role as a surgeon in key regiments under Washington's overall command suggests he may have provided medical support during campaigns where Washington was present, such as Monmouth or Yorktown. More concretely, Washington, as the first President General of the Society of the Cincinnati, awarded Sweet the society's insignia—often referred to as the "Order of Cincinnati" or its eagle medal—on December 4, 1785. 

This honor, presented to Sweet as "Caleb Sweet Esquire, MD, Surgeon of the late 1st New York Regiment," symbolized his contributions and was a prestigious mark of Washington's personal endorsement, as the society's early certificates and medals were often signed or authorized by him. Family lore and historical sketches emphasize this as a direct link, highlighting Sweet's status among Washington's trusted officers.

Sweet was an Original Member (O.M.) of the Society of the Cincinnati, the oldest hereditary patriotic organization in the United States, founded on May 13, 1783, at Fishkill, New York, by officers of the Continental Army to commemorate their service and preserve the ideals of the Revolution. 

Named after the Roman hero Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, who relinquished power after saving the republic, the society aimed to perpetuate memories of independence, foster fraternal bonds among officers, promote national unity, and provide mutual aid to members, their widows, and orphans. Membership was restricted to officers who served at least three years in the Continental Army or Navy (or until the war's end), or those who died in service, with heredity passing to eldest male heirs via primogeniture. About 5,500 officers were eligible, with roughly 2,150 joining initially; militiamen were generally excluded unless they served in the Continental Line. Sweet qualified as a surgeon in the 1st New York Regiment, part of the New York State Society branch. 

The society's insignia, a bald eagle medal designed by Pierre L'Enfant in 1783, featured blue and white colors symbolizing the Franco-American alliance and depicted Cincinnatus receiving a sword and returning to his plow. Washington served as its first President General from 1783 until his death in 1799, and the organization faced early controversy for its hereditary aspect, seen by critics like Thomas Jefferson as aristocratic, though it persisted with modifications. 

Today, it maintains 14 constituent societies (13 in the U.S. and one in France) and focuses on historical preservation, education, and awards like the Society of the Cincinnati Prize for Revolutionary War scholarship. Sweet's membership underscores his elite status among Revolutionary officers and his enduring legacy in American patriotic heritage.

Notes:

• Some records confuse Sweet with other Calebs (e.g., a Dr. Caleb Sweet born 1743, died 1798), but the 1732–1831 details align consistently with our family tree and primary sources.
• Postwar, Sweet settled in upstate New York, possibly on veteran land bounties, and practiced medicine in civilian life.
• His story reflects broader themes of the era: colonial mobility, wartime sacrifice, and the formation of American identity through societies like the Cincinnati.

A special thank you to Grok xAI for the updated and enhanced information.