“I Hope to Do My Country Service”: The Civil War Letters of John Bennitt, M.D., Surgeon, 19th Michigan Infantry

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“IHopetoDoMyCountryService” Great Lakes Books A complete listing of the books in this series can be found online at http://wsupress.wayne.edu Editors: Philip P. Mason Wayne State University Charles K. Hyde Wayne State University Advisory Editors: Jeffrey Abt Wayne State University Sidney Bolkosky University of Michigan–Dearborn Sandra Sageser Clark Michigan Bureau of History John C. Dann University of Michigan De Witt Dykes Oakland University Joe Grimm Detroit Free Press David Halkola Hancock, Michigan Richard H. Harms Calvin College Laurie Harris Pleasant Ridge, Michigan Susan Higman Detroit Institute of Arts Norman McRae Detroit, Michigan William H. Mulligan, Jr. Murray State University Erik C. Nordberg MichiganTechnological University Gordon L. Olson Grand Rapids, Michigan Michael D. Stafford Milwaukee Public Museum John Van Hecke Wayne State University Arthur M. Woodford St. Clair Shores Public Library “IHopetoDoMyCountryService” THE CIVIL WAR LETTERS OF JOHN BENNITT, M.D., SURGEON, 19TH MICHIGAN INFANTRY Editedby ROBERT BEASECKER WithaForewordby William M. Anderson Wayne State University Press Detroit © 2005 by Wayne State University Press, Detroit, Michigan 48201. All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without formal permission. Manufactured in the United States of America. 09 08 07 06 05 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Bennitt, John. I hope to do my country service : the Civil War letters of John Bennitt, M.D., surgeon, 19th Michigan Infantry / edited by Robert Beasecker ; with a foreword by William M. Anderson. p. cm. —(Great Lakes books series) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8143-3170-X (alk. paper) 1. Bennitt, John—Correspondence. 2. United States. Army. Michigan Infantry Regiment, 19th (1862–1865) 3. Michigan—History—Civil War, 1861–1865—Personal narratives. 4. United States—History—Civil War, 1861–1865—Personal narratives. 5. Physicians— United States—Correspondence. 6. Centreville (Mich.)—Biography. I. Beasecker, Robert, 1946– II. Title. III. Series. E514.519th .B46 2005 973.7⬘75⬘092—dc22 2004010963 The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48–1984. ForErika This page intentionally left blank ...