Daniel M. Holt, a successful country doctor in the upstate village of Newport, New York, accepted the position of assistant surgeon in the 121st New York Volunteers in August 1862. At age 42 when he was commissioned, he was the oldest member of the staff. But his experience served him well, as his regiment participated in nearly all the major campaigns in the eastern theater of the war - Crampton's Gap before Antietam, Fredericksburg, Salem Church, the Mine Run campaign, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, the 1864 Shenandoah Valley campaign, and Appomattox.
In A Surgeon's Civil War, the educated and articulate Holt describes camp life, army politics, and the medical difficulties that he and his colleagues experienced. His reminiscences and letters provide an insider's look at medicine as practiced on the battlefield and offer occasional glimpses of the efficacy of Surgeon General William A. Hammond's reforms as they affected Holt's regiment. He also comments on other subject, including slavery and national events. Holt served until October 17, 1864, when ill health forced him to resign.

Reviews

A helpful addition to the histories of both medicine and the Civil War. From rural New York, Holt served with the 121st New York Infantry from September 1862 until October 1864, when he was granted a medical leave because of the tuberculosis that three years later ended his life. His letters to his wife and the diary he kept from May to October 1864 describe daily life in the army, with its boredom, frustration, flashes of intense activity, and occasional fear and terror. Holt's accounts of the fighting at Cold Harbor and in other battles present graphic descriptions of woundings and deaths; of courage, cowardice, and disjointedness; and especially of the appalling sights, odors, and sounds not only during the fighting but for days afterward. Gratifyingly, the editors' introductions and footnotes achieve just the right balance of pertinent information and context setting; they neither overwhelm the reader nor leave valid questions unanswered. William Beatty

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

Edward Bowditch Ltd
Exstowe, Exton, Exeter, EX3 0PP, United Kingdom

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

Legal entity name: Edward Bowditch Ltd
Legal entity form: Limited company
Business correspondence address: Exstowe, Exton, Exeter, EX3 0PP
Company registration number: 04916632
VAT registration: GB834241546
Authorised representative: Mr. E. Bowditch

Shipping Terms

Orders usually dispatched within two working days. Please note that at this time all domestic United Kingdom orders are sent by trackable UPS courier, we choose not to offer a lower cost alternative.

Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.

Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Order quantity	7 to 14 business days	2 to 3 business days
First item	US$ 16.80	US$ 33.60

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.