Thanks for this. We have Franklin's diary from 1865. He made entries for the month of January through the 29th. The records show that he died March 4, 1865.

The entries are very brief. He writes of being at a "retreat" and of being at "harper" and "St Maris" (sic, probably St. Mary's) hospitals apparently caring for soldiers suffering from measels. Harper Hospital in Detroit opened in 1864 to care for Civil War soldiers and there was also a St. Mary's Hospital in the area which had opened in 1846.

Franklin complains of severe headaches and fever over the last few entries. We think he probably was not with the main body of Company H, but had been detached to tend to soldiers sent to Detroit and while there contracted a disease which killed him.

That's as much as we know and obviously we are speculating a lot. Any additional information that can help us flesh this out further would be greatly appreciated.