Bennet’s letter to Bernhisel is apparently not extant.

See Historical Introduction to Discourse, 6 May 1843.

Bennet was appointed inspector general of the Nauvoo Legion on 12 April 1842. It was Bennet’s responsibility “to inspect the Legion when called upon by the Lieutenant General and do and perform all other duties that in any wise appertain to the office of Inspector General.” (Certificate, Moses K. Anderson to James Arlington Bennet, Springfield, IL, 30 Apr. 1842, Thomas Carlin, Correspondence, Illinois State Archives, Springfield; Nauvoo Legion Minute Book, 8 July 1843, 60.)

Carlin, Thomas. Correspondence, 1838–1842. In Office of the Governor, Records, 1818–1989. Illinois State Archives, Springfield.

Nauvoo Legion Minute Book, 1843–1844. Nauvoo Legion, Records, 1841–1845. CHL. MS 3430, fd. 1.

Legion regulations required that uniforms conform with those of the United States Army. (Minutes, 3 Feb. 1841.)

In his correspondence with JS, Bennet regularly commented on the prospect of joining the church. He was a self-described “Philosophical Christian” who did “not believe in Special Revelation in any period of time” and who did not belong to any church. He advocated for the Saints because “he hate[d] persecution with a perfect hatred.” Bennet, however, noted that Latter-day Saint Willard Richards’s “arguments & extremely mild & gentlemanly demeanor almost made me a Mormon.” Bennet was also impressed by Bernhisel, whom he described as “a most excellent man & true Christian.” In Bennet’s 20 February 1843 letter to JS, he remarked, “I may join you myself before I die,” pointing to the potential of JS’s teachings to transform “bad men” into contributing members of society. Bennet was baptized by Brigham Young in October 1843 and described his baptism as “a glorious frolick in the clear blue ocean.” (Letter from James Arlington Bennet, 1 Sept. 1842; Letter from Willard Richards, 9 Aug. 1842, underlining in original; Letter from James Arlington Bennet, 16 Aug. 1842; Letter from James Arlington Bennet, 20 Feb. 1843; James Arlington Bennet, Arlington House, New Utrecht, NY, to JS, Nauvoo, IL, 24 Oct. 1843, JS Collection, CHL.)

When John C. Bennett was major general of the Nauvoo Legion, he offered a commission to James Gordon Bennett. In the 13 August 1842 issue of the New York Herald, James Gordon Bennett published a transcript of his commission as a brigadier general dated 2 June 1842 under the sarcastic heading “Rising in the World.” In the wake of John C. Bennett’s resignation from the legion and expulsion from the church, JS evidently sought to evaluate Bennett’s decisions as major general, including the commission of James Gordon Bennett. The advisability of recognizing James Gordon Bennett’s commission was further questioned after he published editorials critical of the Saints in the Herald in January 1843. Bernhisel’s comment may have been based on James Arlington Bennet’s negative opinion of James Gordon Bennett. Bennet remarked to JS on 20 February 1843 that James Gordon Bennett was “totally without the least particle of moral principle” and that he was “held by most all men of charactr in the greatest detestation.” Bennet further opined that Bennett lacked the “military knowlege” necessary to aid the Nauvoo Legion. JS subsequently denied that Bennett’s name appeared on the legion rank roll. (James Gordon Bennett, “Rising in the World,” New York Herald [New York City], 13 Aug. 1842, [2]; Letter to James Arlington Bennet, 8 Sept. 1842; “Springfield, Ill.,” New York Herald, 15 Jan. 1843, [2]; “Joe Smith in Trouble,” New York Herald, 16 Jan. 1843, [2]; Letter to Editor, ca. Feb. 1843; Letter from James Arlington Bennet, 20 Feb. 1843; Letter to James Arlington Bennet, 17–18 Mar. 1843.)

New York Herald. New York City. 1835–1924.

Bennett was born in Scotland, migrated to the United States in 1819, and did not become a United States citizen until 1849. Illinois law required commissioned officers who were eligible to hold a command to be citizens of the United States and residents of Illinois. (Fitch, Encyclopedia of Biography of New York, 179; “Bennett, James Gordon,” in New Encyclopedia Britannica, 2:105; New York Co., NY, Court of Common Pleas, Naturalization Records, 1792–1906, Bundle 81, Record 61, 2 May 1849, microfilm 961,952, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL; An Act for the Organization and Government of the Militia of This State [2 Mar. 1833], Public and General Statute Laws of the State of Illinois, p. 471, sec. 7.)

Fitch, Charles Elliot. The Encyclopedia of Biography of New York: A Life Record of Men and Women of the Past. The American Historical Society, NY: 1916.

The New Encyclopedia Britannica. 15th ed. 32 vols. Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica, 1986.

U.S. and Canada Record Collection. FHL.

The Public and General Statute Laws of the State of Illinois: Containing All the Laws . . . Passed by the Ninth General Assembly, at Their First Session, Commencing December 1, 1834, and Ending February 13, 1835; and at Their Second Session, Commencing December 7, 1835, and Ending January 18, 1836; and Those Passed by the Tenth General Assembly, at Their Session Commencing December 5, 1836, and Ending March 6, 1837; and at Their Special Session, Commencing July 10, and Ending July 22, 1837. . . . Compiled by Jonathan Young Scammon. Chicago: Stephen F. Gale, 1839.