CHAPTER XIV.

THE EPIDEMIC OF 1866 IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

IN 1866, the depots from which recruits were distributed to the various regiments were Governor's Island in New York harbor and Carlisle Barracks in Pennsylvania-Governor's Island for the infantry, Carlisle for the cavalry arms of the service. Recruits reached these depots after enlistment had been accomplished at the various rendezvous; the rendezvous were located in all the principal cities of the United States, and in that portion of those cities in which the classes from which recruits for the army are obtained do most congregate. A recruit at either rendezvous or depot is not deprived of his liberty, but when off duty is permitted to leave the confines of military jurisdiction at the pleasure of his commanding officer. During the months of April, May, June, and the early days of July, 1866, there was no actual reason why recruits should be rigidly confined to Governor's Island; the presumption is that they were not so confined, but that they had mixed with their fellows in both New York and Brooklyn. A large proportion of all recruits secured for the army are of foreign birth, and it is probable that among the nearly four thousand (4,000) emigrants who arrived at New York during the months of April and May, 1866, on cholera-infected ships, many were friends of newly enlisted soldiers on Governor's Island.

On the 3d of July, two (2) cases of cholera occurred among the recruits on Governor's Island. On the 8th of July cholera broke out on Hart's Island in recruits who had been sent there from Governor's Island. At this post a severe epidemic occurred, and the garrison was removed to David's Island, where a few new cases occurred among the troops so transferred. One case occurred at Fort Schuyler in the person of an officer who had slept on a steamboat used the day before in transporting the cholera-infected command between Hart's and David's Islands. The other garrisons in New York harbor escaped, nor did any cases occur among enlisted men on detached duty in New York city. The total number of cases reported among these infected troops was one hundred and eightyone (181) with seventy-five (75) deaths.

The first point at which occurred an explosion of cholera, known to have been contracted at a military post in New York harbor, was Boston, Mass., where, on the 19th of July, a soldier who had been on duty in the cholera hospital died at the Soldiers' Rest.

On the 14th of July the steamship San Salvador left New York for Savannah, Georgia, with seventy (70) cabin passengers, sixty (60) in crew and steerage, and four hundred and seventy-six (476) recruits for the Seventh U. S. Infantry. The troops were between decks and much over

The

crowded. On the steamer cholera broke out among the enlisted men, and when she arrived at quarantine below the city of Savannah, on the 18th, three (3) cases had died and twenty-five (25) were under treatment. troops were landed on Tybee Island. A camp and hospital were established and two hundred and two (202) cases of cholera with one hundred and sixteen (116) deaths occurred. "The cabin passengers and crew of the San Salvador appear to have escaped, but of the ten (10) white citizens residing on Tybee Island nine (9) were seized with cholera shortly after the arrival of the San Salvador and five (5) died. The tenth fled from the island and is reported to have died of cholera in the interior."

No cases of cholera occurred among the troops stationed in Savannah, and none are reported as occurring among citizens.

Detachments of recruits from New York harbor were received at Jackson Barracks, New Orleans, La., on July 8th from the steamship Mariposa, on July 16th by steamship Livingston, and on July 23d from Carlisle Barracks via New York harbor on steamship Merrimac. At quarantine station below New Orleans, two or three sick soldiers had been taken from the Livingston; one case died. As to the steamship Mariposa no record can be found, but on the 12th of July, four days after the reported arrival of the Mariposa, cases of cholera occurred among citizens of New Orleans. The steamer Livingston left New York harbor on July 8th, having on board a detachment of five hundred and nineteen recruits (519) from Hart's Islandall in good health. On the first day out a case of diarrhoea occurred which terminated fatally the next day. Ŏn the seventh day out a second recruit was taken with cholera and died in a few hours. On July 15th, the Livingston reached the Mississippi river quarantine, and put off two recruits sick with diarrhoea, one of whom died. On the 16th of July the command was disembarked at Jackson Barracks, two cases of cholera were sent to hospital, one of whom died with choleraic symptoms. On the 29th of July the steamer Merrimac arrived and landed some two hundred (200) recruits at Jackson Barracks.

On the 25th of July a case of cholera occurred at Jackson Barracks in the person of one of the recruits received from the Livingston. From this date the disease spread rapidly among the troops at Jackson Barracks, and in the city of New Orleans; it is reported that from July to October 31st, one thousand one hundred and eighty (1,180) deaths occurred among citizens, and one hundred and seventy-three (173) deaths among the U. S. troops.

Cholera was carried to Forts Jackson and St. Philip below New Orleans, on the river, by troops returning to their posts after the riots of July 30th. The first case occurred August 10th, and was followed by sixteen (16) cases and eleven (11) deaths.

August 3d, cholera developed at Greenville, La., among troops returning from duty in New Orleans during the riot. August 17th, cholera was reported among the troops at Baton Rouge, La., and during the next two months there were sixty-nine (69) cases and forty-three (43) deaths. At Ship Island, Miss., there was a fatal case of cholera on Sept. 8th, which was followed by other cases, among military convicts.

September 22d the disease appeared at Shreveport, La., where eleven. (11) cases with four (4) deaths occurred in the command. From the city of New Orleans cholera was carried by troops into the State of Texas. On the 19th of July the detachment of recruits which had arrived at New Orleans on the steamer Livingston from New York harbor were embarked

on the steamer Texas for the city of Galveston, where they arrived July 22d. The day after arrival at Galveston a recruit was taken with cholera and died in thirty-six hours, and in the ten days following thirteen (13) cases occurred among these recruits, of whom six (6) died, with an average duration of the disease of about eighteen hours. The disease existed among the troops at Galveston during the succeeding month (August) with a total of forty-four (44) cases and twenty-four (24) deaths.

The headquarters of the department of Texas being at Galveston, the main body of troops and recruits who arrived at that city, did not remain for any considerable length of time, but were speedily forwarded to different regiments and posts. At the distance from records at which I write

I am unable to give full information of such movements.

The history of the two hundred (200) cavalry recruits who had arrived at New Orleans July 24th, on the steamer Merrimac, must now be followed out. On being disembarked, these recruits were encamped near Jackson Barracks for a few days. On the fourth or fifth day after landing a case of cholera, which proved fatal, occurred among them, when the detachment was promptly forwarded to Texas. They were placed on one of the Morgan Gulf line steamers, and were transported to Indianola, Texas, making a stop at Galveston. The date of the departure of this detachment from New Orleans was probably August 5th, they arrived off Galveston probably on August 8th, and the disembarkation at Indianola was probably August 9th or 10th. I am informed by an officer who accompanied this detachment from Carlisle Barracks, Penn., to San Antonio, Texas, that after arrival at Indianola the recruits were transferred to the deck of a schooner and carried to Lavaca, from whence they were transported by rail to Victoria, and that they were marched from the latter point to San Antonio, a distance of fifty miles, arriving at San Antonio probably between August 19th and 20th, and although no cases of cholera are known to have occurred among them after leaving New Orleans, diarrhoeas were prevalent.

From Galveston cholera was carried by the movement of recruits to White's Ranch on the Rio Grande, where it occurred August 13th; to Brownsville, August 20th; to Brazos Santiago, August 21st; at these three (3) posts three hundred and eleven (311) cases with one hundred and fortynine (149) deaths occurred. By Mexican freight trains cholera was carried from the Rio Grande to San Antonio, where the first case occurred at the San Juan Mission, six miles from the city, on the 2d day of September in a person who had just arrived in one of these trains from the Rio Grande.

From the Mission the disease was carried into the city of San Antonio in the person of a Mrs. DeWitt, who had been taken ill at the first stated point. Other cases among citizens rapidly followed, and an epidemic was established. At this time the 4th U. S. Cavalry and a detachment of the 17th U. S. Infantry were stationed at San Antonio. These troops, so soon as the epidemic presence was known, were ordered to camp upon the Medina, a distance of twelve miles from the city. Asst. Surgeon P. V. Schenck reports, relating to the 4th U. S. Cavalry: "The time for moving proved, peculiarly unfortunate, for when one-half of the command had moved, a flood of before unheard-of severity came, causing the river to overflow the camp and converting that which had been dry into a huge mudhole." In this condition of affairs cholera broke out in the camp (September 7th) in the person of one of the two hundred recruits just before received, and

1 Report of Surgeon E. P. Vollum, U. S. A.

spread with great rapidity. At or near the same date cholera attacked that portion of the cavalry regiment that was in San Antonio. So soon as the roads became dry enough to move, these companies were moved to camp, a cholera hospital established, and every effort was made to stamp out the disease. The greatest mortality was reached on the 19th and 20th of September when the disease rapidly diminished, and on the close of the month had entirely disappeared.

On the 15th of September the detachment of the 17th U. S. Infantry left San Antonio for camp on the Medina; up to that date no cholera had been among them, although they had been surrounded by the epidemic. This camp was made at some distance from the cavalry camp; strict nonintercourse was maintained, and every sanitary precaution adopted; Asst. Surgeon W. M. Austin, U. S. Army, reports: "Notwithstanding, cholera did appear; though it did not spread, nor last long. I trace its origin to the fact that two Mexican teamsters coming from the town stopped one night near the camp and died from cholera. I immediately had them and their effects buried, kindled a large fire on spot where they died, and disinfected it; a sentry kept the men away; two days after, cholera appeared in camp." In these two commands three hundred and eighty-seven (387) cases occurred with sixty-four (64) deaths.

Dr. Austin states that

The epidemic was violent in San Antonio. those unprejudiced estimated the deaths at about five hundred, and that though the real number of deaths was studiously concealed, it was known that forty-five permits for burial were issued in one day. Dr. Schenck estimates the deaths at nearly six hundred in a population greatly diminished by those that fled. He gives an interesting account of a Roman Catholic College in the center of the city which was filled with students, who closed their doors and allowed no one to enter or depart, and who escaped the disease entirely.

I am

At Indianola, cholera became epidemic about September 5th. not able to record all the arrivals of recruits and of troops at this point during the year; but a point of interest has come to my knowledge în relation to the two hundred cavalry recruits from New Orleans. I am informed by the officer before referred to, who accompanied this detachment, that when they were landed from the New Orleans steamer no supply of drinking water had been obtained for the command, and that they, suffering extremely from thirst, had been allowed to leave camp and obtain water for themselves. These recruits probably visited all portions of the town.

In September a detachment of one hundred recruits for the 5th U. S. Cavalry, then stationed at Austin, Texas, arrived at Indianola, where they were attacked with cholera. They were marched out of town at once, but before reaching Austin, ten (10) deaths occurred. When a few miles from the city they were quarantined, but this quarantine was reported by Assistant Surgeon Bacon, U. S. A., as "imperfect." imperfect." Seven (7) deaths, occurred and soon after the arrival of this detachment two (2) fatal cases occurred among the troops in the city; but the disease died with them and no new cases occurred until the following November, when ten (10) cases occurred, all of which were fatal.

The movements of other bodies of recruits from New York harbor requires some consideration. It has been stated that during this epidemic one hundred and eighty-one (181) cholera cases with seventy-eight (78) deaths had occurred on Governor's, Hart's and David's Islands, New York harbor. These cholera cases were, however, accompanied, at the three (3)

posts at which they occurred, by forty-nine (49) cases of cholera morbus, among whom no deaths occurred, and one thousand one hundred and fiftysix (1,156) cases of acute diarrhoea among whom one (1) death was reported; and it is not unreasonable to suppose that through the dejecta of persons suffering from acute diarrhoea the area of epidemic influence was extended.

A detachment of one hundred and forty-five (145) recruits arrived at Vicksburg, Miss., from Governor's Island on the 11th of July. August 21st a barber employed among the troops died of cholera; the next day (22d) two fatal cases occurred in the command and fifty-nine (59) cases of cholera with twenty-five (25) deaths followed. July 17th a detachment of fifty-one (51) recruits from Governor's Island arrived at Jackson, Miss. In this command during August and September there were eight (8) cholera cases and six (6) deaths. During the five months ending with December, 213 cases of acute diarrhoea, occurred with two deaths.

From the 16th to 19th days of July, detachments of recruits from Governor's Island amounting to three hundred and sixty-four (364) men arrived at the U. S. Barracks in the city of Louisville, Ky. On arrival diarrhoeas prevailed among them. A fatal case of cholera in the person of a recruit occurred July 29th, followed by two fatal cases on the 31st, thirty-six (36) cases with twenty-three (23) deaths in all. It was reported that more than 50 per cent. of the cases were from one company which was chiefly composed of recruits. Reports at the time divided the command for purposes of observation into three classes, viz: I. Old soldiers; II. Recruits who had enlisted at Louisville; III. Recruits received from New York Harbor. And it was determined that the New York recruits had suffered most severely, the post recruits less, and that the old soldiers had suffered but slightly. During July, August and September two hundred and twenty-one (221) cases of acute diarrhoea occurred in this command.

On the 31st of August the company, in which it is reported that more than 50 per cent. of the Taylor Barracks cases of cholera had occurred, was ordered to Bowling Green, Ky. On departure, this company left six (6) cholera cases in the post hospital. After arrival at Bowling Green and within the first three days, six (6) cases occurred, followed by two (2) other cases in month of November; all recovered. In this command there were sixteen cases of acute diarrhoea.

A most interesting local epidemic is to be found in the history of the 56th U. S. Colored Infantry, which regiment, until the 7th of August, had been stationed at Helena and Duvall's Bluff, Arkansas. Being ordered to St. Louis, Missouri, they moved in two detachments from Helena. Five (5) companies that had been stationed at Duvall's Bluff, on White river, were embarked August 9th on the Mississippi river steamer Continental. The regimental headquarters and remaining five (5) companies following on August 10th on the steamer Platte Valley. A special inspection of the post of Duvall's Bluff made by the Medical Director of the Department of Arkansas on the 1st of September failed to discover the presence of cholera there, although it had been reported that fatal cases had occurred on steamboats plying the White river. The disease did not appear at Helena until August 30th, therefore this regiment at the date of embarkation on the steamers Continental and Platte Valley were most probably free from cholera infection. The regimental commander reported that both boats were large and had the usual accommodations, and that the command had been unusually healthy during the summer. Cholera broke out on the Continental shortly after leaving Helena; one