July 26th—Private Ezekiel W. Hanaford, Company H, chills and fever. At St. James Hospital, New Orleans.
July 25th—Private John M. Gates, Company K, chronic diarrhœa. At Algiers.
July 26th—Private William H. Bickers, Company G, swelling of glands. At Algiers.
Sergeant Hackett (at one time an active member of old Barnicoat Engine No. 4, of Boston) was a clever man, full of life and good spirits. His disease was the result of hard drinking.
Corporal Josephs was a thorough believer in the cold-water cure. When his disease first showed its symptoms, about one month before he died, while on duty as ordnance-sergeant, he refused to report to the surgeon, but got permission to hire a room in a house not far distant on the Gentilly road. Every day he would bathe in a tub of water and then go to bed wrapped up in a wet sheet, until the landlady complained at headquarters about the corporal acting like a crazy man in her house, and asked for his removal. As Josephs was found to be very sick, he was removed to the Marine Hospital in the city.
Poor Hildreth lost all courage and hope a month before his death. He was then able to move about, and was cheered up by those who met him, without any effect. Had he shown some strength of will, as others did, he might have reached home and recovered.
The case of Private Gates was sad. Although blind in one eye and quite old when mustered into service, being a good marksman, very enthusiastic to serve, the officers and men of his company assisted him to deceive the mustering officer that he was only forty-two years old. He did duty manfully until his disease took such a hold upon him that he gradually wasted away. At his death he could not have weighed more than fifty pounds.
Private Bickers was unconscious when he died. He was placed on an operating chair in an upright position, a nurse standing near with a fan to stir the air for him to breathe, and drive away swarms of flies infesting the place. Around the room were beds arranged upon the floor, occupied by sick patients, all watching with intense interest poor Bickers draw his last breath. The sight was not calculated to give them courage, for Bickers was sick in the hospital only a short time.
Privates Temple, Fitzpatrick and Hanaford were sent to the general hospitals for better treatment than could be given them in the regimental hospital. During the latter part of July medical supplies became scarce. With difficulty were sufficient quantities of proper medicines obtained to treat a majority of cases; the supply of quinine gave out completely. Such a large quantity of medical stores lost at Brashear City could not be replaced until supplies from New York were received.
Private Hanaford lay upon the warehouse floor for some days, suffering with chills and fever, and nothing could be done for him. When taken with chills, it seemed as though he would shake the breath out of him. His removal to St. James Hospital was not made until nearly dead. This case caused much comment among the men, who freely charged he had been neglected.