After the first two weeks at this camp those who had been in the hospital and those who had withstood the fever so far began to brighten and to gain strength and they continued to do so until we started for home, and also because of two conditions—our position at the seashore and our well cooked food. The morning after our arrival we were struck with consternation on hearing of Corporal George H. Roe's death at Jacksonville. His was a serious case when he was taken from camp and we heard no encouraging news from him; but nevertheless when the message reached us it was quite a shock. He was Senior Corporal in the Company and was extremely popular. His body was sent to his home in Auburn, N.Y., where it was met by a bereaved mother and carefully laid away near the side of his father.
Two days after the death of Corporal Roe occurred the tragic death of Private Peter Reddy by drowning in the surf. He evidently got beyond his depth and was caught in an undertow which speedily exhausted his strength. Private John B. Buck, of Company B, Second Alabama, seeing Reddy's danger, immediately swam out to his assistance and after an heroic struggle finally brought him, already dead, within reach of willing hands. But all the efforts at resuscitating him were unavailing and the surgeon pronounced him dead. Not being satisfied with this official announcement, his comrades carried him to the company street and worked over him for nearly an hour, but without result. He left at home a wife and three young children. The Company felt these two deaths severely. We had now lost five men from the ranks. Men were going to the hospital daily, and we wondered on whom the lightning would next fall.
In the midst of all this gloom suddenly appeared the commission appointed by the Governor to investigate the condition of the Second and its willingness and fitness to proceed to Cuba. This commission was composed of Gen. Bird W. Spencer, Inspector General of Rifle Practice State of New Jersey, Senator William M. Johnson, and ex-Judge James M. Van Valen. General Spencer polled the nine companies at Jacksonville camp and the one on provost guard in the city; Senator Johnson, Company G, in charge of the rifle range, and Judge Van Valen, our Company at the seashore. I was delighted to be recognized by the Judge as the son of a once close friend of his. The result of the poll determined the Governor to petition the War Department to have our Regiment mustered out.
PART SIXTH
PABLO BEACH AND THE JOURNEY HOME
September 2d the Regiment moved down and occupied the ground to the south of us about one mile and one hundred yards from the ocean. The ground was covered with scrub palmettos, the roots of which ran all over the ground. This necessitated considerable axe work before tents could be pitched, and it was late in the evening when the camp was finally in a condition to sleep. Rattlesnakes seemed all too plentiful in this scrub and boldly invaded the camp. One careless young man crawled into his tent without first exploring its interior and was badly bitten by one of these horrible reptiles. The idea of sleeping amongst such bedfellows was anything but pleasant, and the weather now becoming stormy and cooler, the danger from the snakes increased, for they had a natural tendency to seek the warmth which they could find alongside a sleeping body. Before we left other regiments camped to the south of our Regiment, notably Colonel Bryan's Nebraskan.