Resolution of Congress Voting a Medal to Doctor Rose.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled: That the President be, and he is hereby, authorized and requested to cause suitable acknowledgments to be made on the part of this government to Admiral Sir Hewston Stewart, of Her Britannic Majesty's Navy, and officers under his command, for their prompt and efficient aid, and generous hospitality, extended to the disabled officers and crew of the United States ship Susquehanna on her late arrival at Port Royal, Island of Jamaica, with the yellow fever on board; on which occasion, besides placing the naval hospital, with an adequate corps of medical officers, nurses and attendants, at their service, eighty-five of the officers and crew of the Susquehanna were safely and promptly conveyed on shore with the aid of the boats of the British squadron, and the lives of the greater portion of them thereby probably saved. And that the President be further requested to cause a gold medal, with appropriate devices, to be presented, on behalf of this government, to Assistant-Surgeon Frederick H. Rose, of the British Navy, who volunteered, with the permission of his commanding officer, to join the Susquehanna, and, at imminent personal risk, devoted himself, on the voyage from Jamaica to New York, to the care of the sick remaining on board. And that the President cause suitable testimonials to be in like manner presented to the medical officers in the British service, in attendance at the hospital, with appropriate rewards to the nurses and other attendants there, whilst occupied by the officers and crew of the Susquehanna.
Approved May 11, 1858.
Captain Sands to the Secretary of the Navy.
U. S. Ship Susquehanna,
New York Harbor,
April 15th, 1858.
To the Honorable
Isaac Toucey,
Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D. C.
Sir: I have the honor to report to you the arrival of this ship at New York, having had 155 cases of yellow fever on board, 85 of which were left at the hospital at Port Royal, Jamaica.
For the information of the Honorable Department, I have to state that after lying over one hundred days in San Juan De Nicaragua, with an average sick list of about 15, the first case of fever made its appearance on the 17th ultimo, then a second, then a third, when I thought it advisable to put to sea, hoping that a change of air would dispel the disease. After a few days the ship returned off San Juan and anchored outside. She remained there three days, with some slight modification of the fever, but it again broke out with greater violence. I then got under way and stood toward Aspinwall, expecting to meet the Jamestown, Commander Kennedy, whom I had instructed to relieve us on the 1st April, this ship to take her place, thinking that a change of position might be favorable to the health of both ships; on our way down to Aspinwall fresh cases continued to occur, particularly among the lieutenants and engineers, the first and second of the former being down, and others complaining. I now determined, at the suggestion of the surgeon, to steer for Pensacola; after standing for that port for some hours, and the fever continuing to extend its ravages, there being nearly one hundred down, at the request of the surgeon I changed our course for the Island of Jamaica, where I arrived about 8 o'clock on the evening of the 5th April.
The Admiral of the Port, Sir Hewston Stewart, on hearing of our condition, kindly placed the Naval Hospital at our disposal, and at six o'clock the next morning we landed 63 of our sick. I then had to take coal and water on board, at Kingston, which detained us a part of three days. The ship being now disabled, three lieutenants and six engineers being sick, besides half the firemen and coal-heavers, and many of the most valuable of the men off duty, I shipped about 30 negroes, and agreeably to the recommendation of the surgeon, I deemed it advisable to proceed at once to a northern port.
The whole number of cases from the 17th March to 15th April was 155—85 of which were left at the Hospital at Port Royal, Jamaica. There remain on the list to-day 34 cases. We have had in all 16 deaths, among these was 1st Lieutenant Queen of the Marine Corps.