 |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|||
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
|
||||
|
||||
| 261 Major John G. Jay, Surgeon of the Fifth Maryland Volunteers, in speaking of the sick epidemic, says: "A great many wild stories of all sorts were circulated while the Fifth was in service. Most of them were absolutely devoid of any truth, and some of them seemingly wantonly malicious, were directed not only against the medical, but also against other departments of the regiment. "That most of the officers and men of the Fifth Maryland suffered various degrees of illness and indisposition from climatic, unhygenic conditions of surroundings and other causes, resulting from a too protracted stay in the vicinity of Tampa, every one well knows; but that this regiment, notwithstanding its wretchedly unfavorable surroundings in the first or Old Garrison Camp at Tampa, or at any time thereafter, suffered more illness or lost more of its members by death than other regiments subjected to the same conditions, is far from true. THE CAMP AT HDNTSVILLE, ALA., 1898. "On the contrary, the Fifth Maryland lost fewer by death due to illness contracted while in service than any other regiment of which I have yet heard. From the time our regiment entered the United States service until mustered out, the number of deaths from all causes was 21. Nineteen of these were from illness; two from casualty. "The principal cause of death from illness was typhoid fever, of which there were about 225 cases. As may be seen, the rate of mortality is by no means a high one, and considering all circumstances is remarkably low. "It could not be expected in any military campaign of several months, even where there is no hostile encounter with the enemy, that no loss of life would occur. Statistics show that in most wars more men die from sickness than from bullets. "The mortality in the Fifth Maryland during its time of service was from all causes less than two per cent., and although any loss of life is to be deplored, the regiment was, I think, fortunate to have lost so few. |