REPORT OF ASSISTANT SURGEON R. S. VICKERY, U. S. A, ON THE REMOVAL OF THE GARRISON FROM KEY WEST TO CAMP DALLAS, FLORIDA.

To the SURGEON-GENERAL United States Army:

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that all the troops from Key West barracks, Florida, with the exception of Acting Assistant Surgeon Wm. F. Cornick, left in charge, with one non-commissioned officer and six men, moved to this camp on the 16th September.

About two weeks before that time the yellow fever had appeared at several points on the coast and the Gulf States, and, in a malignant form, as near to us as Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas, Florida.

The commanding officer of the United States hospital ship Pawnee died of it on board his ship in the harbor at Key West, on the 14th of September, and a case likely to be fatal was reported in town on the same day.

I then strongly recommended the post-commander, Captain W. M. Graham, First Artillery, to move the command without delay, which he did on the second day after, on the United States engineer steamer Albatross, which Mr. Babcock, assistant engineer, kindly placed at his disposal for the purpose.

There were several cases of remittent fever in the command before we moved, and two severe ones on the steamship, but there were no new cases since we landed, and the sick are all recovering.

There was a case of yellow fever here in the person of a Mr. Barnes, a resident of this place, living just across the Miami River. He visited Key West for a few days on business about the time we were leaving there. He left on the 20th September in his schooner, was taken sick on the 22d, lay on deck until his arrival here on the evening of the 24th, and died that night with black-vomit. I attended him through the night, and had no doubt about the diagnosis. The disease has not spread, and I am informed has never been epidemic on this part of the coast.

We have a very pleasant, healthy camp here on the site of old Fort Dallas, on high dry ground overlooking Key Biscayne Bay, and on the left bank of the Miami River, about 150 miles from Key West.

There is good well-water arising from the everglades, no malaria, and a nearly constant fresh easterly breeze blowing directly from the sea. If the troops will be removed every summer from Key West and Fort Jefferson, a very desirable healthy summer-camp could be prepared here at very little expense.

This report is forwarded by the first mail since our arrival.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. S. VICKERY,
Assistant Surgeon, United States Army.

REPORTS

ON THE SUBJECT OF

THE REMOVAL OF THE GARRISON FROM MOBILE

ΤΟ

MOUNT VERNON ARSENAL.