Thousands had died from the disease, thought to be carried by low-flying mosquitoes. That later proved wrong, but the commodore had his food, rum and pipe tobacco raised in a basket from the ground to his third-floor window. His servants didn't take him his food, booze and tobacco one day, and he died shortly after that. Another legend that lived at the old base for years has been shot down. There's a tall, sturdy brick wall around part of the base.
Legend has it that the wall was built to be too high for disease-carrying mosquitoes.
All of the history at Pensacola is not old. 2000 Marine Corps Association. All rights reserved.