Daily Republican., 1882-10-03
FROM AWAY SOUTH.
Letter from . ReSident OF the 7 Yel.
low Fever District.

low ROVOE DhbtEAgts
Special correspondence Of the REPUBLICAN.
FORT BROWN, Texas, Sept. 3d.
Thinking you might like to hear frem
this yellow fever stricken country, l
drop you a few lines. The yellow
fever broke out In Matamoras, Mexico,
q city opposite here on the other side
of the Rio Grande River, in May last,
in a mild form at first but assuming a
violent type as 1t increased. Browns
vile quarantined against Matamoras
but 1t broke out in Brownsville early In
July, increasing from one case up to
1903 per day In few weeks. This com.
mand-six companies of my regiment
and one of the Eighth CaValry-made
several efforts to get away from here
but from causes over which we had no
control, we were unable to do so until
the whole outside world was quaran.
tined against us and we could not get
out. The fever broke out here and
then the commanding officer moved
out with six companies all that he had
tents for and went into camp few
miles down the river and any of the
command that were taken with the
fever were sent back here. When it
broke out in Brownsville this port
quarantined against that city and the
command that moved down the river
quarantined against us in here. The
river has risen and is now higher than
was ever known. The command in
camp was moved out and as the fever
was increasing In here, they could not
come back and we're obliged to 60 on
the only steamboat on the river and
that very small one, Stern Wheel.
They have gone don't know where
to hunt higher ground for camp.
There has been no mail sent out from
here since about the 1st of August
which is a great hardship on US, and l
think some one or other in the p. 0.
department is to blame. In 1873 when
the fever was much worse and more
fatal at Shreveport, La, was stationed
a short distance below that city at
Colfax. They adopted a system Of fu.
mi eating established so that the mail
went in and out quite regularly. So
at Memphis, Tenn, and other places,
but here everybody seems to have shut
down on us.
For several weeks we have been un-
able to get any mail in here on account
of high water this and the city of
Brownsville are completely surrounded
by water and is impossible for man or
beast to get in or out, the water being
so high that it has put out the fires in
the engines on the railroad. The reve-
nue. cutter, Mclean, has been here
twice from New Orleans with doctors,
nurses and medical supplies for the
city of Brownsville, but nothing for US,
She would not allow any one to go
near here and would not take even a
letter.
The steamship I. G. Harris, Of the
Morgan Line, is bere now with sup
plies for us and expect to get this out
on her. The fever is dying out in both
Matamoras and BroWnsvilletor want of
material to work on but is getting much
worse and more fatal in here. Major
Witherelland wife are down and five of
Col. Lyster's family and 80 soldiers.
We have many deaths. Six new cases
in here yesterday and two this morn
ing. They say it will last until frost
comes which is not expected here until
the latter part of December or January.
Last year we had none at all. Major
Witherell and myself volunteered to
remain here with the sick when the
rest of the command left here. Things
look very blue just now and 1 would
much sooner be in Wilmington for the
next two months than here, but am
still in hopes that L will not be taken
down with it. The cities Matamoras
and Brownsville are now suffering
much more from the overflow than
from the fever, the greater part of both
cities being several feet under water
and the river is still rising. This is q
God forsaken country and l wish l
were out of it. The thermometer Is 92
in the shade. Respectfully,
THOMAS NJ. WENIE.