Gen. Scott, with a full regiment of regulars, came up the lake and
landed at Chicago about the 10th of July--the cholera in the meantime
having broken out among his troops, from which several had died. While
encamped at that point, it continued its virulence to such an extent,
and in a number of cases fatally, that he deemed it best to much out on
the high land, and soon after continued his journey, by slow marches,
to Rock Island. On reaching Rock river, where Milan is now situated, the
cholera had disappeared, and he went into camp with his entire regiment.
The clear water of this beautiful stream was a Godsend to the many
tired men, for the ablution of their bodies and the cleansing of their
apparel, tents, etc., and seemed to have a general invigorating effect
upon the entire regiment.
Gen. Scott then went over to Rock Island with two companies to garrison
Fort Armstrong, and there learned the situation of affairs in the
army, and the great reduction made in the ranks of Black Hawk's band of
Indians, so that a final close of the war was daily expected.
A few days after their arrival at Fort Armstrong, symptoms of cholera
again appeared among the troops of the company, and the physician
in charge tried every known remedy to check it, but failed in every
instance, and after running its course, which was usually about
twenty-four hours, the patient died. During the first three or four days
of its ravages, about one-half of that company had been consigned to
their last resting place in the soldiers' cemetery.
Being on a visit to Rock Island at the time the cholera was raging,
the writer, at the request of Col. Wm. Berry, (who had also come down
from Galena to pay his respects to Gen. Scott,) accompanied him to
the Fort and introduced him to the General. It was a very warm, but
beautiful Sabbath, when we were admitted to the General's quarters,
about 10 o'clock in the morning, and after the introduction of our
friend and the usual salutations of the day, the General, after
expressing his doubts of the propriety of admitting us into the Fort,
forcibly and touchingly detailed the ravages that the cholera was making
in his ranks. Medicine, in the hands of a skillful physician, seemed
to have no effect to stay its progress, and he was just on the eve of
trying a different remedy as we came in, and if we would join him in
a glass of brandy and water, he would proceed at once to put it into
execution. He said he was satisfied that brandy was a good antidote to
cholera, and by its use many of his soldiers were still well.