United States Navy to James E. Harvey, April 21, 1866

Commander Harrell to Mr. Harvey.

Sir: With some doubts whether the subject of this letter is a proper matter for your consideration and action, my present situation, I venture to hope, will be sufficient apology for thus troubling you.

We arrived at this place on the 11th day of April from the coast of Africa, having touched at Porto Grande, island of St. Vincent, and Madeira, for coals and supplies. We were unfortunate enough to contract the fever on the coast of Africa, whereby we lost seven officers and seven men within thirteen days. The first death took place on the 18th of March, and the last on the 28th day of the same month. The last case of fever occurred on the 25th of March, and the man has recovered. When we arrived at this port I told the health officer all that had occurred on board; gave him a full, complete and truthful history of the sad affair. He said at once it was yellow fever, but as there was no case on board at this time we must submit to a quarantine of eight days, in order to ascertain if there was any fever in the ship.

During the eight days the surgeon made a daily report to the health officer, showing that there was no sickness other than that incidental to a man-of-war. At the expiration of the quarantine fixed by law, instead of obtaining pratique, a new doctor was sent on board from the city, (Doctor Francisco M. de Souza,) with orders to examine the ship and crew, and then proceed to the Lazaretto and make his report. He did so and reported the ship perfectly prepared for pratique, telling me (so confident was he) that we would all be on shore that night. Instead of that happy consummation the same doctor received orders this morning to visit the ship every day and report her condition to the board of health. This is what I complain of, and it surely betrays a want of confidence in the integrity of the surgeon of this vessel and myself.

I have never known a ease where a doctor was sent on board of a man-of-war, except at the termination of quarantine to inform the captain of his release. The doctor, who is ordered to perform this unpleasant duty, is mortified at finding himself thus situated. I feel it to be an insult to both the surgeon and myself, and yet I fear to refuse to receive his visit, lest it should be wrongfully interpreted, and give them a pretext to pretend to believe that we wished to conceal something.

I have thus laid the circumstances candidly and truthfully before you, and respectfully invoke your aid to release us from this unpleasant situation.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,