fficult to
guess at his opinion of the changed order of things, while to the
colored people, it was evident that the year of jubilee had come at
last. Thus with comparatively tranquil incidents, the summer of 1865
passed away. Peace with all its attendant blessings, had come. But
disease laid its hands heavily on some of us, and death was not an
infrequent visitor to officers as well as men. From one scourge of
that climate, we were fortunately exempted. Thanks to the thorough
policing, on which our commanding officers insisted, "Yellow Jack,"
who in former seasons had been master of the situation, gave us no
trouble. But many of our number, particularly those of us who, during
the summer, were on court-martial or other duty in New Orleans or its
vicinity, had some uncomfortable experiences with the "Break-bone
fever," a species of malarial disease, whose name is sufficiently
indicative. The services of our regiment were sufficiently appreciated
to delay our muster-out till the second of the following October. The
three battalions were consolidated at Carrollton, and a few days after
we embarked for home on the good steamer North Star. Some of our
officers who took passage in the ill-fated Atlanta, lost their lives
by the foundering of that vessel. In the fearful storm, the beginning
of which we felt as we passed the Jersey shore, more than a hundred
vessels were wrecked on the coast, and among the number was the
'Daniel Webster,' which took us from Dutch Island to New Orleans: In
New York we made a parade which was witnessed by crowds of people with
apparently hearty demonstrations of favor. On our return home, we
received a cordial greeting from the authorities, and in a few days
our regiment was disbanded at Portsmouth Grove and ceased to exist
except in history.

It had endeavored to do its duty, and by those who knew it, I believe
it had been fully appreciated. General Banks complimented it in
orders, and so strict a disciplinarian as General T.W. Sherman,
pronounced it a noble regiment, which, from that source, is no small
praise. But though most of its officers had served in former
organizations during the war, and our lieutenant-colonel was also a
veteran of the Mexican war, and with many of his associates brought to
the discharge of their duties, the advantage of enlarged experience, a
reputation for courage and a high degree of skill, it was not given to
the regiment or its several battalions, to participate