ter a
two weeks convalescence, he returned to New Berne, where Surgeon Rice
and Surgeon Cowgill, who had been in charge since his sickness, lay
also attacked by the fever. He took charge again and so continued
until his appointment to a different office. During the epidemic,
eighteen assistant Surgeons had shared his labors, all of whom had in
succession been attacked by the fever, which carried off nine of them.

General Palmer, in recognition of Surgeon Mayer's services, appointed
him Medical Purveyor of the district, and this office he held until
the muster out of the regiment. A complimentary order was issued to
him. His management of the hospital during the yellow fever time, and
his administration of the Medical Purveyor's department, met with
general praise.

The Doctor says: "I got out of the hospital where over five hundred
died, and had saved seventy patients above the general average; and I
got out of the Medical Purveyor's office, where I had some million
dollars worth of property to administer and was square with the United
States Government, all but fourteen pounds of nails, which I couldn't
account for; so I may consider myself fortunate. But the
Quartermaster's Department kept writing for those nails every quarter
for four or five years."

In May it was generally conceded that the war was ended, and Captains
Dickerson and Turner resigned and went home. Adjutant Clapp also
resigned while home on leave of absence, and Lieutenant Landon was
made Adjutant. June 19th, Major Pasco returned from Connecticut, with
the necessary muster rolls and papers to enable us to complete the
muster-out rolls. Then both day and night did the officers work on
discharge papers and muster-out rolls. Finally on Saturday, June 24th,
the rolls were examined and we were honorably mustered out of the
service, at 5. P.M., by Captain John D. Parker, A.C.M., Second
Massachusetts heavy artillery, the men remarking, while standing in
line, waiting patiently; "that while it did not take long to enlist,
it took a long time to get mustered out." It proved quite true; for
while we enlisted for three years, it was not supposed that we should
be out more than three or six months at the most; and many of the men
enlisted expecting to return in a short time, not one of us realizing
the hardships and sufferings we must pass through. But who of us
regrets the faithful service performed for our country. How many
around us to-day do we see who b