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The Late Mortality in Rodney, The hand
of the "yellow tyrant of the tropics"
Was sore and heavy upon our neighboring city of Rodney, especially when it is considered that most of the inhabitants
fled, and that, during the mortality, the population of the village, white and black, did not exceed one hundred
souls. The following list of the names of the victims was politely furnished to us by Mr. A G Carpenter, who volunteered,
as druggist, to accompany Dr. Benbrook, who went up to Rodney in the darkest night of their peril, to risk life
in the fearful combat against a disease that has prostrated nearly every physician in the place. Mr. Carpenter
staid much longer than Dr. Benbrook, and did not leave until every vestige of the epidemic had vanished. These
gentlemen deserve the highest commendation for their self sacrificing zeal in favor of suffering humanity. The
only reward they have as yet obtained (as far as we know) is the approbation of their own consciences, and the
applause of their fellow citizens, who trembled for their safety while they were absent on their perilous errand
of mercy.
Mr. Carpenter derived the following list of the dead from Mr. Thornsbury, the mechanic who assisted in making the
coffins: it is probably as correct as the disturbed and frightful state of affairs in the depopulated village could
permit any one to furnish:
List of the Dead
Dr. James Andrews' daughter; Mrs. Montgomery; Busk, Jeter, Ira; Mrs. Skinner, William Ballantine; Mrs. Ballantine;
John Groves; Mrs. Earls; Mr.. Wood, of the firm of Murray, Wood & Co.; James Ricks; Harrison Logan; Robert
Logan; Mrs. Logan; Mrs. Green T. Martin; John Evans; Dr. John H. Savage; Mrs. Love; James M. BerryAnthony Cokelin;
John Whitworth; Gertrude Martin; Charles Stewart; Mrs. Divine; Mr. Josiah Lawton; Four Negroes.
[Mississippi Free Trader and Natchez Gazette, (Natchez, MS) Wednesday, November
22, 1843; Issue 26 - Submitted by Janice Rice]