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The Fever: The Most Fatal Plague in American History
"...transports modern pandemic survivors into the bedchambers, clinics, and graveyards of a thriving American port laid low by pestilence..."-Earl Swift, author of Hell Put to The 1921 Murder Farm Massacre and the Horror of America's Second Slavery
"Richly reported and eloquently written, this true story transports readers back to 1855, into a raging epidemic that feels eerily prescient."-Lane DeGregory, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in feature writing
In the summer of 1855, the nation cast its eyes on the working-class port of Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia. A ship named the Benjamin Franklin had steamed in from the West Indies harbor of St. Thomas-where yellow fever had hopped from ship to ship that winter-and tied up at a dock for repairs.
The ship unleashed the seeds of an epidemic on an unsuspecting population, and it didn't take long for the first victims of yellow fever to fall. In the 100 days from late June 1855 until the first frost quelled the mosquito population, residents of the two cities confronted an unknown and unseen airborne stalker that killed one of every three people. The Fever is the never-before-told story of the deadliest epidemic in American history. It's the story of a summer when the only things that mattered were life and death.
"Richly reported and eloquently written, this true story transports readers back to 1855, into a raging epidemic that feels eerily prescient."-Lane DeGregory, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in feature writing
In the summer of 1855, the nation cast its eyes on the working-class port of Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia. A ship named the Benjamin Franklin had steamed in from the West Indies harbor of St. Thomas-where yellow fever had hopped from ship to ship that winter-and tied up at a dock for repairs.
The ship unleashed the seeds of an epidemic on an unsuspecting population, and it didn't take long for the first victims of yellow fever to fall. In the 100 days from late June 1855 until the first frost quelled the mosquito population, residents of the two cities confronted an unknown and unseen airborne stalker that killed one of every three people. The Fever is the never-before-told story of the deadliest epidemic in American history. It's the story of a summer when the only things that mattered were life and death.
273 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 27, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 23, 2025
Fascinating account of Yellow Fever in the U.S. and the struggle to understand how it is transmitted. The book focuses on the 1855 epidemic that decimated Norfolk & Portsmouth, VA by a former journalist for our local paper. This was my IRL book club selection for the month, and I finished it just in time for discussion with the group.
From the back cover blurb: In the 100 days from late June 1855 until the first frost quelled the mosquito population, residents of the two cities confronted an unknown and unseen airborne stalker that killed one of every three people.
It wasn't just the virus that killed people. As people fled the area as the fever spread from the poorest sections of town, it left those who had been stricken without means to receive the supportive care they needed in order to survive. Some people actually died of dehydration and starvation.
As knowledge of the fever spread to other cities where residents of the two cities tried to flee, fear of bringing the disease to led to a denial of entry; as well as the ceasing of ship traffic to Portsmouth & Norfolk which meant there would be a lack of food and other supplies that were needed.
Heroic efforts were made by a number of people in local governmental and pastoral leadership along with the few doctors available and those who stepped up to provide nursing care during this crisis.
I will say there was an outpouring of financial and eventually medical & nursing personnel from other cities like Philadelphia and New Orleans to aid the efforts to combat the disease and support the economy.
I learned a few things about mosquito behavior I didn't know before. such as their sneak attacks coming from behind a person to avoid detection, thus many elbow bites. The there is this: Not only do they detect people with a keen nose for carbon dioxide, but they can differentiate among humans. Scientists have shown that mosquitoes can associate a specific smell with a certain act, such as swatting. It took just 15 minutes for a mosquito to associate a smell with a simulated swat. Not only that, but they also quickly began choosing hosts other than the swatter to land on, and they seemed to avoid the swatter's smell for the next 24 hours. WOW! Of course, I just use a product with DEET to keep the mosquitoes at bay. With all the rain we have had recently there is definitely an increase in the population here.
Mosquitoes kill more people around the world every year than any other animal and the second killer doesn't even come close. In most years, diseases transmitted by mosquitoes slay about three-quarters of a million people. There are many species of mosquitoes but the Aedes aegypti carries all the lethal viruses. Besides yellow fever they are also the vector for Chikungunya and Zika.
The author doesn't have the skill of other nonfiction writers such as Erik Larsen to write an account that reads like fiction, it can be a little dry at a times and repetitive, but I found myself thoroughly engaged just the same!
From the back cover blurb: In the 100 days from late June 1855 until the first frost quelled the mosquito population, residents of the two cities confronted an unknown and unseen airborne stalker that killed one of every three people.
It wasn't just the virus that killed people. As people fled the area as the fever spread from the poorest sections of town, it left those who had been stricken without means to receive the supportive care they needed in order to survive. Some people actually died of dehydration and starvation.
As knowledge of the fever spread to other cities where residents of the two cities tried to flee, fear of bringing the disease to led to a denial of entry; as well as the ceasing of ship traffic to Portsmouth & Norfolk which meant there would be a lack of food and other supplies that were needed.
Heroic efforts were made by a number of people in local governmental and pastoral leadership along with the few doctors available and those who stepped up to provide nursing care during this crisis.
I will say there was an outpouring of financial and eventually medical & nursing personnel from other cities like Philadelphia and New Orleans to aid the efforts to combat the disease and support the economy.
I learned a few things about mosquito behavior I didn't know before. such as their sneak attacks coming from behind a person to avoid detection, thus many elbow bites. The there is this: Not only do they detect people with a keen nose for carbon dioxide, but they can differentiate among humans. Scientists have shown that mosquitoes can associate a specific smell with a certain act, such as swatting. It took just 15 minutes for a mosquito to associate a smell with a simulated swat. Not only that, but they also quickly began choosing hosts other than the swatter to land on, and they seemed to avoid the swatter's smell for the next 24 hours. WOW! Of course, I just use a product with DEET to keep the mosquitoes at bay. With all the rain we have had recently there is definitely an increase in the population here.
Mosquitoes kill more people around the world every year than any other animal and the second killer doesn't even come close. In most years, diseases transmitted by mosquitoes slay about three-quarters of a million people. There are many species of mosquitoes but the Aedes aegypti carries all the lethal viruses. Besides yellow fever they are also the vector for Chikungunya and Zika.
The author doesn't have the skill of other nonfiction writers such as Erik Larsen to write an account that reads like fiction, it can be a little dry at a times and repetitive, but I found myself thoroughly engaged just the same!
January 3, 2025
Well written book about the Yellow Fever when it came to Norfolk, VA and Portsmouth, VA in 1855. There's so much history and information about the mosquito, the disease and how it is transmitted. And the author does a good job of depicting life during that time: no sewers or running water so a great deal of waste was just tossed outside to rot in the streets. About 1/3rd of the people who contracted the Yellow Fever died at that time. It left many orphaned children and also widows who may have had many children with no source of income. Also, amazingly, many cities, especially Philadelphia stepped up to help sending a huge amount of money and also doctors and nurses to help. I live in Virginia somewhat local to the Norfolk and Portsmouth areas so I was particularly interested but it would appeal to anyone. I highly recommend this!
September 22, 2024
This gripping account of the Yellow Fever Epidemic in Norfolk and Portsmouth is a must-read for any history lover. The rich descriptions of the cities, the heroic acts, and the amazing generosity of people far and wide are eye-opening and a testimony to the tenacity and resilience of the cities' leaders and citizens.
December 30, 2024
The Fever is a gripping depiction of the worst plague in American history. Author Lon Wagner's extensive research of the 1855 infestation of Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia, with mosquitoes bearing the Yellow Fever virus results in a narrative that portrays the heroism of area citizens as well as healthcare volunteers from around the country. The science of medicine was in its infancy, and volunteers put their lives on the line to try to keep alive those who infected. It's hard to imagine a plague today that would impact 5% of our citizenry much less one that killed one third of those infected. Wagner's personalization of several key characters brings the reader closer to the experiences of those who lived (and died) during this major event in our history. I highly recommend it for history buffs as well as those who want to understand our misunderstanding of infectious diseases in the mid 1800's.
January 12, 2025
Excellent and readable history of America's worst epidemic. Important for students of American History.
September 6, 2024
COFFINS STACKED LIKE FIREWOOD
If you lived in Norfolk or Portsmouth, VA in the summer of 1855, and you didn't flee at the first sign of yellow fever - which thousands did - you had a 1-in-3 chance of dying a miserable death. White, black, rich, poor, young, old - it didn't matter. Lon Wagner uncovered a treasure trove of eye witness accounts and government records which he has woven together in a timeline that makes for a gripping, suspenseful narrative full of rich detail and human drama. We know now that mosquitos carried the virus from host to host and back to other mosquitos and so on, but back then, the prevailing theory was that yellow fever was caused by bad air, or "miasma." Parallels abound with our recent epidemic and the bogus medical advice from "experts." If history doesn't exactly repeat itself, it definitely echoes. As Wagner remarked at a recent book signing, "This is not just a local story - this is a national story of great importance and it shaped American history - the trajectory of the mid-Atlantic port cities from Norfolk to Baltimore to Philadelphia to the nation's capitol." This is a fascinating read - highly recommended.
If you lived in Norfolk or Portsmouth, VA in the summer of 1855, and you didn't flee at the first sign of yellow fever - which thousands did - you had a 1-in-3 chance of dying a miserable death. White, black, rich, poor, young, old - it didn't matter. Lon Wagner uncovered a treasure trove of eye witness accounts and government records which he has woven together in a timeline that makes for a gripping, suspenseful narrative full of rich detail and human drama. We know now that mosquitos carried the virus from host to host and back to other mosquitos and so on, but back then, the prevailing theory was that yellow fever was caused by bad air, or "miasma." Parallels abound with our recent epidemic and the bogus medical advice from "experts." If history doesn't exactly repeat itself, it definitely echoes. As Wagner remarked at a recent book signing, "This is not just a local story - this is a national story of great importance and it shaped American history - the trajectory of the mid-Atlantic port cities from Norfolk to Baltimore to Philadelphia to the nation's capitol." This is a fascinating read - highly recommended.
November 12, 2024
Lon Wagner's The Fever joins a growing shelf of terrific works on pandemics, plagues, and deadly diseases. Side by side with Gina Kolata's Flu, Steven Johnson's The Ghost Map, C.J. Peters' Virus Hunter, Laurie Garrett's The Coming Plague, and Nathan Wolfe's The Viral Storm, Wagner's deep dive into the yellow fever plague on 1855 in Norfolk and Portsmouth, VA betrays his journalistic background in all the best ways. His in-depth research and clear writing style come together in a book that is horrifying in how the disease ravaged coastal cities and the brave doctors, nurses, and clergy who worked beside the dead and dying for months. At a time when medicine hadn't discovered that mosquitoes were the most dangerous organism on earth, Wagner's presentation of everything except witchcraft to care for the dying. A read for anyone who is interested in medicine, pandemics, and how disease spreads should pick this up and devour it.
September 3, 2024
Leave it to a guy like Lon Wagner to turn what could have been a plod through an historical retelling into a vibrant sophisticated page-turner.
He brings you right into the homes and on the streets with these real life folks thrust into a terrible tragedy. It’s easy to relate to the terror, anxiety and drama that these people endured since it so closely parallels our recent bout with COVID.
Where were authors like Lon when I struggled through history classes? Obviously, any history buff will love it, but it’s also for the reader who likes to see characters work out devastating puzzles. You’ll cheer for the heroes and heroines, boo the villains, and revel in the fact that it all really happened.
He brings you right into the homes and on the streets with these real life folks thrust into a terrible tragedy. It’s easy to relate to the terror, anxiety and drama that these people endured since it so closely parallels our recent bout with COVID.
Where were authors like Lon when I struggled through history classes? Obviously, any history buff will love it, but it’s also for the reader who likes to see characters work out devastating puzzles. You’ll cheer for the heroes and heroines, boo the villains, and revel in the fact that it all really happened.
June 8, 2025
Incredibly interesting piece of local history! I wish he had structured his writing a bit differently so it was easier to keep track of the information, but otherwise thoroughly enjoyed this. Wish more folks knew about this event locally!
September 12, 2024
This is a fantastic historical account of the Yellow Fever plague that spread throughout the port cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia in the mid-1850s. Prior tot he knowledge of disease-carrying mosquitos, doctors, scientists, and church clergy all stepped in to attempt to to discover what it was that was causing such deadly outbreaks. Decades would pass before the discovery of the killer mosquito.
This story is not without mass casualties, pain, and suffering. Having almost wiped out both cities, the plague was finally defeated and both cities went on to become glorious ports along the Eastern Seaboard.
This is a great account of a once-forgotten historical event that plagued these cities. Well worth the time for this book.
This story is not without mass casualties, pain, and suffering. Having almost wiped out both cities, the plague was finally defeated and both cities went on to become glorious ports along the Eastern Seaboard.
This is a great account of a once-forgotten historical event that plagued these cities. Well worth the time for this book.
April 30, 2025
This is a well-researched and well-written book about a time in our history that must not be forgotten. Lon Wagner brings the facts to life, describing the people most affected by the Yellow Fever plague. He tells of doctors & nurses (many who came from other cities to help), gravediggers, reporters, journalists, clergy, & town leaders - all who worked together to care for the sick and dead. He writes of the tremendous support sent by other cities as well and of the lessons learned from the tragedy. This book is an excellent addition to our library.
December 9, 2024
The story is so well told, and at times, so astonishing that I often had to remind myself that this ACTUALLY HAPPENED! Wagner's 'The Fever' vividly portrays the 1918 pandemic, emphasizing its unforgettable heartbreak, and its sharp parallels to our own experiences with disease.
Overall, this is a terrific read that never let up and constantly showed us of the best of humanity.
Overall, this is a terrific read that never let up and constantly showed us of the best of humanity.
March 27, 2025
The book was very interesting especially for me who lives in the area now and has for quite some ime. I found it enjoyable to read and got a real clear picture of the panic and the desperation associated with the yellow fever epidemic of 1853.
July 29, 2025
A very interesting book. I am from the area, and I had never heard anything about the 1855 epidemic even after enduring a year of Virginia history in high school.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews