Tuesday, February 21, 1865

This morning the men of the regiment found themselves on the blue salt water of the Gulf.  But the sea was rough with heavy winds.  The winds increased to a gale and blew from the west.  The storm continued to intensify. The ship rolled violently from side to side and plunged forward over the tops of the rolling waves.

The soldiers began to think they were on their last excursion. Their faces were pale and they were very anxious.  The old seasickness they remember from a year ago returned.  Soon the soldiers "heaved Jonah" and gave back to the sea those herring that they had eaten so heartily the night before.
Charles Johnson wrote of the episode:

And how long afterwards did the taste and flavor of those little stomach-disturbers remain with us! And who of us that ate herring on that day, more than a half century in the past, has ever had the hardihood to so much as taste one since!

The horses and mules, as well as the men, were bruised and battered by the storm. In order to escape the storm the St. Mary finally sought the shelter of Chandler's Island, about fifty miles from Fort Morgan. They anchored here for the night.