A crew member fished liquor bottles from the half-flooded bar. In his book recently published by the Naval Institute Press, Destruction of the Steamboat Sultana: The Worst Maritime Disaster in American History, author Gene Eric Salecker sheds new light on the Sultanas tragic fate. Salecker, historical consultant for the Sultana Disaster Museum in Marion, Arkansas, recently participated in an author q&a with former Naval History editor-in-chief Fred Schultz to discuss the book: FS: After having read your exhaustive story of the various iterations of the steamboat Sultana, I couldnt help but compare her fate to the loss of the Titanic, which, as Im sure you know, has received much more attention from historians. The men located around the twin openings quickly crawled under the wreckage and down the main stairs. and Mrs. M.V. The Missouri History Museum displayed it from 1962 to 1996 and preserves it in storage. Steamboats ultimately carried more men and freight in the Civil War than the faster and more expensive railroads. The Sultana story is one of greed and corruption, as well as pathos and sadness. However, Sultana was a coal-burning boat and not a wood-burner. The Capt. The most terrible steamboat disaster in history was probably the loss of the Sultana in 1865. The exact number of steamboat accidents in Iowa Rivers is not known. [4]:62, Sultana spent two days traveling upriver, fighting against one of the worst spring floods in the river's history. The boilers exploded off Cairo, killing at least 1443 men, a loss of life never exceeded on the rivers, and rarely at sea. It went upward at a 45-degree angle, tearing through the crowded decks above and completely destroying the pilothouse, instantly killing Captain Mason. In 1857, The Nebraska City Advertiser newspaper listed 46 steamboats traveling the Missouri, with 12 more being built. She also carried a crew of 85. Iowa is the only state with four border rivers, the Mississippi, Missouri, Des Moines, and Big Sioux. Blackened wooden deck planks and timbers were found about 32 feet (10m) under a soybean field on the Arkansas side, about 4 miles (6km) from Memphis. Fire, drowning and exposure would kill many hundreds more. Slaves from the nearby Cottage plantation were ordered to bring sheets and blankets. FS: What was the role played by the last Sultana in the Civil War, and how significant was that role? However, the Judge Advocate General of the United States Army overturned the guilty verdict because Speed had been at the parole camp all day and had not personally placed a single soldier on board Sultana. Maintaining a posted schedule was important in the competitive business of steamboat commerce. Golden Eagle's pilot house was salvaged. Today, Potter describes the scene from a park along the banks of the Mississippi, just north of Memphis. He was injured on Sultana and was honorably discharged in May 1865. On his trips up and down the river, Odis often took his wife, Rosa, along. Non-subscribers can read five free Naval History articles per month. Without a pilot to steer the boat, Sultana became a drifting, burning hulk. Three civilian victims of the wreck of Sultana are interred at Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis. By that standard, the loss of the Golden Eagle was a minor event. An estimated 1,800 people died, but few today have heard of this disaster. Now, through the use of the internet, people can search hundred, perhaps thousands, of newspapers, from the United States as well as from around the world. Robert Fultons steamboat is arguably the single most important invention that spawned settlement and economic expansion in nineteenth-century Louisiana. Why should potential readers care? HEROINE. Cardinals latest, deflating loss compounds concerns, Man shot, killed near Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis, What was Andrew Knizner thinking? Sultana was a commercial side-wheel steamboat which exploded and sank on the Mississippi River on April 27, 1865, killing 1,169 people in what remains the worst maritime disaster in United States history. . At least thirty-nine passengers and crew members died in the accident. He ordered the engines reversed, but the drifting boat smacked into submerged rocks near Grand Tower Island, opening a gash on its port (left) side. A series of maritime disasters, occurred over the next 120 years before the Coast Guard assumed enforcement responsibility. Get up-close and in-depth when examining artifacts such as photographs. Bates, both eight-footers, arrive a, On April 18, 1949, at Verhagen Hall at St. Louis University a priest just back from a year of study at Harvard completed an exorcism after hea. Although one of the Sultanas boilers was being repaired when the ex-prisoners were being crowded aboard the boat, none of the Union officers seemed to mind. Newspaper accounts suggest John Fogelman and his sons spotted the burning Sultana as the remains of the paddle-wheeler drifted downriver. Sometimes terrible accidents happened on the Mississippi too. By the post-World War II era, screw-propellered, diesel-powered, flat-nosed towboats dotted the Tennessee, Cumberland, and Mississippi River Systems that once had hosted the Steamboat Age. No one was ever held accountable for the tragedy. The Sultana sank in the Mississippi River near Marion, and over the years, the wreck was eventually covered with silt. The forward part of the upper deck collapsed onto the middle deck, killing and trapping many in the wreckage. Effie Afton Hits the Bridge. Category:Shipwrecks of the Mississippi River - Wikipedia The report blamed quartermaster Capt. The temporary museum it has created near City Hall includes pictures, personal items from soldiers, pieces of the Sultana, and a 14-foot replica of the boat. Paul recorded 41 steamboat arrivals in 1844, and 95 in 1849. Jan. 3, 1844 Steamboat wreck kills as many as 70 on the Mississippi at St. Louis By Tim O'Neil St. Louis Post-Dispatch Jan 3, 2023 0 1 of 2 Steamboats and freight wagons crowd the St. Louis. 2023 FS: Given the mistrust of any reporting from the press in some parts of our society today, how reliable would you say the reporting on these disasters was back in its day? Survivors panicked and raced for the safety of the water, but in their weakened condition, they soon ran out of strength and began to cling to each other. Bad storms hit the river in the summer. In 2015, after I retired, I decided to look at all the known lists to discover who was actually on the Sultana and how many lived and died. However, they were not without hazards, as high-pressure steam boilers manufactured according to the science of the day were analogous to kegs of dynamite. Lead was a very important export from the Dubuque area. "It's clear that he had bribed an officer at Vicksburg to ensure that he would get a large load of prisoners," Potter says. Catchers once in a lifetime lunge saves Cardinals, The world watches (and makes donations) as St. Louis bald eagle raises eaglet from a rock, Governor threatens to keep Missouri lawmakers in session over transgender rules, Barat Academy in Chesterfield to close after years of financial troubles, Four young people die in Old Monroe head-on crash, Court records online include private information for thousands of Missouri residents, Archdiocese releases third draft of proposed changes to St. Louis parishes. FS: It seems to this reader that one of the main reasons for such a series of disasters for vessels named Sultana is that the owners of the steamers and the people entrusted with actually navigating the ships [boats] were ignoring the fact that overcrowding may have been the principal reason for the long list of tragedies. Mississippi River at Lansing at crest Friday evening "It won't move!" Train derails in Wisconsin, sends 2 cars into river | AP News The Eclipse was a steamboat that struck a snag on the Mississippi River near Osceola (Mississippi County) on September 12, 1925; a deckhand and a passenger lost their lives in the accident. The Tricky Missouri River and the Steamboat Bertrand, The First Bridge Over the Mississippi and the Effie Afton, Majestic Riverboat Reigned on the Mississippi, Simulated travel guide describing travel conditions in Iowa from 1830 to 1879, Personal accounts from a steamboat captain describing life on the Mississippi transporting lumber, Article describes the history of steamboats in Iowa City in the 1800s, Transcribed official records, newspaper clippings, historical accounts and diary entries about life on the Mississippi River, Transcribed official records, newspaper clippings, historical accounts and diary entries about life on the Missouri River, Audio story about the last riverboat gambling cruise of the Mississippi Belle II in 2007, Ginalie Swaim Ed., Steaming Up the River,. Given as the "John Lithoberry Shipyard" on Ohio Historical Marker 1831 (1999) on the Ohio River at Sawyer Point. In his book River of Dark Dreams, historian Walter Johnson writes that the table of contents of Lloyds bestseller was sort of a nightmare poem of alphabetized Americana: a catalog of 97 major and hundreds of minor boat disasters. 2 As rapidly as the number of steamboats increased, they could not keep pace with demand. Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing, 1992. A year later, when the U.S. government established the Memphis National Cemetery[4]:206 on the northeast side of the city, the bodies were moved there. William "Buck" Leyhe, who had sold Eagle Packet Co. the year before, waits for rescue on Grand Tower Island after the Golden Eagle sank. All Rights Reserved. The May 9, 1989 the Des Moines Register newspaper listed 40 known sunken steamboats from the southwest corner of Iowa north just over 100 miles to Sioux City. Yet few know the story of the Sultana's demise, or the ensuing rescue effort that included Confederate soldiers saving Union soldiers they might have shot just weeks earlier. Soldiers from Kentucky and Tennessee were among the first to die, he says, "because they'd been packed in next to the boilers. The Hero and the Pavillion traveled the Des Moines River to Fort Des Moines in 1837. By 1857, St. Paul had become a bustling port, with over 1,000 steamboat arrivals each year by some 62 to 99 boats. William "Buck" Lehye, who sold the Golden Eagle one year before, and Mrs. Frank Lind, a lifelong fancier of steamboat travel. FROM THE VAULT: Rollin' on the River - The Vicksburg Post Dropping water levels could cause hot spots leading to metal fatigue, significantly increasing the risk of an explosion. The ship, which archaeologists. Everyone escaped to the muddy, isolated safety of Grand Tower Island. hide caption. Sometimes the boilers exploded. He was a passenger on its trip to Nashville, Tenn. (Post-Dispatch), Passengers pass time on Grand Tower Island until they were picked up by a passing towboat. FS: Your handling of how the owners and crews of these vessels seemed to have not factored in the reality that dirty river water was not suitable for being used to create steam, and thus propulsion. The current on the Missouri was fast, and the channelthe deepest part of the rivershifted from place to place. Under reduced pressure, the steamboat limped into Vicksburg to get the boiler repaired and to pick up her promised load of prisoners. Built in New Albany, Indiana, in 1832, the steamboat Heroine plied the Ohio and Mississippi from its launch in that year until in 1838 a navigation disaster left it beneath the waters of the Red River. It happened near Memphis, Tennessee, almost in the very heart of the United States, and yet very few people have ever heard about it. web oct 10 2017 it was the steamboat sultana on the mississippi river and it could have been prevented in 1865 the civil war was winding down and the . Instead of taking two or three days, the temporary repair took only one. Most of its 91 passengers and crew were asleep. [17], In 1888, a St. Louis resident named William Streetor claimed that his former business partner, Robert Louden, made a confession of having sabotaged Sultana by the use of a coal torpedo while they were drinking in a saloon. Throughout the 1800s, steamboat travel on Iowas rivers has impacted the states development and growth. The Wreck of the Sultana for visitors to the Mississippi River He has conducted interviews with some 75 high-profile people, including historians, government officials, combat veterans, journalists, explorers, and Hollywood stars. It was reported that the steamer was insured for $8,000. Since most steamboats of the time were constructed of wood covered with paint and varnish, fires were a significant concern. Explosion of the Helen McGregor, At Memphis, Tennessee, February 24, 1830. The Golden Eagle was bound for Nashville, Tenn., from its St. Louis home via the Ohio and Cumberland rivers. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2007. Potter, Jerry. Each fire-tube boiler was 18 feet (5.5m) long and 46 inches (120cm) in diameter and contained 24 five-inch (13cm) flues which ran from the firebox to the chimney.[3]. Senate advances rules exemption for Delta Queen Mississippi River Shipwreck Exposed by Drought as Water - Newsweek In 1929, only two men attended the southern reunion. (Post-Dispatch), Ruth Ferris, assistant curator at the Missouri Historical Society (now the History Museum), displays the steering wheel in the Golden Eagle pilot house as it went on display in the museum on May 2, 1962. Early western river navigation was always dangerous, but it was a necessity in order to ship supplies to U.S. Army frontier posts and civilian settlements. It was a standard fare, no matter who you were. Persac, Marie Adrien (Artist) The violent explosion flung some deck passengers into the water and blew a gaping 2530 foot hole in the steamer. Buried treasure: Long lost Steamboat Malta found under Missouri - KMBC GES: Readers should care about the Sultana since it was the greatest maritime disaster in American history. Lavish meals were served four times a day in a great central hall, and surviving menus list such gourmet delicacies as broiled pompano and stuffed crabs. The ability to navigate these rivers was of great importance in the settlement of Iowa before railroads. Paskoff, Paul F. Troubled Waters: Steamboat Disasters, River Improvements, and American Public Policy, 18211860. The lure of huge profits led steamboats to travel in unsafe river conditions and at unsafe speeds. Low Missouri river levels expose 130-year-old shipwreck - kfyrtv.com Potter says he went to the library to learn more and wondered, "Why haven't I ever heard of this?" Tucson: Fireship Press, 2009. Lake Geneva. Steamboat Princess Disaster On February 27, 1859, the Steamboat Princess exploded on the Mississippi River killing between 70 and 200 passengers and crew. As for the Sultana disaster itself, it was clearly a case of putting profit over safety. The Chicago Opera Troupe, a minstrel group that had traveled upriver on Sultana before getting off at Memphis, staged a benefit performance, while the crew of the gunboat Essex raised US$1,000 (equivalent to $17,702 in 2021) [14], In December 1885, the survivors living in the northern states of Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio began attending annual reunions, forming the National Sultana Survivors' Association. The boat and its entire cargo was a total loss. Nathan Smith eased the coal-burning steamer downstream through a narrow bend 80 miles below St. Louis. Or does it let would-be historians off the hook from paying their own dues for embarking on the composition of a piece of nonfiction? "And the shrapnel, the steam and the boiling water killed hundreds.". Most were Union soldiers, newly released from Confederate prison camps. That meant another expensive trip and more time. GRAND TOWER, ILL. It was the first trip of the season for the Golden Eagle, an antique steamboat with twin stacks, gingerbread woodwork and a splashing sternwheel. Many bodies were never recovered. Train derails in Wisconsin, plunging 2 containers into the Mississippi "The war had just ended a few weeks before," he says. It is also about a rescue effort that brought together people who had been at war just weeks earlier. And finally, at the end of the war, the Sultana would have played a significant role in transporting former Union prisoners-of-war back to the North. By the 1830s steamboats had navigated the Missouri River to the mouth of the Yellowstone River. GES: The Sultana Disaster Museum is located in Marion because that is the closest city to the remains of the vessel. As shown in my book, when steam navigation of American waterways first began, there were very little, if any, laws for safety. The number of people killed instantly or who drowned or died as a result of their injuries was variously estimated from seventy to two hundred; the actual number was likely closer to the smaller figure. By Lieutenant Commander Ralph P. Dillon, U. S. Naval Reserve. However, as I said, a person still needs to go to a resource location such as a museum archive to get the basic facts. A freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed in southwestern Wisconsin on Thursday, injuring four employees and sending two containers into the Mississippi River. Evidence like that may have led the government to downplay the Sultana tragedy, Potter says. On April 27, 1865, the steamboat Sultana exploded and sank while traveling up the Mississippi River, killing an estimated 1,800 people. The Missouri was a dangerous river. FS: Tell us why the Sultana Disaster Museum is located in Marion, Arkansas. Explosion of the Steamboat Constitution, May 4, 1817, Point Coupee, Louisiana. Potter, the lawyer and author, grew up around Memphis, but didn't learn about the tragedy until the late 1970s, when he saw a painting of the ship in flames. Author Q&ADestruction of the Steamboat Sultana, Fred Schultz has been in the publishing business since 1980 and was editor-in-chief of. It just hurts my heart. "We feel like we're a part of this Civil War story, but we're the conclusion that no one heard," says Lisa O'Neal, a Marion resident and member of the Sultana Historic Preservation Society. Persac, Marie Adrien (Artist). Although the patched boiler was not the cause of the disaster, it was certainly indicative that the Sultana had faulty boilers. The 12 Best Mississippi River Cruises for 2023-2024 - US News & World Library of Congress The Golden Eagle's new St. Louis-based owners left it to the river's mercy. The huge boats could carry many passengers and large amounts of freight. Introduced in 1848, they could generate twice as much steam per fuel load as conventional boilers. ARCHERAt Galena, from St. Louis, Sept. 8, 1845; sunk by collision with steamer "Di Vernon", in chute between islands 521 and 522, five miles above mouth of Illinois River, Nov. 27, 1851; was cut in two, and sunk in three minutes, with a loss of forty-one lives. The preliminary crest of 19.61 . GES: Sultana (No. [23], An episode of the PBS series History Detectives that aired on July 2, 2014, reviewed the known evidence, thoroughly disputed a theory of sabotage, and then focused on the question of why Sultana was allowed to be crowded to several times its normal capacity before departure. 3. the Steamboat Era in Illinois On March 26, 1915, while the Alice Miller was laid up at Vicksburg, fire broke out in the kitchen, and the boat was destroyed. Whole groups went down together. Lawmakers voted 85-12 Monday to approve legislation that would exempt . "Lincoln had just been assassinated. Mississippi woman dies in boat crash on the Jourdan River | Biloxi Sun By that standard, the loss of the Golden Eagle was a minor event. The disaster of the Princess near Baton Rouge in 1859 was a tragically typical example. Shipwrecks - Inland Waterways - WI Shipwrecks Late in April of 1865, the Mississippi stood at flood stage. Cost $8 for poster plus $3.50 postage (U.S.). The Sultana made it only a few miles north of Memphis. [4]:72 Sultana subsequently arrived at Memphis, Tennessee, around 7:00 PM, and the crew began unloading 120 tons (109 tonnes) of sugar from the hold. (Post-Dispatch), Retired Capt. As the crew made sure the cargo was packed tightly, the captain blew the whistle. Steamboats of the Mississippi - Wikipedia Sometimes these snags stuck out of the water. This effect of careening could have been minimized by maintaining high water levels in the boilers. Click on links in the titles below to reach Lloyds descriptions of the accidents pictured.
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