Arkansas true Democrat., 1857-12-08
From the Memphis Appeal. Burning of the Steamer Rainbow.

Burning of the Steamer Rainbow. Fearfaa Loss cf L.te-Names cf the Escaped--
 The Boat Fired by hscendiarism-sS Statement
 of Passenger.
 The clerk of the Rainbow has favored us with the following account of the burning of the Rainbow catastrophe that in it's horrors has seldom been surpassed in the western waters We learn from J. A. Purse, Esq, passenger on the Minnehaha that five deck hands be- longing to the North Star, which was wrecked on Monday, got on the Minnehaha at Grand Gulf. They were continually intoxicated and were so ferocious and turbulent that it became necessary to tie them to prevent their doing mischief, and at Vicksburg they were put ashore.
 When the Rainbow reached that place they took passage aboard of her, and there commec- ed drinking and quarrelng with the German passengers on the boat, drawing their knives and threatening the lives of inotfensve passen. gers. It became necessary to bind them and two of the most outrageous were whipped.
 They declared they would have revenge, and bitterly swore that the boat should never reach Cairo. They got loose during the night, and to their hellish conduct the fate of the Rainbow is doubtless owing. These men were from Pittsburgh.
 The men were secured after the fire all but one, who had probably made his escape into the woods, or he might be drowned Natural ly much excitement existed in regard to these men among those who escaped, and strong disposition was manifested to hang them on the spot as soon as the missing one could be found.
 This was the state of feeling when the Min nehaha left the scene of disaster The entire number of passengers on board the boat at the time of the occurrence of the tire was three hundred and torty-seven.
 STATEMENT OF THE CLERK
 The steamer Rainbow, Capt. Holcroft, from Orleans, bound for Louisville, caught fire about o'clock on the morning of the 2lst inst, when about ten miles above Napoleon, and burned to the waters edge. She had large number of passengers both in the cabin and on deck- The loss of life is variously estimated from fifty to seventy five, but nothing is known with cer- tianty as to the number.
 The fire was first discovered in the neighbor- hood of the cook house-it is not known how it originated. She was headed for shore when the alarm was first given and struck the shore under full head of steam, and remained with her bow sho and stern quartering in the stream about fifty feet from the shore, where she burned to the waters edge.
 From accounts of passengers, the alarm was not general until about the time she struck the shore. Many were aroused by the smoke fill ing their rooms and almost stiAng them.- Many of the passengers. when aroused to their danger, found the flames bursting through the floor of the cabin amidship, and were con pelled to jump off the stern and swim ashore. A number had congregated in the larboard splash door Chat one next to the shore) where they remained until the wheel fell, carving them all into the river, and of some twenty-five or thirty who went down in full view or thos who had gained the shore, only som three or four are known to have escaped. One lady made her escape by winding in and out through the staterooms after part of the cabin floor had fallen in. There were five ladies and four men cln ,ng to the starboard wheel, when it fell, only one man escaped.
 One lady, Mrs Mayberrv, hung on to the vaw derrick until the guys burned off and toated down the river, still cinging to it, and was rescued by the Sovereign. The Sovereign was near at hand when the accident occurred. and rendered all the assistance in her power- A number were picked up by her yawl. Some who got on board of her from the shore were taken care of and supplied with clothing by the crew and passengers. Some few who lived down the river returned to their homes by her The Mnnehaha Capt. Chas. K. Baker, came up shortly after the accident, and took those off the Sovereign and then landed near the wreck and took on board all who wished to come up the river. She had eighty of the saved Many were almost naked and had lost everything they had The cold and naked were clothed and warmed. Capt. Baker landed at Laconia where he remained until all who were destitute were fully clothed and supplied with all they required. The passengers on the Minnehaha showed the utmost liberality and kindness of heart towards those who escaped from the ill., fated steamer, and freely contributed both money and clothes to supply their wants
 A list of names of the cabin passengers who escaped and came up on the Minnehaha accom- panies this; in addition l append list of deck passengers and deck hands.
 DECK PAssENGERs-L. D. Crotchett and II F. Rowland, H.; H. B. McCurrv Pittsburgh. Penn; Perry Samuels, Derby, Ind; David Kinder, Ind; Wm. Anderson, Pittsburgh. Penn: D. Simpson, Hele-a, Ark; Wilson White. Il. E. Dalton, and Geo. Dungan, Pittsburgh, Penn; B. R. Todd, Ballard county Ky; Ardell Ham, din, Cincinnati Ohio.; Victor Peking, Jefferson- vile, Ind
 CREw.-John Kelly, Cincinnati; Julius FL erder, New Albany, Ind; Geo. Birch, New Albany, Ind; Pat Donohoe, Louisville; Hugh Reagan, Louisville; Pat Colemen, Louisville; Pat Royne, Louisville
 PAssENGEEs.-Irvin Lotten, Indiana: Beni. Hannah Indiana; McWillams, Pittsburgh; Isaac Williams Pittsburgh; J ohu Burns, Baton Rouge.
 CARD FROM THE PASSENGERS.
 Steamer Mnnehaha Nov. p, 1857.
 We, the undersigned, passengers and survi- vors of the i'll fated steamer Rainbow. which was burned on the morning of November 2l ,t al Lhe head of Island IL M.s.:--;..-: .:..