The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1865-05-04
Shocking Steamboat Disaster.
Explosion ofthe s,eame r ss,t,na.


From the Special Correspondence the Gin. Gazette
After considerable delay, Your CORES
pendent has obtained a detailed account
Of the blowing up Of the steamer Sultana,
and shocking loss OF life. The Mem
phis Bulletin publishes statement by
Mr.. ID. Snow, l.. S. Senator from Arkan-
sas, is as follows: On the morning Of
the 9th, about 3 o'clock, was awaken
ed by a sensible tremor Of shudder pass
ing over the boat but heard no explosion.
Not anticipating such terrible conse-
quence, l arose and deliberately dressed.
Just before finishing dressing became
aware Of alarge volume Of steam being
driven through the cabin by the wind
! opened the door OF my state room, and
in an instant realized the horror Of the
fact that the boiler had exploded, killing
many; that the pilot house and Mt least
one third of the cabin roof had fallen in;
that the boiler deck and boat we're on
fire, with a fresh breeze carrying the
flames with lightning like rapidity thro'
the balance Of the cabin, toward the ladies |
saloon. l stepped back to avoid the heat
and denuded myself Of my dress, except /.
my pants and vest and rushed to the |
rear OF the boat, which was in the chan
mel and much nearer the Tennessee than
+,
but found it a sea of heads, so close to-
gether that it was impossible to jump
without killing one or more. l de
termined to try the Arkansas shore,
which was about three quarters Of mile
distant. passed over several bodies of
dead men killed and trsmpled in the
mad rush which must have occurred some
moments prior to my advent on that part
Of the boat. / found the same OF
heads on this side, but discovered that
the flames had driven them from the
vicinity of the wheel house, and by
getting as close rs possible to an open
place to leap in. Plior to leaping saw
several husbands fasten life preservers to
their wives and children and throw them
overheard into the struggling mass below
I struck out for the Arkansas shore, and
reached log lodged in fifteen feet Of
water, among the overlooked cotton wood
land. At ten minutes to four, by my
watch, which had not ceased to run, af-
ter four hours of exposure l was rescued
by the steamer Silver Spray.
The Sultana contained 2, l75 souls
The density with which they were packed
had awakened my curiosity, and look !
ed over with the Clerk his certificates
and books before retiring This number c
included So hands employed on the hos :
L
children. The bulk of passengers were
returned prisoners from Andersonville,
which place they left on the 18th Of last
February Among them were the rem
nant at that point of the prisoners cap ,
tured Mt Chicamauga and Gettysburg.-
They numbered altogether 900 men and
SO officers. A large number of horses
we're on the boat, which providentially
became unresisting victims to the flames.
Had they broken loose the fate OF the
swimmers would have been determined
within two hundred yards of the boat
As near as can be estimated without
other data than observation, between 200
and 300 reached the bank, while about
An equal number hoated down the stream
on doors and furniture.
A dense mass, estimated at about 500,
took refuge on the bow of the boat, while
the flames were driven aft by the wind
A few moments afterward the wheel
house loosened by the conclusion, and
flames fell of outward, and the boat
turned stern up stream, reversing the
flames The largest part of this num-
Der must then have persisted, rs they had
no material ut hand to throw over to
sustain them selves, except few bales Of
hay which were Immediately seized on
the turning Of the boat The gang plank
was thrown over board, but sank Mt
once under the living freight, and rose
too far out Of reach for most The yawl
boat was launched, bottom up. from the
hurricane deck, upon the heads of those
below, and afforded a support for few
in that condition. The whole time before
the boat was an entire sheet OF flame,
could not have exceeded twenty minutes.
Twas not more than one third of the
distance 10 the shore when l observed
the fact, The prisoners represented al
most every State in the Union, even Tex
a.. and the calamity will be a. widely
felt as a battle Of no inconsiderable pro-
r>ortiopS