The Shasta courier., 1865-07-29
A Struggle For Life.

The Cincinnati Commercial publishes the
following thrilling incident of the struggle
for life at the Sultana disaster;
Among the few who survived the horrible
result OF the explosion and burning OF the
Sultana, on the Mississippi river, near Mem
phs, was Mrs. Perry, OF this city. wife OF
Mr.. C. Perry. Chief Engineer of the war YES
sol Tennessee At the time of the accident,
Mrs Perry was returning to this city from a
visit to her husband whose vessel was then
lying near The mouth Of Red River. As
soon as the explosion took place. Mrs. Perry
fastened on life presever and sprang into
the river at the stern of the boat, and imme
diately found herself floating in the midst of
soldiers, horses. and all the de6rls incident
to wreck. Together with several soldiers,
she managed 80 secure a door, which helped
to sustain them in the water as they foated
down the deep and rapid current of the
mighty river, with which for long, weary
hours they were doomed to struggle for life
their own feeble strength opposed to the
overpowering flood. The hours of their ter
rible snfferings passed on slowly as they
foaed down the river, past Memphis, and
many miles beyond. OF the gloomy half
dozen companions. the lady and Young
soldier, boyish in years, but manly and no.
BILE in deed were the most self-possessed, for
they alone raised their voices in words of
encouragement or advice The others. men
who had faced death on battlefelds and in
rebel prisons, we.e as babes in this trying
hour. They wept aloud, aud the waters
echoed back their shrieks of utter desp pair.
One Of them crawled upon the door and re-
mained there, 20 the imminent peril of the
others, and despite their remonstranccs
Another, observing that Mrs. Perry had on
lite preseryer let go of the door and graspeG
her arm, forcing her from the door under
the water. She managed to shake him of
and regain the door, he taking his place by
her side again. The young hero of the hour
here demonstrated with the other soldier,
saying that he was ashamed to see him thus
cowardly, after having fought with him on
more than one battle ground But the other
was too thoroughly overcome by fear to heed
the remark, and he repeated the operation--3
different times, on each occasion dragging
Mrs. Perry under water and nearly strln-
Cling her. Happening to see another door
floating near them, Mrs. Perry attempted to
secure i, but as she was about to lay hands
on it, soldier, who had been ciinging to
it. arose to the surface and warned her off .
She stated that the other poor refuge was S,
overcrowded that it would be impossible for
all to cling to it. She then attempted to
catch hold Of the door, but the soldier thrust
her off into the wafer, and compelled her to
return to the other. Such were few of the
incidents which occurred to these survivors
of that horrible catastrophe; and when we
consider them as happening in the midst Of
the icy waters Of the Mississippi. mile from
the shore, and with the inky blackness of
night above and around them. we can fully
conceive of their horrors. A few logs. which
had been caught near small submerged
island. at last aifo"de cd halting place to The
half. castaways, and when day daWned
they were rescued by men with skiF Mrs
Perry was then taken to Memphis and thence
to this city, experiencing the utmost kind
ness at the hands of the Mayor Of Memphis
and his wife, Gen. Washburne, Capt Smith
and the captains of the steamers Marble
City aud Naugltuck- She is now slowly re
covering from the effects Of her terrible suf.
ferings in the water.