The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-05-16
LETTERFeoRa MEMPHIS.
The suItana DisasIer-Reiief for the
Sufferers Getting of Southern Men
disposition to Return 10 tie
Union, 81. &c.
MEMPHIS. TExN.. May ssb, 1866

MEMPHIS, TEyN, May S.b, 1868.
EEIToAs LEADER:-Ln your morning
edition of the 81 inst, ses an editorial
upon the Suitana disaster, in which you
give it as your opinion, that it WAS rebel
plot. Such might be within the range of
easy possibility, knowing the Internal
mslignity OF secessionists US We do, but
such statement would be considered very
Improbable here, where the facts are sup
posed to be fully known. That very great
crlminslity Is justly chsrgsble TO acme per-
son or persons sll here agree, and the gen
etal opinion st present, understand, is
that the government officers at Vicksburgh
are directly responsible, and the reasons for
the opinion aTe, that the SulLsns Was COM
psled by the officers having charge Of the
take on the number she did against the
urgent protest Of the Captain of the boat
Captain Mason said to parties hare in
Memphis, that he objected to carrying
such load, and sisted TO the officers that
the boilers we're Very much OUT Oi repair.
They insisted, and no discretion was al-
lowed him. Besides, there were laying st
the wharf al Vicksburg a. the time, Two
stesmers, bound up the river, esch OF which
came up light. Capt. Mason lost his life,
and, l believe, the engineers also.
This DISASTERS unparalleled IN the history
of marine disasters on these western waters;
and, as il is related to me by those who sur
vived, the most awful and shocking cslam-
ity Of the kind that ever came 10 my
knowledge. Within a space OF perhaps
three acres, it is supposed tha. e. least eight
hundred human beings must have found
wstery grave. The bodies ere now
rising and commencing to 4 Jst down. Not
sn hour since, two bodies, locked in each
others arms, were picked up as they were
flosting by the city. A gentleman who
came up fiom Helena Arkansas, yester-
day, intorms ms they passed four or tive
floating BODIES Il Is wOfuIy sad to think
Of, under any Circumstances, but when We
reflect that these men for the most part
had been absent from home for thras wears
in the service, and for long time shu. I'D
in those prison pens Of the South, wheru
they had not heard from their friends. It
Is 4 picture of such utter horror that no de.
scripaOn Is worthy Of it. The people of
th's city have done whatever they could 10
relieve the suiferings Of those injured. and
none have been more active than some of
those who have constantly been the friends
and adherents of the south.
Since the fall Of Richmond and tbe sur
ronder OF Lees srmy no hope of accom-
plisting anything for the Southern Con
federacy has been enLertsined, and now
they consider i. among the things that
were.
At meeting a few days since of Ten
nesseeans, Mississippiaus and Arkansassns
held mere in Memphis, the desire of tbe
speakers seemed TO be, and the peopIe
resdily agreed to it, that every effort sho6Id
be made to restore peace and quiet and TO
diseountsnance the guerrilla snd thieyiDe
bands, and once more get themselves bscS
I1Jo the Union on the best terms thew
could tbst they had been most soundly !
whipped they challenged any one t. deny. |
and expressed the desire that the past four
years should be forgotten as fast as posi-
Die and hoped tho North would Alao a,.a-
mt tD toEs@G@its Fhis seor,-- e l.. siis-ita-
csre desire OF this people, thst recOnrilis-
tion should ba swif. and efiectusl They |
claim that Of suffering and ruin they have /
mad their full snare, and say they have |
made brave fight, have got whipped and |
now desire to acknowledge 1t and quiz.
Yours &c, HIT. |