The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-10-15
THE SULTANA DISASTER.
A Few Facts About this Dire Calamity.

To THE EDITOR: The transport referred to
by b. f. Clough i'll your issue of Sept. 3 was the
steamer Sultana, a st. Louis and New Orleans
packet. The Sultana was 800 feet long, and
one of the largest and finest passenger steamers
ON the Western rivers. The Sultana backed
out from New Orleans about the 21st of April,
1865, with large passenger list. Among her
passengers We're many eX-COnfederates on their
way home. At Vicksburg and other points
along the river she added to her passenger list
about 1900 Union soldiers, many Of whom had
recently been released from prison. She reach
cd Memphis little after IL o'clock on the
morning of April %, 1866, and exploded her
boilers about 2:30 o'clock the same morning
about 10 miles above Memphis, and burned to
the waters edge. The Sultana had on
board, all told, about 2,1O0 passengers. Be-
tween ], 400 and l 800 persons found watery
graves on that Inflated night. The river was
at flood tide the water was over the banks
and the river was full of drift wood, to which
many of the survivors owe their lives and to
pieces of tho wreck which dotted the river far
and near.
The saddcst part connected with the loss of
the Sultana was that men from both sides who
had served through the whole war met with
such terrible fate as they were nearing the
threshold of their own homes. The explosion
OF the Sutana was the greatest marine disaster
known in the annals of history. Tho writer
was employed on board the Sultana up to with
in two hours before she departed from ST. Louis
on that fatal trip, and quit the Sultana to ac-
cept position on an Upper Mississippi River
steamer. Walter b. Smith, of London England,
dear and true friend of mine, who superseded
me on the Sultana, was a victim Of that sad
disaster.-HENRY j. LYDIA, st. Louis, Mo.
Death of Col. BrOadhead.
To THE EDITOR: As I saw the charge in
which Col. Broadhead, 1st Mich. Cav, was
mortally wounded, and assisted in supporting
him and in holding the candle and inkstand
while he wrote long letter Il think to his
wife), would'like to ask the boys of the regi-
ment few questions, and tell some things that
many of them may not be aware of.
| would like to know what rebel cavalry it
was you met in that charge. l was prisoner
at the time and at time of the charge; was on
top of the rail fence some 100 Cor perhaps 200)
yards to tho right of your line rs you came
down the slope to meet the rebs, who charged
up the hill.
The boys rode splendidly, knee to knee, in
perfect line; but oh ! the result. 1t proved the
absurdity and folly Uplifting sabers against six
shooting revolvcrs At the command, Draw
sabers!" every blade flashed at the same in
slant. The rebs drew their revolvers, the Fed
eral line started an instant first and they
rushed right together each line passing through
the other, except those who went down in the
shock of collision. Then each man of each side
attempted to get back to their original posi-
tons, and the shooting and running, cursing
and cutting that followed cannot be understood
except by an eyewitness.
With a detail the following Sunday buried
the dead, and if none had been moved think
every officer of the command must have fallen
where the lines came in collision at first but
they must have been carried where we found
them, as the officers were all at the extreme left
of the line. | think we buried four officers,
nnf |, ,ah,.v 70 oo Il into
were nine killed, if my memory is not at fault
But however, the first went back over the crest |
of the KNOLL formed and went their way, while |
the rebs came back on the run and didn't stop |
until away past our hospital and out of range
and danger.
But to return to Col Broadhead: one cannot
realize the full length and breadth of patriots
love of country until he sees such sight. That |
grand, noble fellow bleeding, dying, and all |
without a murmur of complaint, except that |
in this letter which was published, he stated |
that he I" died victim to MeDowell's treason"
The poor fellow knew there was treason above |
him somewhere; but had he said Porter in
stead of Mcdowell, he would have come nearer
the truth, perhaps.
Was it all that was left of the LIST Mich. in |
the charge. or was it only battalion? L have
understood that Gen. Grant, toward the last of
his Presidency, wished to have all sabers lex |
cept for otficers) and bayonets thrown aside and
revovers substituted. What a grand thing that
would have been during the war as verify |
believe they killed and used up more Federal
soldiers than they ever did of the enemy and |
the number of saber and bayonet wounds re-
ported in the surgical history of the war think |.
proves the more than worthlessness of those two !
weapons. Any comrade or other party being |
able to reply to me, hope will do so through |
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE.-D. o. PICKARD, |
NJ. d., Steward, U. S. Sharpshooters, Fenni- |
more Wis.