Savannah morning news., 1886-05-08
AroRGorrrN rNAGEnY.
Federal Heroes VINO aIecr psneath the
NisSisStPp'.

Fr0u, he CAftTgr Irt5N4e.
some of the real tragedies OF q great
war are not inhequently forgotten. The
magazines are full of accounts, by men
whose names have become we'll known,
OF battles where there was fierce fghtiug,
and where the loss OF life was heavy, as
battles 60; but the mere struggle OF two
opposing bodies OF men is not ali there is
OF war. There are great tragedies in war
time outside the battlefield, and u is
usually the fare Of victims oi these out
side tragedies to be forgotten. Here Is
case in point. who to-day remem,
bers anything about the loss OF
Mississippi steamer uSlleu M
the SuitanaY Who remem bers
that in a moment were sacrificed tne
hives OF more Union soldiers thsn IN aI
save very few Of the great hgttles oI tue
war? The morning ofAprll u, lSoo, JUST
as soon as the war was ended, tlo Mlssls-
sippi steamer Sultsna-wbose capacity,
according TO the Hon. John CoVode,
Chairman Of the War Committee, was 90
passen4ers-arrived at Nicks0urg from
New Orleans. having on board paSsen-
gers and crew TO the number Ot lOO.
While there she was boarded by 1895
Federal soldiers and 30 officers, Just re-
leased from AndersOnvilie and Ca
hawba prisons, making total
~
The eoldiers were mostly from Ohio
aud Indiana regiments. They were hud-
died together, says the account, like sheep
in the shambles. Many OF the soldiers
were vet suffering from wounds received
in battle and most Of them were sadly
emacated from starvation IN prisons,
Memphis was reached April 70. After
coating the steamer proceeded nOrthward.
AT 2:30 a. m. April > just opposite Tag
fnr9 NJ Tor n " "A hove H.
phis, the steamer exploded her boilers,
and in a few minutes had burned to the
waer's edge. The scenes that fol-
lowed was horrible, but was Of
short duration. as the glare Of the burning
steamer suon died away, while darkness
more intense than ever settled down on
the floating hulks and the >, l4l victims OF
the disaster. who, manned or scalded IN
addition to battle-wOunds, were borne
down by the flood. Nearly 1,400 were
JOstl In how few battles were As many
meu killedy Not many more were killed
outright at Shiloh; few more were killed
al Gettysburg: and when Grant won bis
great victory at Missionary Ridge only
about 1900 were left dead upon
she field. At Waterioo-the battle
which changed the future OF natiOns-the
British loss in dead did not exceed 1900.
Upon the Sultana nearly half that num-
her went to death; and yet this horrible
incident OF great country's history has
sunk almost into oblivion. OF all the hap
less steamers load Of veteran soldiers but
TS6 escaped. The tragedy OF time
OF tragedies is but recalled to mind
to-day because of meeting recently
held in Toledo. U. There gathered in the
city named a few OF the survivors Of the
disaster on the Mississippi IN
which so many Union SOL
dlers fouDd graves where no tomb
stones could tell even the simple story Of
their brave devotion 10 a noble cause, and
of their sudden dreadful death at a time
when all were no longer doubtful, but
eager and eXultsnt. The gathering was
an unpretending one, but 1t was Of men
who had passed through one of the most
CHASTITY and dreadful experiences OF one OF
the greatest struggles in all history. The
tale Of the Sultana has not vet been told
by any poet. What more pitlful or strik-
ing theme could a pOet-one whose pen
might have the power of that OF De
Quincey-pitch uponl