Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-03-19

tives of the deceased moved entirely
hidden from public view, and last the
coffin, to:ne on the shoulders of
men.
A SULTANA SURVIVOR.
Thrilling Experience of an Indiana
Soldier on the IlI-Fated Steamer,
Mr.. Perry Summerville, an unob-
trusive farmer residing near this CITY,
says the Indianapolis Journal, is one
of the six hundred survivors of the
steamer, the Sultana, which,
having on board twenty-three hun
dred union soldiers en- route home
from the prison pens of the south,
exploded her boilers and sank almost
instantly in the Mississippi, April 81,
1855. The explosion occurred at night.
the cause still remaining a mystery.
The fatality is one of the most disas-
trous of the kind on record, and forms
one Of the saddest chapters in the his
tory OF the late war for the preserva-
ton OF the union. Recently the sur
vlvors met at Fostoria, O., and effect
ed permanent organization, It is
their intention to hold annual reun-
ions.
Mr.. Summerville's story Is a plain
recital of facts, but for that very rea-
son is one of the most interesting of
all the "reminiscences now being as
slduously garnered, in which the 70
nance OF the war shall be perpetuated
side by side with more technical his
tory. Mr.. Summerville was a private
IN company K. 41st regiment, 81 In
diana cavalry volunteers. His story
is as follows:
AT my capture, near Stilesboro,
Ca. Sept. -, 1864, / was taken to
Cahawba prison, where 1 remained
for six months, when, with the rest of
the prisoners, l was taken to Big
Black via Jackson, Miss, and ex-
changed. We remained in parole
camp, four miles from Vicksburg, for
a week, after which we were put on
board the steamer Sultana at Vicbs-
burg. Ny quarters we're on the cabin
deck, on the guard, to the left hand
side, over and opposite the boilers.
We got to Memphis on the eve of
April 80. There the steamer unloaded
large amount of sugar, after which
she ran up to the coal barge and was
taking coal, and that is the last |
knew until l was in the river. In the
explosion l was thrown at least a
hundred feet. I sank once. Ny first
thought was that the steamer was
running too close to shore and that
had been dragged off by limb. 1
was very much excited for few mo-
ments, and commenced to swim to-
ward the boat and to call for help. l
had not gone far till l saw something
was wrong on board. l could see
steam and fire and hear screams COM
ing from the steamer, so commenced
to swim down the stream. had not
proceeded far till the steamed
was ahame. l got hold of a
rail, which proved to be a great assist
ance. When the steamer took fire the
passengers jumped overheard. saw
twenty or more jump at once. The
burning steamer, the shrieks of the
MANNED and scalded victims of the ex-
plosion the despair and confusion of
the hour were painfully wrought on
my memory, where they are to this
day in intense reality. can not paint
the picture, and l leave it to the imag-
inatlon of the reader.
In swimming down the r1ver, l
could see the timber on the right and
left of me, but could not make in to
the shore. About two miles above
Memphis 1 was fortunate enough to
obtain large plank, which | drew
across the end Of the rail in front.
held the rail with my feet and the
plank with my hands. l lay so near
the surface Of the water that came
near freeing. l was rescued at Mem
phis, my rescuer being a colored man,
VINO picked me up in canoe and plac.
ed me on board vessel. l was so
chilled from floating in the river a
distance of eight miles 1 could not
stand from numbness when rescued,
Besides, l had been scaided on the
back and bruised in the explosion,
and spit blood for some time.
II never knew what became of the
man who occupied the berth with me
on board the Inflated steamer. had
not been in the vessel long after hav-
ing been picked up till man was
broug ut in. who was SO badly scaIded
that the skin slipped from his should
ers to his hands, he was wrapped UP
in oil, aud he walked the floor in
agony for few minutes, and was
dead. A lady was also brought in
who had husband and several chill
dren on boord, and she was almost
insane with grief. l think she never
heard of them. might refer to many
other heartrending scenes that were
witnessed by rescuers who picked up
the manned, scalded, half frozen sur
vivors from the river during the whole
darkness of that terrible night, and in
the gray of the following dawn. 1t
requires no stretch of the imaginati
for the reader to realize something of
the horrors of the occasion. There
board, fully two thousand of whom
were killed by the explosion, drown
ed, or met with death from exposure.
II well remember my eight miles
swim, or rather float, on the river,
A mile or two below the scene of tie
explosion gun boat passed US going
up the river. but it either did not see
the victims or did not stop to pick
up any. A little later 1 heard horse
coming down the river. When he
came close enough | saw a half-dozen
men clinging to him. 1 kept clear of
the horse, or rather the men, for fear
of losing my rail and plank. Twas
finally overtaken by Jerry Parker, of
the 81 Michigan cavalry, who, for
quite distance swan by my side All
knew Jerry, who was much Of a fav-
orite. At times several of US would
be close together, when Jerry would
cheer US by saying we would all get
out yet. Jerry was afoat on a barrel,
and was among thosa rescued. A man
by the name Kibbe foated with me
for quite distance. He was cheer
full, except when talking about his
little girl After the rescue we started
to Camp Chase, Ohio, first having
spent a few days in the hospital. At
Indianapolis Gov. Morton, the great
war governor, stopped US as Indiana
soldiers, where kind treatment and the
sight of loved ones at home soon