The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-02-09
The TRANSPORT Mercury.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Comrade J.
Wilkinson, OF Bainbridge, Ind, asks for his
tory of the steamer Mercury, and will tell
what / know about 1t.
This transport was fitted out as hospital
boat at Louisville KY, and was ready for serv-
ice about May /, 1865. A volunteer detail was
made from Jacksonville Hospital to man her.
1t consisted of about I5 men for the different
departments of service on the boat.
was detailed as Bugler. My bunk mate was
the Dispensary Clerk. He was German, and
hailed from Hamilton, o. Westarted about the
I'd or Sd of May, and Immediately went to work
fitting up the cabins as wards and getting in
order for cruise down the Ohio and Missis-
sippi Rivers. A few nights before our departure
some of the boys managed to sample the medi-
cal stores and INDUCED in quite q spree. The
next morning our Surgeon came aboard, and,
on investigating the matter had the guilty
parties arrested and taken on shore. do not
know what became of them. 1t was reported
they were dishonorably discharged. Matters
went on quite smoothly until May 8, when we
weighed anchor and started down the river
under sealed orders. Our trip was quite pleas
ant, nothing of note happening until we
were passing Helena. Ark, about sunset. /
had taken down our flag, and as that was all
there was about our boat to designate to what
we belonged, the commander of the fort hailed
us by sending shot across our bow. l at once
understood its meaning, and raised our flag to
the top of the staff and we passed on.
We went as far as Natchez, Miss. Then we
took on board about 250 sick and wounded. A
squad of us took stroll up town. During our
ramble / spied a blaek-and-tan terrier at q
livery stable and on Cur return / managed to
get him under my coat and take him to the
boat, when he became the pet of the crew.
Shortly after our return the bell rang, and our
ship was headed for inc north and bravely
battled against the MIGHTY waters of the Mis-
sissppi. We now had plenty Of work to do, as
many of our patients were very low and several
died, SO we made stop each morning at some
island to bury the dead. At Vicksburg and
Memphis we took on quite number of sick.
At the latter place we saw numbers of bodies
floating down the river. They were from the
Sultana disaster. We left Memphisand headed
for st. Louis, Mo- When about IS miles below
ST. Louis, at - o'clock, midnight, May "a, we
were awakened by terrible crash. The packet
Hard Times, from St. Louis, ran into our boat,
crashing hole in her bow about IL or Is feet
long. At once heavy tarpaulins were thrown
over the hole to stop the flow of water, but it
did no good and the Hard Times backed out
and come alongside and both boats headed for
the shore. Those who were able to walk were
ordered to go aboard tie Hard Times, and the
nurses carried the sick and helpless as fast as
possible; yet our boat was fast filling with
water, and when within about 100 feet of the
Illinois shore she went down. bow first, in about
40 feet of water. A great many jumped over
board, many being drowned and some swim
ming to shore, while great many poor help
less wounded and sick, who could not move
themselves, went down with the boat-A. A.
JONES, Co. ], 18th Ind Cav. Green Springs O.