New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-05
WRECK OF THE SULTANA.
BONES OF THE VICTIMS EXPOSED BT
THE MIS- SISSIPPI
FIFTEEN HUNDRED SOLDIERS KILLED By A
BOILER EXPLOSION NEAR MEMPHIS
DURING THE WAR
From The Memphis Scimitar.


From The Memphis Scimitar.
The wreck Of the steamer Sultana. which y.
CURED on April - 1860 ana which sent
shudder over The entire length and breadth
this land has been recalled by the action Of ID,
Mississippi River III whose broad bosom b.
catastrophe took place. ana in whose cold en-.
brace hundreds IF soldiers went down 20 rise
more.
The Sutana was very large Mississippi
River packet. which was engaged by the United
states Government As soon as the civil War
vas ended. 70 convey Federal troops from he
Far South 10 their homes The steamer took On
A iarse number If troops a. Vicksburg and took
on several other smaller ictachnents on the
way Up. When she arrived here on April y
she had 200 Federal soldiers aboard
The boat lay In this port FOR several hours is-
charging 4 cargo NJ mOlasses. and started up
the river early On the morning " the 9th She
hdc proceeded about six miles being oppOst.
Hen and Chicken Island. when. without iry
warning whatever. her boilers burS her hog
chains parted. and the shattered wreck caught
fire. As many ~ 300 soldiers were killed "
drowned a. result Of the accident and FOR four
days dozens Of hoaters were captured every
hour or
Many bodies were recovered near the scene II
the wreck. and these were buried AZ Mound
city. AT that time the people IN this vicinity
cared precious little for Yankee soldiers though
they gave them a decent burial No tOmbstons
were erected. however. and the graves were not
kept green.
When The Sultanag victims were buried q
Mound city the impromptu graveyard in Which
their last sleep was 10 be slept was FAR from
the rivers bank, bat the Missss ppi seemingly
with iiendish desire 20 claim the bones u these
victims for her waters 10 ripple over as they
have rippled over for years The bones 81 other
victims Of the same catastrophe. has gradually
worn away the ground until now she sweeps oy
the graveyard with steady. Sulleu murmur,
and bones and CHASTITY skulls look down IN me
water from where they lie. 4 few feet away.
one skeleton which has been exposed by the
river brings 10 mind lynching which occurred
thief had been operating in that vicinity FOR
some time. and the people banded together 70
capture him. He was tall. daShing sort d
fellow. who wore high -heeled and high-tOpped
boots. one day the thief fell into the hands Oh
the Vigilance Committee and a short time atter-
ward he danced wind jig at the end ~ rope
which was attached To one IF the trees near oy
the place where the Sultanas victims had been
buried. After the life had been choked OUT d
him. and after sundry holes had been pumps,
into him by rifle balls. he was cut down aho
chucked into a rough box and IN A few minute,
he was ready for burial. The horse thet IA,
been foolish enough 10 grow long and tau, ihu
this caused him to rest for many years IN
had rather a short box IN which 10 bury NM 'u
and they doubled up his legs that all OF MN
could be slowed away inside the box -,
One Of the skeletons washed out by 'he ,' sc,
IL doubled up In rude box portion u ~ "a
boots which the skeletons owner wore car. a
seen and they are high -heeled and hlsn -loPP,
This must be the horse thief HIS Skull VIZ -.
ing exposed few days ago. ana may &c '"'
yet