The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-06-05
DR.. WIN. WOOD & SONS,
a4 CAIRO, ILLINOIS

CAIRO, ILLINOIS.
felt that my case was almost hope
less one; but by determined effort
| kept my head above water, and just
It this moment | saw something like
small stick almost within my reach
but passing me rapidly. made des-
perate effort with all the strength
had to reach it. 1t proved to be a
small board about four inches wide
and four or five feet in length. This
little board was a godsend to me.
Without it could not have survived
the rushing, whirling torrents much
longer. On this board / had my left
hand and arm, which served to rest
me very much, and by striking with
my right hand and kicking with my
feet could keep on the surface ana
float along with comparative ease.
In this way / travelled a long time
sometimes mixed up with drift logs
} and brush The night was very dark
and the light from the burning boat
: had disappeared, | could see no signs
|, of shore, so | eonsoled myself by
knowing was drifting on the bosom
Of the broad Mississippi but that. |
was getting chilled and numb by its
cold and icy waters. How long / had
been in he wafer or how far had
travelled, could not tell, but it
| seemed almost an age.
! Presently something like a great log
J was floating right beside and against
} me. ] put out my hand to keep ii off
l. and 1t was rough with pitch and gray
I ell. 1t proved to be piece of the hur-
I rlcane deck, about three feet in width
7 and about 10 or ~ feet in length
! soon managed to climb out Of the wa
} ter on TO the floating relic from the
7 wrecked boat Sultana | Still held
4 on to the little board that had SO timely
come to my relief in the early part, Of
: my swim. On this last piece of The
9 deck | noated long time, chilled
/ almost TO inconsistencies. "a
$ While thus floating a man on long
! blank came alongside holding on be.
I hind him comrade who was not able
1 10 keep his head up out of the water
g and was about to drown. Fl said
4 . me- "Comrade. can you carry an
. other man on your plank" | told
t him ] could So he drew his plank
\ across mine ana together we got the
3 drowning man on my plank, and SO we
aoated until we were picked up by the
/ steamer Bostona We were then
I near Memphis and we could see the
= lights in the city.
t The boat carried us up the river
/ mill we met the st. Louis Belle on
9 her way down, and eight survivors
G were transferred 10 our boat which
: landed at Memphis at about s a. m.
= April 81 1865, We had swum and
Il foated about nine miles, and we were
r 30 thoroughly CHI He'd ana scarcely
!, conscious we We're placed in a room
s in the rear of the boat, large hot
y stove was soon making us feel more
: comfortable with the Shawls am
blankets sent down from the cabI
by the passengers and crew. BY this
x time was very sleepy, hardly able tc
x keen my eyes open, but hearing lout
talking and noise outside, | rolis ed III
and walked out to the stairway lead
4 ing down to the cabin deck. Hav nl
but little clothing on | was carefu
X D keep myself concealed from view
< peerel out and to my intense sur
< prise | saw imman crowds of peopl,
men, women and children, soldiers
hurrying hither and thither, and grea
4 excitement everywhere prevailed.
4 woman was coming up the gangplanl
\ on to the boat carrying in her arm
x some clothing. She came straight I,
4 me, seeing my need of clothing, an,
! gave me pair of trousers, a shirt
. and artilleryman's jacket and passe,
> on to the room where | had left tn
4 other comrades.
. | FASTENED to get into my new sui
D and walked out to the bow OF TIL
q boat, when a doctor accosted me
Y Here, soldier, come with me. | hav
\ place for you followed hin
y down through the crowd and up t
\ the hospital, which was but fe,
n blocks away. Thousands of peopl
Y were on the river front watching boat
\ out on the river, picking up men foal
\ ing with whatever they were fortur
\ ate enough to get hold of. Many wer
Y badly burned or scalded so that tn
\ skin chung like rags on their limbs an
\ bodies. A number Of such died a
Y the cold air struck them
X My friend, the doctor, plotted m
Y to room in the hospital. While wal
x ing for breakfast my bunk mate
XIV. vanscoyoc, Of Lurray, Russo
X County Kansas, came In the roor
X looking In every direction, and pass
K cd within foot Of me but did nc
X recognize me until ! spoke TO him.
y Here we remained for several day
= to recruit our strength for the remaIl