Includes pictures includes accounts of the explosi. Also included are period newspaper articles, a copy of the book loss of the sultana and reminiscences of survivors. The sultana steamed north up the mississippi, but the severe overcrowding and faster river current caused by the spring thaw put increased pressure on its newly patched boilers. In his book, he builds a strong case against the boats captain and. The worst maritime disaster in american history wasnt the titanic. The worst maritime disaster in american history occurred on april 27, 1865, when the steamship sultana exploded and burned on the mississippi river while dangerously overloaded with passengers. Duck of caro and sebewaing, mich, showing the ss sultana, a steamer, laden with thousands of men at helena, ar, on april 26, 1865. Sultana as depicted by harpers weekly, may 20, 1865 wikimedia.
Constructed of wood in 1863 by the john litherbury boatyard in cincinnati, she was intended for the lower mississippi cotton trade. This april marks the 150th anniversary of the ss sultana disaster. Most of the passengers who survived did so by floating on pieces of the boat until they made it to shore. Early in the morning of april 27, 1865 approximately 1,700 people, both soldiers and civilians, died in the explosion of the steamer sultana on the mississippi river. Civil war philately contributes to the knowledge of a. He also survived the sultana disaster on the mississippi river. The sultana explosion, april 27, 1865 one of the best read books on the subject, mr. The story is only a story because of the boiler explosion and without it, the sultana would be only a few lines in history books. It was the steamboat sultana on the mississippi river and it could have.
On april 27, 1865, the united states experiences its worst maritime disaster in history. As always, there were interesting sultana related displays to see and interesting people to meet. Why nobody remembers americas worst maritime disaster. An estimated 1,800 people died in the explosion and ensuing fire more than died in the sinking of the titanic. Sultana was a mississippi river sidewheel steamboat, which exploded on april 27, 1865. The forgotten explosion of the sultana, the worst maritime disaster in american history the sultana was carrying some 2,000 freed union soldiers from confederate prisons when three of its four boilers blew, sending the ship into flame and chaos. With speeds exoneration, the military closed the books on the sultana tragedy. In the end, no one was held responsible for the worst maritime disaster in american waters. Steamer ss sultana disaster documents2,544 pages of documents related to the explosion of the steamer ss sultana on the morning of april 27, 1865, the greatest maritime disaster in united states history. That dismal distinction goes to the ss sultana, a mississippi river paddlewheel steamer which exploded and sank on april 27, 1865 at the close of the civil war. This was the greatest maritime disaster in united states history. The sultana explosion americas greatest maritime disaster on april 27, 1865, the ss sultana, a mississippi river sidewheel steamboat, exploded and.
In 2009, alan huffman wrote a book on the sultana disaster. The disaster was overlooked at the time because it occurred just weeks after lees surrender and president lincolns assassination, with most news outlets covering the end of the civil war, lincolns funeral train, and the. But fact remains that while the fate of the ss sultana ship is bemoaned today, at the time of the accident, the tragedy was obscured by several other equally disastrous calamities that prevented it from gaining its due precedence. He served another six months as prisoner of war at cahaba. The shipwreck that led confederate veterans to risk all for. An estimated 1,800 of the 2,400 passengers were killed when three of the ships four boilers exploded almost at once and the sultana sank into the mississippi near memphis. Huffman rescues the sultana tragedy from obscurity and brings the people and events surrounding it to vibrant life. Remember the sultana documentary remember the sultana. The disaster was overshadowed in the press by events surrounding the end of the american civil war, including the killing of president. The majority of the victims were former union prisoners from cahaba and andersonville prisons.
Salecker has been a keynote speaker in many of the most recent sultana reunions. The deadliest maritime disaster in american history book online at best prices in india on. The deadliest maritime disaster in american history. Ss sultana disaster outstanding cabinet card photograph printed by james l. Shortly after leaving memphis, tennessee on april 27th, the overstrained boilers exploded, blowing apart the center of the boat and starting an uncontrollable fire. On monday night, the 150year anniversary of the maritime disaster, a professionally produced, hourlong documentary will premier at a large. An estimated 1,800 people died in the explosion and ensuing fire. Originally published in 1892, it was the first ever book on the subject. This is also the story that will be investigated in the sultana documentary, remember the sultana, that will premiere on april 27th to mark the 150th anniversary of the tragedy. Word is that he will also be presenting at the upcoming 2020 reunion. Sultana was a mississippi river sidewheel steamboat, which exploded on april 27, 1865, in the worst maritime disaster in united states history. The shipwreck that led confederate veterans to risk all.
The boiler explosion of the mississippi river steamboat sultana on april 27, 1865 caused one of the 100 deadliest fires ever and claimed more lives than the titanic. This disaster was the greatest maritime disaster in united states history. His name is listed in saelekers book, disaster on the mississippi as wyatt baley. The deadliest maritime disaster in american history charles river editors audio book torrent free download, 4345. The sultana explosion, april 27, 1865 and the largest collector of sultana related memorabilia and artifacts. An estimated 1,800 of its 2,427 passengers died when three of the ships four boilers exploded and it sank near memphis. Ss sultana was a mississippi river steamboat paddlewheeler that exploded on april 27, 1865 in the greatest maritime disaster in united states history. He cites potter, among other works that only mention the sultana. It made frequent trips up and down the mississippi river between new orleans and st. This is a book of about 25 case studies that discuss accidents, pandemics and natural disasters that influenced emergency management and. A short but moving history that effectively captures both the disaster and the soldiers ordeal. An engraving of the sultana explosion, published in harpers weekly, may 20, 1865. Although the sultana disaster had a death toll less than half than that of sept.
The sultana, a typical sidewheeler coalburning steamer, was built in 1863. Alan huffman presents this harrowing story in gripping and vivid detail and paints a moving portrait of four individual soldiers who survived the civil wars final hell to make it. Surviving the civil war, prison, and the worst maritime. Five best books on the steamboat sultana, and americas. Please help us to remember the sultana, and to raise this story from the depths of the mississippi and into the hearts of people everywhere. Ss sultana was a mississippi river sidewheel steamboat that exploded on april 27, 1865 in the greatest maritime disaster in united states history. Potter is a lawyer, huffman is a freelance journalist. The sultana explosion, a maritime disaster duration.
Surviving the civil war, prison, and the worst maritime disaster in american. Gene was our guide for the weekend, taking us to the site of camp fisk, where former union pows from cahaba and andersonville, midwesterners, were processed for parole. Early in the morning of april 27, 1865 approximately 1,700 people, both soldiers and c. The sultana was a wooden steamboat that exploded on the mississippi just outside of memphis on april 27, 1865. This civil war boat explosion killed more people than the.
The worst maritime disaster in american history, the sinking of the sultana is a forgotten tragedy lost in the turmoil of the timesthe wars end, the assassination of president lincoln, the pursuit of john wilkes booth. The sultana disaster killed an estimated 1,700 or more of the passengers a death toll higher than caused by the sinking of the titanic half a century later. The sultana disaster is rarely mentioned in history books. An estimated 1,800 people died, of causes ranging from steam burns to drowning, making the explosion of the sultana the deadliest maritime disaster in u. The explosion of the ss sultana audiobook by charles. Gene salecker wrote what most consider the definitive study in, disaster on the mississippi, the sultana explosion, april 27, 1865. Sultana and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. Of course, another problem for publicity, compared to the titanic, is that the sultana s passengers didnt include the rich and famous. Even more amazingly, people barely cared about the disaster. An estimated 1,600 of sultana s 2,400 passengers were killed when three of the ships four boilers exploded and sultana. I am the author of the book disaster on the mississippi. For instance, under normal conditions, a ship that sank with more than 2,000 passengers aboard most of whom died would be big news, yet today the sinking of the ss sultana is often overlooked if not entirely forgotten. On april 27, 1865, a steamboat named the sultana exploded and.
The sultana explosion, april 27, 1865 gene eric salecker published 1996 by naval institute press isbn 10. The sultana should be in our history books, taught in our schools, and remembered by all who have a duty to those who fight to protect our freedoms and our nation. Americas greatest maritime disaster potter, jerry on. The tragedy america ignored this april marks the 150th anniversary of the ss sultana disaster. Sultana memorial knoxville, tennessee atlas obscura.
When the ss sultana exploded on april 27, 1865, more than 1,800 died outnumbering the death toll from the titanic disaster. I am seeking any additional information which anyone may have on him prior to the civil war. The paperback of the the explosion of the ss sultana. Americas greatest maritime disaster hardcover february 29, 1992 by jerry potter author. Few books have been written about sultana, and its rarely commemorated or even mentioned. Reverend chester berrys book on the sultana disaster is another historical masterpiece. There is a popular saying that declares timing is everything, and in no other field of study is that truer than in history. Alan huffman presents this harrowing story in gripping and vivid detail and paints a moving portrait of four individual. American history books chart it down as one of the hugest maritime accidents to have occurred in their country. Speed stayed in vicksburg, becoming a criminal court judge and a powerful voice in mississippi politics. Loss of life has been estimated as low as 1,200 and as high as 1,800. The ss sultana was a mississippi river steamboat paddle wheeler that exploded on april 27, 1865, in the greatest maritime disaster in united states history.