Do you know that the largest maritime disaster in the United States occurred on the Mississippi River? It is estimated that 1,800 of the Sultana’s 2,400 passengers died when the side-wheel steamboat sank on April 27th, 1865.
The U.S. government had contracted the newly built Sultana to carry former Civil War prisoners from Vicksburg, Mississippi back up the river to various locations. Although the Sultana’s capacity was 376 passengers, she was holding over 2,100 released prisoners in addition to various goods to be delivered. The boat was horribly overcrowded, and after a stop in Memphis to deliver 120 tons of sugar, the Sultana continued up the River — but not for long.
Seven miles later at 2:00 am, its boilers exploded and sent passengers overboard. The ship burst into flames and the weakened prisoners were thrown into the frigid waters of a flooded, springtime Mississippi River. Many perished from hypothermia and drowning; several hundred were rescued, but few survived.
Most people didn’t hear about this horrible disaster right away; it unfortunately coincided with the aftermath of another tragedy – the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Most of the country was still just learning about the President’s murder, and mourning the country’s loss. The Civil War was coming to a close and all of the newspapers were covering the assassination and the war – the horror of the maritime disaster became a secondary story.
Since the Mississippi River has changed courses so many times in the following years, the wreckage of the Sultana is believed to be under a farm four miles from today’s River in Marion, Arkansas
You can visit The Sultana Museum for more information on this historical event.
Replica of the Sultana Steamboat. Photos (above and below) courtesy of the Sultana Museum.
The history of the Mississippi River is vast and important. We need each and every River Citizen to join us in protecting our River for future generations.
Jessie Demster
Tennessee Outreach Assistant
