A disaster less well remembered

A disaster less well remembered

The Vindicator’s special edi- tion of the Titanic disaster was outstanding and should be kept for future generations to read and study.

The month of April was a special one for maritime disasters. On April 27, 1865, another disaster occurred that overshadowed the death toll of the Titanic and was strictly all American.

On that day, a steam-driven paddlewheeler left Vicksburg, Miss., on a voyage up the Mississippi River to Cincinnati. On board were at least 2,000 to 2,200 union soldiers recently released from those hellholes, at Andersonville, Ga., and Cahaba, Ala., prisons. These soldiers, mostly from Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York, were placed on board the Sultana, which was originally rated to carry a crew of 85 and 375 passengers. The government contracted the boat owners to carry these soldiers to Cincinnati at $2 or $3 a head. The more passengers, the more money the owners made.

On that cold and windy night the boat headed north. Somewhere north of Vicksburg, there was a terrific explosion, setting off coal fires. Those on board had no warning and were burned to death or drowned as they were thrown overboard. Very few were rescued and the death toll was estimated to be between 1,700 and 1,800. Those soldiers never made it home after all those months enduring terrible suffering in those camps.

The reports in the newspapers gave little coverage of this tragic event concerning the other news of the month, surrendering of the Confederates, the assassination of President Lincoln and the capture and death of John Wilkes Booth.

There are a number of monuments along the Mississippi, one in Cincinnati, and closer to home, Mansfield. There are several books on this subject including a listing some of the men from Ohio. Check your library for more details.

Lest we forget.

Richard R. Gregg, Youngstown