R. G. Taylor, the boilermaker on the ship, advised Captain J. Cass Mason that two sheets on the boiler had to be replaced, but Mason ordered Taylor to simply patch the plates until the ship reached St. Louis. Cookie Settings, Spectacularly Detailed Armored Dinosaur 'Mummy' Makes Its Debut, These Ancient Japanese Islanders Created a Signature Skull Shape by Molding Babies' Heads, An Iceberg Flipped Over, and Its Underside Is Breathtaking. A boiler explosion is a catastrophic failure of a boiler. I am returning to your blog for more soon. The ship takes on over 2,200 Union troops. The boiler design also played a huge role in the malfunction as it was incompatible with the ship design, material and the water used to run the ship. As the ship tried to move upstream in the north, it was challenged by the strong currents of Mississippis waters that were unusually high due to the melting of snow upstream. The Sultana, a 250-foot-long steamboat built in Cincinnati in 1863, was designed to carry only 376 passengers. All rights reserved. And he had some unsavory . Some ships, such as the steamship Sultana, were never designed to face the enormous destructive potential of open water, but instead were to ply the calmer, slower waters of the Mississippi. On April 27, 1865, the steamboat Sultana exploded and sank while traveling up the Mississippi River, killing an estimated 1,800 people. For a nation saturated by news of war and death, writes Stephen Ambrose for National Geographic, one more catastrophe just wasnt that newsworthy. Learn how your comment data is processed. The Disaster | Sultana Association Most were Union soldiers, newly released from Confederate prison camps. Shallow waters remained problematic obstacles into the early nineteenth century, but technological advances, chief among them vessels equipped with boiler-produced steam propulsion, allowed both for further navigation of shallows and for upriver navigation against strong currents. SS Sultana: The Greatest Maritime Disaster in U.S. History Stay up-to-date on our FREE educational resources & professional development opportunities, all designed to support your work teaching American history. An estimated 1,800 of the 2,400 passengers were killed when three of the ship's four boilers exploded almost at once and the Sultana sank into . "It was like a tremendous bomb going off in the middle of where these men were," Potter says. Available at: https://blog.hsb.com/2016/04/27/sultana-disaster-cause/, American Battlefield Trust, 2022. The privately owned Sultana had been contracted by the government to transport recently released POWs up the Mississippi, and high prices were paid for each officer and enlisted man. Sitemap Frederick Speed was the only official found guilty of any impropriety and was court-martialed. Why Nobody Remembers America's Worst Maritime Disaster Unfortunately, the river was at flood and the Sultana near mid-channel at a distance of more than four miles to either bank. Today, though, the city of Marion, Ark., thinks people are ready to learn about the Sultana. With no water cooling the boilers they could overheat, eventually exploding. Instead, newspaper accounts say Franklin Barton saved several Union soldiers. Conditions on the Sultana were however very poor, as there was only standing space left for the people. Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. Louis.". Surviving the Worst: The Wreck of the Sultana at the End of the American Civil War Civil War & Reconstruction Cotton Kingdom, 1833-1865 It was late April 1865 and more than 2,000 tired, sick, and injured men, wearing dirty and tattered clothes, filed down the bluff from Vicksburg to a steamboat waiting at the docks on the Mississippi River. These boilers were almost destined to explode and unfortunately, the boat was packed with those doomed passengers when they finally did. The explosion had certainly been huge, destroying nearby parts of the ship. The Sultana left Memphis on April 27, 1865 carrying three times the number of passengers for which it was designed. The ship left New Orleans and traveled for 48 hours to Vicksburg with one boiler bulging and leaking. Between 1841 and 1848, seventy more boiler explosions caused 625 deaths, and in just the eight months prior to the passage of the next national safety legislation in 1852, 700 people died in boiler accidents. Library of Congress Everything was fine till the ship reached Memphis. Many of those who were not killed immediately perished as they tried to swim to shore. "Lincoln had just been assassinated. https://guides.loc.gov/chronicling-america-sinking-sultana, Sinking of the SS Sultana: Topics in Chronicling America, Directory of U.S. Newspapers in American Libraries. The US Civil War was in its closing stages and the Sultana had been pressed into service as a transport ship. An engraving of the Sultana explosion, published in Harpers Weekly, May 20, 1865. "And the shrapnel, the steam and the boiling water killed hundreds.". In order for us to improve the website's functionality and structure, based on how the website is used. The end of the Civil War presented many new challenges to the victorious Union, among them a daunting number of nightmarish logistical tasks necessary for returning the country back to normal. Those who lived made it through a lot of difficulties and sustained injuries. The Sultana accident did not have the luxury of occurring in a relatively slow month for news, like the Titanic sinking did nearly 47 years later. A proper repair would have taken several days, but Captain Mason, afraid of losing his lucrative cargo of soldiers to other steamboat competitors, ordered the precariously leaking boiler simply to be patched. "And the entire center of the boat erupted like a volcano.". These cookies are not optional. Also, since the steamship was carrying Union POWs returning home to Midwestern states, the Army and East Coast newspapers were not eager to publicize it. In April 1865, the SS Sultana, carrying over 2,000 recently released Union soldiers, exploded. When did the sultana explode? What Happened? About seven miles north of Memphis the boilers suddenly burst. The temporary museum it has created near City Hall includes pictures, personal items from soldiers, pieces of the Sultana, and a 14-foot replica of the boat. 2023 The American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Stay up-to-date on the American Battlefield Trust's battlefield preservation efforts, travel tips, upcoming events, history content and more. The operators of the Sultana hoped to capitalize on such an opportunity. Newsletter The Sultana was a 260-foot-long wooden steamboat, built in Cincinnati in 1863, which regularly transported passengers and freight between St. Louis and New Orleans on the Mississippi River. The story of the Sultana isn't well-known even among people who live along the Mississippi. Even though people clung to debris to make it to shore or to be discovered, there was very little hope as the shore was not visible in the dark, and there were no other ships or boats to rescue them. Many Sultana survivors ended up on the Arkansas side of the river, which was under Confederate control during the war. Many passengers drowned, many struggled to swim, and the luckier ones clung to the floating debris of the ship. The steamboat Sultana explodes on the Mississippi River near Memphis, killing 1,700 passengers including many discharged Union soldiers. Archives, A nation which does not remember what it was yesterday does not know where it is today., The Heritage Post -Preserving American History, Columbus: Sailor, Mariner, Providential Pathfinder, Letter from SC Commissioners to President Buchanan Asking Him to Withdraw Federal Troops from Charleston Harbor, 28 December 1860, Confederate Impressment During the Civil War. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. Historian John Burke has estimated that 233 boiler explosions occurred on steamboats between 1816 and 1848. HISTORY.com works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. When its boilers exploded, it was carrying 2,300. Eventually the Sultana turned so that the wind was pushing the flames toward the bow, where 25 soldiers remained. Intense steam suddenly developed, producing a surging effect like the firing of gunpowder in a mine. hide caption. On April 23, 1865, the vessel docked in Vicksburg to address issues with the boiler during a routine journey from New Orleans. Everybody thinks their lives and personal safety are worth more than $10. The blast threw many passengers into the water; however, many remained trapped aboard the ship, where they either perished or were maimed by the heat of the explosion and the collapsing ship. Passing boats and bystanders on both sides of the Mississippi helped pull survivors from the muddy water. We strive for accuracy and fairness. And many of them were saved by local residents, Hamilton writes. The Steamboat Inspection Service was created in 1871. Additionally, Americans were tired of war and wanted to move past it rather than deal with yet another tragedy. Newspaper accounts suggest John Fogelman and his sons spotted the burning Sultana as the remains of the paddle-wheeler drifted downriver. Events & Documents, Civil War The explosion and resulting fire remain the largest maritime disaster in U.S. History. One of the first was repatriating tens of thousands of Union soldiers from southern battlefields, encampments, and prisons back to their homes and families in the North, where they could be formally demobilized, discharged, and with luck reintegrated into civilian society. Sincerely, Mike Marshall, Producer, Remember the Sultana documentary. And many of them were saved by local residents, like John Fogelman an ancestor of the city of Marion's current mayor, Frank Fogelman. 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.S. historyworse than the Titanic. Privacy Statement Interesting history topics are just a click away. On April 27, 1865, the United States experiences its worst maritime disaster in history. Thank you, Pat, for this reminder on the 151st anniversary of the disaster and for all the work you have done to help determine the most definitive cause of the explosion aboard the Sultana. The Poison Squad Trials: Do You Know Whats In Your Food? The publics news fatigue was at a high, and the death of fewer than 2,000 peoplestacked up against the roughly 620,000 soldiers who died during the Civil War, to say nothing of civiliansdidnt register on a national scale, Ambrose writes. Estimates of the number of dead range from a low of 1,450 to as high as 1,900. 1 Answer ANSWER The paddlewheel steamer Sultana exploded when a faulty repair on her boilers failed. The Sultana accident is still the largest maritime disaster in U.S. history. April 27, 1865: Riverboat SS Sultana Sinks in Mississippi, or the Worst US Maritime Disaster of All Time By Major Dan April 27, 2016 Updated: March 15, 2020 18 Comments 4 Mins Read LinkedIn A Brief History On April 27, 1865, the paddle-wheel steamboat, SS Sultana was carrying 2427 people when she blew up, killing 1800! Description. Combined with a lack of government or industry oversight, inspection, or regulation, such mechanical uncertainty meant that steamboat fires and boiler explosions were common occurrences. It made frequent trips up and down the Mississippi River between New Orleans and St. Louis during the war, often carrying military personnel. The initial impact ripped the vessel in half, igniting flames, releasing scalding steam, and instantly killing or mortally wounding hundreds of sleeping passengers as well as a number of stock animals. With the approach of dawn, other craft arrived and survivors were transported to shelters and hospitals in Memphis. Remembering the Sultana Explosion April 27, 2018 By Bruce Kaplan Sultana carrying paroled Union prisoners at Helena, AR one day before she was destroyed, Wikimedia Commons Despite concerns of overloading from several officers, Williams refused to divide the men, insisting that they travel on one vessel. The finger was pointed particularly at Sultanas ironwork, which was of poor quality and could have played a part in the explosion. }. The event remains the worst maritime disaster in U.S. history (the sinking of the Titanic killed 1,512 people). This lead to the establishment of Laboratories (sadly since closed) by Royal to investigate the cause and lead the way in looking at the structure and materials concerned in failed boilers. At the time of the Sultana incident, some states had boiler construction standards, but with a steamship traveling through many states waterways, jurisdiction was unclear. On several occasions, as the Sultana steamed past a southbound steamboat or passed a small farm, the men crowded to one side to wave and holler. "He served in the 23rd Arkansas Cavalry, and he was tasked with, among other things, raiding ships going up and down the river," Frank Barton says. Alexa, When did the sultana explode? | Alexa Answers But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! The court martial of Captain Fredric Speed for his role in overcrowding the Sultana begins. Deathtrap on the Mississippi: What Caused the Explosion on the Sultana The Sinking Of The Sultana: The Worst Maritime Disaster In U.S. History For specific terms and conditions, please refer to the coverage form. April 1865 was filled with exciting events the end of the Civil War, the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the capture and death of John Wilkes Booth. The Sultana was a ticking timebomb waiting to explode with many passengers on board. Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. The steamboat was only registered to carry 376 people, writes Ambrose. A boiler explodes, shattering the silence of the night and throwing the hopeless passengers of the SS Sultana into the Mississippi River. Rapid additional exploitation of the nations waterways ensued, catalyzing the westward expansion and economic development of the United States. 2009-2021 Historic Mysteries. They departed hastily and top-heavy. Also, thank you and all of the folks at HSB for your excellent and ongoing work and dedication protecting lives and property around the world. not a suitable iron for boiler construction, Part 1: A story of greed, chaos and fire. This is intended for informational purposes only and does not modify or invalidate any of the provisions, exclusions, terms or conditions of the policy and endorsements. Titanic: Voyage To The Past The event remains the worst. Such a contract could pay huge dividends, and Mason convinced local military authorities to pick up the entire contingent despite the presence of two other steamboats at Vicksburg. And this is exactly what happened. Kat Eschner is a freelance science and culture journalist based in Toronto. The federal government promised to pay $5 for each enlisted man and $10 for each officer delivered to the North. April 1865 was a busy month, Ambrose writes. Enochian: John Dee, Magic, and the Language of God, Titanic Thompson: The Golfer Who Married Five Women and Murdered Five Men, Cannikin: The Nuclear Bomb that Split an Island in Two. Frank Barton is the descendant of one of those Confederate soldiers, a man named Franklin Hardin Barton. The Shipwreck That Led Confederate Veterans To Risk All For Union - NPR The Sultana explosion can be linked with many industry and legislation improvements including safety regulations and inspection services that improved how people work with them: Terms of Use The Union troops onboard were only enlisted men, chiefly recent parolees from Confederate prison camps. The resulting fire caused the ships other boilers to explode, and approximately 1800 passengers died from the explosions, fire, hypothermia, or drowning. And the boat was filled with enlisted men primarily men who really hadn't made a mark in history or a mark in life." Contributions Mere weeks after the Civil War came to an end, the steamboat, Sultana exploded and sank in the Mississippi River, killing an estimated 1,200 to 1,800 Union soldiers who were released from prison and on their way home. Enter a date in the format M/D (e.g., 1/1), Union soldiers die in steamship explosion, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/union-soldiers-die-in-steamship-explosion, Navigator Ferdinand Magellan killed in the Philippines, U.S. agent William Eaton leads U.S. forces to the shores of Tripoli, South Africa holds first multiracial elections, Rocky Marciano retires as world heavyweight champion, D.A. The steamship Sultana exploded without warning one night in 1865, . Learn how your comment data is processed. The end of paper Mississippi river ship SS Sultana.This EXPLODE by fireworks.Its made Only paper,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Sultana 2023 The American Society of Mechanical Engineers. The boilers on the Sultana were less than three years old, but were in horrible condition. Gardiner began his work for HSB in St. Louis. For the 150th anniversary of the disaster in 2015, the city of Marion, Arkansas created a museum that shows how the Sultana explosions happened and memorializes those aboard. ASME Membership (1 year) has been added to your cart. Canine Chronicles: Tracing the Ancient Origins of Dogs Decomposed Body Stain of Margaret Schilling. Who Was John Wilkes Booth Before He Became Lincoln's Assassin. The Steamboat Act of 1852 finally set standards for boiler construction and operation, including the hydrostatic testing of boilers and provision of steam safety valves, as well as licensing requirements for steamboat pilots and engineers. Fire, drowning and exposure would kill many hundreds more. March 25, 1898. Battles But perhaps the best explanation is that after years of bloody conflict, the nation was simply tired of hearing about war and death. Passing boats and bystanders on both sides of the Mississippi helped pull survivors from the muddy water. However, it is more likely that the end of the war, economic problems, and the recent assassination of Abraham Lincoln account for the publics brief interest in the disaster. Have a question? Lloyds Steamboat Directory, and Disasters on the Western Waters, filled with gruesome and graphic descriptions of human physical suffering and death, including a showcase of 32 woodcuts, was one of the best-selling books of the 1850s. However, after several detailed investigations, it was concluded that what made the Sultana explode was not sabotage but an explosion in the boilers. Soldiers from Kentucky and Tennessee were among the first to die, he says, "because they'd been packed in next to the boilers. I sincerely hope that the records were preserved in Manchester, as they allowed a fascinating insight of engineers shining a light into the dark corners of materials science in the 19th century. The paddle wheel fell off of one side, caused the boat to turn sideways; the other paddle wheel fell off. Eventually, the Sultana turned so that the wind was pushing the flames toward the bow, where 25 soldiers remained. "They had survived prison in one of the most hideous places the South had. Boiler explosion - Wikipedia The Wreck of the Sultana. As a result of the explosion, hot water and embers rushed into other areas of the ship where people were resting. Many people claimed that the Sultana was sabotaged: she could arguably be seen as a military target. Fire consumed the wrecked ship, and most of those aboard were killed. All rights reserved. Read more about it! The. Yet the wreck of the Sultana remains unfamiliar to the general public, an elision that has several probable causes. caused the Sultana disaster In the early morning of April 27, 1865, just north of Memphis Tennessee, three of the four boilers on the Sultana steamboat exploded. In the aftermath of the Sultana explosion, Captain Frederick Speed, a federal officer in charge and assistant adjutant general for the Department of the Mississippi, was accused of knowingly overloading the ship seven times over the legal passenger capacity. The price of yearly membership depends on a number of factors, so final price will be calculated during checkout. Sales Policy Between 1831 and 1838 three Congressmen and a Senator died in steamboat explosions on the Red River, the Ohio River, and the Atlantic Ocean. Explorers The sleeping passengers were caught off guard by the massive explosion and the hot water that fell through the debris. "We feel like we're a part of this Civil War story, but we're the conclusion that no one heard," says Lisa O'Neal, a Marion resident and member of the Sultana Historic Preservation Society. var cdMetadata = { Why Did the Hindenburg Catch Fire? Unless there was a specific personal connection to a victim, there was just detached numbness. "The wind blew the fire to the rear, burned that out," Frank Fogelman says. The Civil War was the deadliest conflict in U.S. history. She stopped at Vicksburg, Mississippi, for boiler repairs that were later deemed substandard: instead of a malfunctioning boiler being replaced, a leaking area was simply patched up and a bulging boiler plate was replaced with a thinner one. To make matters worse, the ship was trying to move upstream to Memphis on the Mississippi River. Work began on legislation culminating in 1871 with a coherent and unified body of maritime safety laws, revised for vessels propelled in whole or in part by steam in 1874. On April 27, 1865, the sidewheel steamboat Sultana, jammed with approximately 2,400 Union veterans, many returning at the Civil War's end from Confederate prisons, exploded and sank on the Mississippi River near Memphis, killing more than 1,700 persons. They are needed for the website to function. The ship carried the latest safety equipment, including a safety pressure gauge that opened when boiler pressure reached 150 psi. Published Apr 28, 2020. The Sultana was seen just another event of suffering and loss, with a death total akin to a minor Civil War battle. A group of the survivors met for many years every April 27 and ultimately erected a monument at Mount Olive Cemetery near Knoxville, Tennessee; it reads: In memory of the men who were on the Sultana that was destroyed, April 27, 1865, by explosion on the Mississippi river near Memphis, Tennessee.. And it was very cold. Bruce Kaplan is a Boston-based transportation planner and independent scholar. Others later die from their injuries adding to the death toll. But not all disasters are caused by the power of the oceans. Most of those on board were Union prisoners of war from Andersonville, Georgia, and Cahaba, Alabama, homeward bound after the end of the Civil War. 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. But some of the most poignant stories involve Confederate soldiers rescuing their Union counterparts. The Mississippi was already at flood stage, and the Sultana had only one lifeboat and a few life preservers. Chat with a librarian, Monday through Friday, 12-2 pm Eastern Time (except Federal Holidays). We should honor the memory of those 1,700 plus lives lost. Sultana was a commercial side-wheel steamboat which exploded and sank on the Mississippi River on April 27, 1865, killing 1,167 people in what remains the worst maritime disaster in United States history. Privacy and Security Statement The Mississippi River steamboat/paddlewheeler, SS Sultana, was destroyed in an explosion on April 27, 1865. Union soldiers die in steamship explosion - HISTORY Sign up to receive the latest information on the American Battlefield Trust's efforts to blaze The Liberty Trail in South Carolina. Between 1825 and 1830, forty-two explosions killed 273 people in the United States, and between 1810 and 1840, nearly 4000 fatalities occurred on the Mississippi River alone. It was in a weakened condition even before it got to Vicksburg. PDF new look at the explosion that caused the Sultana disaster Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. American Civil War, About The incompatibility put the boiler under more strain than it was designed for, which could cause the boiler to overheat and explode, especially when the ship was overcrowded and carried too much load. The Sultana Disaster - The Heritage Post Fogelman's ancestors didn't have any boats to reach the trapped soldiers, so they improvised. Although the disaster got little press in its own time and remains little-known today, the city of Marion, Arkansas has ensured it is not forgotten. Among them were a number of East Tennesseans from Blount, Claiborne, Hancock, Knox, Sevier, and Union Counties. Battles & Tribes, American Revolution Researchers indicate that 1,195 of the2,200 passengers and crewdied, making the Sultana incident the deadliest maritime disaster in U.S. history. documentCategories: 'about-asme,483'.split(","), All Rights Reserved. Alongside the 180 private passengers and the complement of crew members on the ship, she sailed on April 27th 1865 carrying some 2,000 additional paroled prisoners, guards, and Confederate soldiers. Two days later, after a stop in Memphis and another leak repair, the boiler finally gave way while struggling against an abnormally strong current. Advertising Notice Since the ship was already overcrowded, the explosion instantly killed many people. Some artifacts and debris have been salvaged with time to serve as reminders of man-made tragedies that can strike innocent people at any time. Sons of Liberty "The river is at flood stage," he says as we watch a barge struggle to move up river, "very similar to what it was on April 27, 1865." On April 27, 1865, the sidewheel steamboat Sultana, jammed with approximately 2,400 Union veterans, many returning at the Civil War's end from Confederate prisons, exploded and sank on the Mis- sissippi River near Memphis, killing more than 1,700 persons. There are two types of boiler explosions. The official cause of the explosion was determined to be mismanagement of water levels in the boilers, the ships listing back and forth in the water due to severe overcrowding, and the faulty repairs made to the boilers days before the disaster. A board of inquiry later determined the cause to be insufficient water in the boilerovercrowding was not listed as a cause. By the time word reached Memphis, most of the people were either dead from the explosion, or had drowned in the cold water. What Kind of Ship Was the Sultana With such a passenger number aboard she could sail in comfort, but on the fateful day of her loss she was carrying far more. Velyrhorde {{ relativeTimeResolver(1651776773884) }} No one wants to confront their utter powerlessness amidst the chaos of a scorched postwar environment and a seemingly unsympathetic world. Newspaper accounts suggest John Fogelman and his sons spotted the burning Sultana as the remains of the paddle-wheeler drifted downriver. Part of the fascination with such horror was the fact that these terrible accidents cut across lines of class, race, sex, and geography. The mechanic who did the work told the captain and the chief engineer the boiler was not safe, but the engineer said he would have a complete repair job done when the boat made it to St. Louis," Potter says. The Sultana was a private Mississippi River side-wheel steamboat with a maximum capacity of 375, and was captained by J. Cass Mason as it headed south from St. Louis in mid-April 1865. All rights reserved. This guide provides access to material related to the "Sinking of the SS Sultana" in the Chronicling America digital collection of historic newspapers. Three inquiries followed to investigate post-war suspicions that a Confederate bomb had been aboard and reviewing the state of poorly repaired boilers and the impact that overcrowding had in the disaster. The Black Tom Explosion, MV Joyita: The Ghost Ship that Couldnt Sink, https://mshistorynow.mdah.ms.gov/issue/surviving-the-worst-the-wreck-of-the-sultana, https://blog.hsb.com/2016/04/27/sultana-disaster-cause/, https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/sultana-disaster. The captain, eager to carry this valuable cargo, allowed as many as 2300 soldiers aboard in Vicksburg, more than five times its passenger capacity of 376.

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