Articles in regional publications that pertain to a wide range of North Carolina-related topics.
Wreck of \"The Sultana\"
Record #:
10629
Author(s):
Abstract:
The greatest maritime disaster in the history of the United States up to that time occurred on April 27, 1865 at approximately 2 a.m. A total of 1,238 passengers, 1,806 just released from the Andersonville, GA prison camp, were lost when the newly commissioned Mississippi sidewheeler SULTANA exploded and sank near Memphis, TN. Because of recent news regarding the surrender of Robert E. Lee and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, little publicity was given to the event at the time and it has been largely forgotten since. Designed to carry no more than 1,500 persons, the boat was overloaded with a total of 2,054 passengers eager to return to the North following the war.
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