The officers and crew of the iron clad Essex deserve unstinted credit
and praise for the part they took in picking up the passengers of the
ill-fated steamer Sultana. Lieutenant James Perry, Ensign of the Essex,
was awakened yesterday morning about 4 o'clock, and informed that the
steamer Sultana had blown up, and was now burning; that the passengers
were floating down the river and crying for help. The Lieutenant jumped
up immediately, and was startled and horrified by the agonizing cries of
the people in the river. He said, that never in all his life, did he
hear anything so dreadful, and hopes it may never be his lot to hear
such screams again. He immediately ordered the boats to be manned, which
was done in very quick time. The morning was very dark. It was
impossible to see twenty feet ahead, and they had nothing to guide them
whatever but the shrieks and groans of the wounded and scalded men. The
first man picked up was chilled through and through, being perfectly
benumbed and unable to help himself. Lieutenant Berry, seeing the
condition the man was in, very generously divested himself of his own
coat and put it on him. The second man they took up died in a few
moments after being taken aboard. The men who had Captain Parker's gig
picked a woman up out of some drift. She was at that time just making
her last struggle for life. About the time this woman was picked up a
steamboat yawl came there and helped pick up some more who were clinging
to the drift. Lieutenant Berry said it was impossible for him to give
any description of the scene; he said it beggared all description; that
there were no words adequate to convey to the mind the horror of that
night. He continually heard the persons in the water cry out, "Oh, for
God's sake save us, we cannot hold out any longer." The boats of the
United States steamers Groesbeck and Tyler were on hand, and displayed
great vigilance and zeal in picking up the drowning men. Lieutenant
Berry, with the help of the crew, picked up over sixty men. Among those
of the crew who deserve special notice, are John Tompson, the Captain's
coxswain, who with gig, picked up twenty-six men; also John Hill and
William Quinn displayed a heroism which deserves to be rewarded by
promotion. In fact the whole crew acted in such a noble manner that too
much cannot be credited to them for their noble endeavors to save the
perishing multitude that was floating down the river, and while we
compliment the men we would not be unmindful of the part Lieutenant
Berry performed. He seemed to forget his rank, he
"Doffed his sparkling cloak,
And went to work with might and main,"
mingling as one of the crew in the magnanimous work of saving human
life. With commendable forethought, Captain Parker sent ten boats out to
explore the shore from Memphis to the place of the disaster. Up to half
past three o'clock yesterday only five boats have returned. They had
found a few dead bodies, but could not find any survivors along the
shore. We think by this time that all except those who sank to rise no
more, have been picked up; for all classes, both high and low, searched
hard and diligently all day yesterday in hunting up the survivors of
this calamitous disaster. Had the disaster occurred an hour or two
later, Captain Parker feels assured that the naval force here could have
saved several hundred lives instead of the sixty alluded to.
Unfortunately the night was dark, and the boats were obliged to steer in
the direction of the cries, being unable to see more than a few of those
struggling in the water. William Young, gunner's mate on the United
States iron clad Essex, distinguished himself by his courageous acts.
Mr. Young rendered invaluable aid in rescuing from watery graves many of
the sufferers by the Sultana's explosion. He is an old sailor, having
been for thirty years an active seaman, twenty-three years of that time
in the navy.
When the steamer Rose Hamilton was nearing the head of the little island
opposite Mr. Fogleman's residence, she was hailed by a skiff belonging
to some fishermen who came aboard, having discovered among the willows
the body of a young lady, apparently about twenty years of age. She was
of medium height, say about five feet five inches, with a fine head of
long brown hair, blue eyes, and had a slight scar across the chin. She
was dressed in the night attire of a respectable lady. She wore on her
bosom a neat breast pin of plain jet set in gold. She was a very
handsome lady, and had not been recognized at last accounts. Her body
was taken on board the Rose Hamilton and as decently laid out as
circumstances would permit. Unknown to those by whom she was thus cared
for, when the sorrows and cares of life were all over, who she was, what
home may be filled with mourning because she comes no more, are
questions which cannot be answered, yet, whoever she may be, her friends
could wish for no more tender care than strangers have bestowed, for
many a manly eye grew moist as they gazed on the pale form in death.