I went to sleep about 2 o'clock and was awakened in about half an hour
by hot water falling on my face and hands. I was not struck by anything
nor scalded, but remained on the boat until the flames compelled me to
leave. I then ran up on the cabin floor, snatched off a door and then
made my way down to the lower deck and jumped into the river. By the
light of the burning steamer I could see hundreds of the passengers in
the water, all crying and wailing for help. I swam for about one mile
and a half, and when I got to the island, just opposite Mr. Fogleman's,
there I caught hold of the bushes. I saw three men drown while I was in
the water. One of them had gained the trees and was holding to the
limbs; a skiff was fast coming to his help, but being utterly exhausted
he lost his hold and sank, when the skiff was about ten steps off. The
other two had almost gained the bushes, but sank before they could reach
the trees.
* * * * *
An event so appalling as this could not occur even at a time when the
country was accustomed to hear of the deaths of great numbers of men,
without action upon the part of the government looking to the
investigation of its cause. A military committee and a committee upon
the part of Congress were appointed for that purpose. Both committees,
no doubt, discharged with fairness and ability the duty assigned them.
There were many theories and rumors as to the cause. Rumor charged that
the Post Quartermaster at Vicksburg, by a contract with the owners of
the vessel, received a commission of $2.00 for each soldier passenger
furnished, and for that consideration he had recklessly crowded the
vessel beyond her capacity. It was also charged that the machinery was
out of repair, and the vessel generally unseaworthy.
The investigation, however, disclosed the fact that before leaving
Vicksburg her boilers had been repaired by competent mechanics; that the
charge against the Quartermaster was untrue; that the disaster was not
due to the fact that the vessel was carrying more than her estimated
capacity. The writer has not been able to obtain the report made by
either of the committees as to the true cause of the explosion.
Among the lost were men from every company of the 9th Cavalry. The
following list may not be complete, but is believed to be correct so far
as it goes:
Daniel Curtis, Co. A
Patrick Day, Co. A.
Frederick Blessinger, Corp., Co. B.
Charles E. Church, Co. B.
Ephraim B. Parman, Co. B.
John Steward, Co. B.
Warren A. Huckins, Co. C.
John M. Englehart, Co. C.
Edward Wood, Co. D.
Thomas Laboyteaux, Co. E.
John Bonner, Co. F.
Charles W. Clevenger, Co. G.
Jonathan R. Downing, Co. G.
George Downing, Co. G.
William H. Graves, Co. G.
William C. Hoover, Co. G.
Charles W. M. King, Co. G.
John N. Maynard, Co. G.
Enoch T. Nation, Co. G.
James C. Olom, Co. G.
Martin V. Rodepouch, Co. G.
John R. Reasoner, Co. G.
Nathan Thornburg, Co. G.
Franklin Ballenger, Co. H.
James Bell, Co. H.
Alonzo Dunham, Co. H.
George Delano, Co. H.
Josiah Pratt, Co. H.
John W. Shull, Co. H.
Hiram Bailey, Co. K.
John W. Emmons, Co. K.
George S. Fisher, Co. K.
Jacob Harold, Co. K.
Henry Newton, Co. K.
William F. Rea, Co. K.
Joseph Survant, Co. K.
George W. Shockley, Co. K.
Darius Stevens, Co. K.
Matthew Zix, Co. K.
James N. Christian, Co. L.
Robert A. Moorehouse, Co. L.
Leander McCarty, Co. L.
[5]Archibald Reed, Co. L.
John M. Armstrong, Corp., Co. M.
John D. Alexander, Co. M.
William Brigg, Co. M.
George W. Blake, Co. M.
Nathan E. Gruell, Co. M.
Enis Haloway, Co. M.
William H. Huffman, Co. M.
James M. Isentrager, Co. M.
Samuel King, Co. M.
Franklin Ridley, Co. M.
John M. Bragg, Co. M.
Footnote 5:
Lost by the explosion of the steamer George Fierce, below Vicksburg.
Transcriber's Notes:
Archaic and uneducated spelling and grammar has been retained.
This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects.
Italics are delimited with the underscore character as _italic_.
Footnotes have been moved to follow the chapters in which they are
referenced.
Missing or obscured punctuation was corrected.
Typographical errors were silently corrected.