Sultana: Personal Accounts
At the time of the explosion I was in room 10. I jumped up and saw
that the partition separating my stateroom from the next room was knocked
all to pieces. I ran out in the cabin and back to the stern, and saw that
we were not near the shore. While standing there I saw fifty persons jump
overboard every minute. I stood there for five minutes, but seeing the
boat in flames, I ran back to my stateroom and got some clothing. I
returned and jumped from the cabin floor down to the lower deck. I got up
on the taffrail and stood there until I saw three or four hundred people
go overboard. I stayed on board until the boat was burned clean to the
stern and the whole upper deck had fallen in, when I jumper overboard,
having a door to keep me up. I tried to make the Tennessee shore, but
failed. I then tried to make the Arkansas shore, but failed again. I then
let myself float. Pretty soon I saw lights. I then knew I was opposite
Memphis. In floating I ran across a large saw-log. I got on this, because
I was almost exhausted and ready to sink. I kept floating down, and pretty
soon I picked up a soldier, and soon another, and then another, until I
had picked up four. We would keep quiet for a moment and then hallo; and
thus we went on until I was taken into a yawl with the rest.
William Long, a civilian passenger
Memphis Argus of April 28, 1865
I was awake when the explosion took place, lying on top of the
wheelhouse. As soon as I discovered that the boat had exploded I caught
hold of the fender and slid down to the water and let myself in, having
nothing on me at the time. I judge I swam about two miles. The river was
alive with people crying and calling for help in the greatest agony - it
was heart-rending in the extreme. Just as I was coming down off the boat,
I saw two ladies who had thrown themselves into the water. They had
nothing to keep them up, and they sank, and I saw them no more. When the
explosion took place it threw the cabin into the air, and it fell back on
the boat in one mass of ruins, crushing many of the passengers who were
thus caught, and were undoubtedly burned to death. Very many caught hold
of horses by their manes and tails, but whether those escaped or not, it
is impossible to tell. I never heard of them afterwards.
Private Friend Albard, of the Second
Michigan cavalry
Memphis Argus of April 28, 1865