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The Sultana Disaster: America's Deadliest Maritime Tragedy
Paperback
Boating19th Century United States HistoryCivil War Period (1850-1877)
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: Aug 25 2026
Pages: 252
Weight: 0.75
Height: 0.57 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
America's deadliest maritime disaster has been largely forgotten by history.
In the early hours of April 27, 1865, the steamboat Sultana was traveling north along the Mississippi River when its boilers suddenly exploded near Memphis, Tennessee. The severely overcrowded vessel erupted in flames, throwing hundreds of passengers into the dark, freezing water.
Most of those aboard were Union soldiers who had recently been released from Confederate prison camps. After surviving starvation, disease, and the brutality of war, they were finally returning home. Tragically, more than 1,000 people would never complete the journey.
The Sultana Disaster tells the harrowing true story of the doomed voyage, the catastrophic explosion, the desperate fight for survival, and the failures that placed thousands of lives at risk. It also examines why a tragedy deadlier than the sinking of the Titanic received comparatively little national attention and gradually faded from public memory.
Inside this compelling account, you will discover:
- The history of the Sultana and its dangerous final voyage
- Why the steamboat was carrying far more passengers than it could safely accommodate
- The experiences of the recently liberated Union prisoners of war aboard the vessel
- What caused the boilers to explode
- Remarkable stories of courage, survival, and sacrifice
- The corruption and negligence surrounding the disaster
- Why those responsible largely escaped accountability
- How the tragedy was overshadowed during the final days of the Civil War
- The lasting legacy of America's deadliest maritime catastrophe
Thoroughly researched and vividly told, The Sultana Disaster brings one of the most devastating and overlooked events in American history back into the light.
Discover the unforgettable true story of a journey home that ended in catastrophe.
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