LOSS OF THE SULTANA - REMINISCENCES OF SURVIVORS
W. C. PORTER
I WAS born in Fairfield, Lenawee county, Mich., on the 19th of October, 1839. Enlisted in the service of the United States at Adrian, Mich., on the 2nd of August, 1862, in Company O, of the 18th Michigan Infantry. Was captured at Athens, Ala., on the 24th of September, 1864, and confined in Cahaba, Ala., or Castle Morgan as it is sometimes called.
The first night, April 25, 1865, on the boat several of us slept on the boiler
deck in a coalbin as the other decks were so crowded. The next day we had a very
pleasant ride. All were joyous and happy with the anticipation of seeing home
and friends. The moment the boat touched the wharf at Memphis, Tenn., the boys
began to jump off. I went with the rest and roamed about town until ten o'clock
in the evening of the 26th of April when we went back to the boat and as they
were going to take on coal enough for the rest of our journey we had to find new
sleeping quarters. After roaming around on the cabin deck as best I could among
the sleepers, I found a place between the smoke stacks, and spread down my
blanket and was about to lie down, when one of the men near by said that he was
holding that place for another man. I took up my blanket and found another
vacant place large enough to lie down, but before I laid down was informed that
it was being held for another man.
I made my way back to the stairs and found room enough by sticking my feet over
the steps, laid down and was soon lost in sleep. I slept peacefully and quietly
until awakened by the noise of the explosion. The first thought was that the
hurricane deck had fallen in from being overloaded, but soon found out
different. It was not long before it was all confusion, some singing, some
praying, some lamenting, some swearing, some orying, and some did not seem to
know anything. I soon made my way down stairs. In a short time everything
available on the bow of the boat was thrown overboard. There were several bales
of cotton and also some bales of hay but there were generally enough men that
went over with them to load them down. When the gangway board was shoved over
into the water there were a great many that went over with it. It was but a
short time before the fire shot up and burned the boat to the water's edge. As
the boat was crowded, the flames whipped down on them and those nearest the fire
could not stand it and crowded back so that a great many near the edge of the
boat were pushed overboard, as the railing that went around the boat had been
torn off. I remained on the boat until the largest part or nearly all had gotten
off. I took off my clothing, placed it between two sticks and tied them together
with a pair of suspenders, with the intention of using them to aid me in
floating or swimming, as I was not much of a swimmer. When I jumped off the boat
into the water I lost them, I do not know how it happened.
The most that I was afraid of was that some drowning man would catch hold of me.
While making for shore I passed four men astride of something, using their hands
for oars, and one of them gave the orders so that they would work together. When
I got to land, or where the land is most of the time, I found that it was
covered with water. The trees were quite dense, and out in the woods a few rods
I found a large tree that was floating in the water, climbed upon it and called
to some others that were trying to find a place to get out of the water. Some
came and got on the log with me, and several got another log near by. I had to
rub myself considerably to keep warm, as I did not have any clothing on.
Remained there about four or five hours, when a boat came along and picked no
up. When I got on to the boat they gave me a sheet to wrap around me. When we
arrived at Memphis some of the Christian Commission came on board and
distributed some clothing (shirts and drawers) to those that were needy. I was
taken to the Soldiers' Home, where in due time received a suit of clothes.
Of the company to which I belonged there were fifteen on board and only three of
them survived; William Thayer, Fairfield; Michael Daley, Palmyra, now deceased,
and myself. There were fifteen on board belonging to Company K, and only three
were lost. Other companies of the 18th Michigan Infantry lost heavily, but I
cannot give the numbers.
My present occupation is farming. My postoffice Weston, Mich.
(Reminiscences also linked in Full List of Men)
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