Comments on: Sultana Thoughts http://markerhunter.wordpress.com/2008/04/29/sultana-thoughts/ Civil War Battlefields and Historical Markers Tue, 29 Dec 2009 02:18:47 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: caswain01 http://markerhunter.wordpress.com/2008/04/29/sultana-thoughts/#comment-159 caswain01 Fri, 02 May 2008 13:19:42 +0000 http://markerhunter.wordpress.com/?p=88#comment-159 Dave, Regarding transcripts or recordings, the short answer is "unfortunately not." Let's just say the social settings (church functions and the like) precluded such. However, the de facto Crittenden County (Arkansas) historian did collect such interview notes. She was quite a remarkable lady in her own right. Having worked as both a newspaper reporter/editor and a lawyer, she had a well kept system for her annotations. The result of her work was both a history of the county and of the county seat, Marion. Since her passing, I believe the notes were retained by a friend who is working on an updated history of the county. If you are interested I can pass along an inquiry. Regarding the final resting spot of the Sultana, I've walked the ground in question, which was soybean or winter wheat depending on the season. (The ground is not stable for rice fields.) I think the hang up was finding a piece that said beyond a shadow of a doubt "this is the Sultana." That particular section of the river was somewhat treacherous due to currents, sandbars, and geography that force the river to meander. When John Fogleman awoke to the sound of the bursting boiler, it was described as a "familiar" or a "well known" sound. So it was not uncommon for steamboats to have trouble there. Furthermore, Mound City saw much activity as a repair point for steamboats. Thus the remains of a steamboat in that area of the old river course isn't all that unique or definitive. Short of an identifying mark that links things by documentation to the exact boiler used on the ship, I don't think anyone can be certain on the location. Anther tidbit about the location, which carries the place name Mound City. It was used as a way point for the brown water navy during the war also. Several cannon balls were located in piles around the old river banks, as late as the 1970s. At first, the locals felt this was the result of the naval battle of Memphis. But let's just say forensic analysis disproved the notion that cannon fire would deposit the rounds in nice neat piles. More likely, the gunboats off loaded their ordnance there to lighten the loads before passing through a rather swift section of the river (extending northward past Caruthersville, Mo). Craig. Dave,
Regarding transcripts or recordings, the short answer is “unfortunately not.” Let’s just say the social settings (church functions and the like) precluded such. However, the de facto Crittenden County (Arkansas) historian did collect such interview notes. She was quite a remarkable lady in her own right. Having worked as both a newspaper reporter/editor and a lawyer, she had a well kept system for her annotations. The result of her work was both a history of the county and of the county seat, Marion. Since her passing, I believe the notes were retained by a friend who is working on an updated history of the county. If you are interested I can pass along an inquiry.

Regarding the final resting spot of the Sultana, I’ve walked the ground in question, which was soybean or winter wheat depending on the season. (The ground is not stable for rice fields.) I think the hang up was finding a piece that said beyond a shadow of a doubt “this is the Sultana.” That particular section of the river was somewhat treacherous due to currents, sandbars, and geography that force the river to meander. When John Fogleman awoke to the sound of the bursting boiler, it was described as a “familiar” or a “well known” sound. So it was not uncommon for steamboats to have trouble there. Furthermore, Mound City saw much activity as a repair point for steamboats.

Thus the remains of a steamboat in that area of the old river course isn’t all that unique or definitive.
Short of an identifying mark that links things by documentation to the exact boiler used on the ship, I don’t think anyone can be certain on the location.

Anther tidbit about the location, which carries the place name Mound City. It was used as a way point for the brown water navy during the war also. Several cannon balls were located in piles around the old river banks, as late as the 1970s. At first, the locals felt this was the result of the naval battle of Memphis. But let’s just say forensic analysis disproved the notion that cannon fire would deposit the rounds in nice neat piles. More likely, the gunboats off loaded their ordnance there to lighten the loads before passing through a rather swift section of the river (extending northward past Caruthersville, Mo).

Craig.

]]> By: Dave Woodbury http://markerhunter.wordpress.com/2008/04/29/sultana-thoughts/#comment-158 Dave Woodbury Fri, 02 May 2008 06:22:48 +0000 http://markerhunter.wordpress.com/?p=88#comment-158 Very interesting post on the Sultana. I'm especially curious to know whether you recorded or transcribed any of the oral history accounts you referenced (from the descendants of witnesses)? Incidentally, I read or heard at some point that the wreckage was at least partially identified through core samples or some limited digging in an Arkansas rice field, that turned up pieces of boiler or fire brick marked by the Cincinnati manufacturer. I did a lengthy post on the Sultana for my blog a couple years ago, still readable here: http://tinyurl.com/6hxhv9 Regards, Dave Very interesting post on the Sultana. I’m especially curious to know whether you recorded or transcribed any of the oral history accounts you referenced (from the descendants of witnesses)?

Incidentally, I read or heard at some point that the wreckage was at least partially identified through core samples or some limited digging in an Arkansas rice field, that turned up pieces of boiler or fire brick marked by the Cincinnati manufacturer.

I did a lengthy post on the Sultana for my blog a couple years ago, still readable here: http://tinyurl.com/6hxhv9

Regards,
Dave

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