1863 — Nov 13, Steamer Sunnyside burns, MS Riv. ~Isl. #16, below Caruthersville, MO–22-25

–22-25 Blanchard estimated death toll.* –30-40 Gaines, W. Craig. Encyclopedia of Civil War Shipwrecks. LSU Press, 2008, p. 137. –30-40 Scott. War of the Rebellion, Series I, Vol. XXXI, Part 3, p. 180, 1890. — ~30 Green Mountain Freeman, Montpelier, VT. 11-17-1863, p. 5, col. 4. — ~30 Philadelphia Inquirer. “Burning of the Steamer ‘Sunnyside.’” 11-16-1863, p. 4, col. 4. — 9 women — 6 children — 5 crewmen specifically mentioned. — 2 male passengers specifically mentioned. — 25 Defiance Democrat, OH. “Burning of the Steamer Sunny Side.” 11-28-1863, p. 1, col. 4. –20-25 Defiance Democrat, OH. “Burning of the Steamer Sunny Side.” 11-28-1863, p. 1, col. 5. — 22 Blanchard tally of victims noted in sources cited herein (list follows Newspaper section). * Blanchard estimated death toll. *Given the wide range of reported deaths, we see no consensus on an exact death toll. We have attempted our own compilation of fatalities from sources noted herein, which shows twenty-two deaths. This is in-line with reporting that Mr. McKinney, the Sunnyside Clerk, estimated twenty to twenty-five deaths. In that from our attempt to put a list together we are of the opinion that at least twenty-two people died, we use this number as the low-end of our estimated death-toll. Because all the sources we cite other than Mr. McKinney, note 25, 30, about 30, or 30-40 deaths, we choose to include Mr. McKinney’s upper-end of his estimated death toll – twenty-five. We view all the reports noting higher death tolls as speculative estimates, not based on detailed knowledge. We have attempted a Sunnyside word search in newspapers for more than a month following the loss, as well as other Internet based sources and can find no detail which inclines us to believe that more than twenty-five lives were lost. We could, of course, have missed something. Narrative Information Gaines: “Sunnyside (Sunny Side). Union. Side-wheel steamer, 330 tons. Cargo of 1,130 bales of cotton. Built in 1860 at Brownsville, Pa. Burned on November 13, 1863, at Pomeroy, Ohio [incorrect], near Island No. 16 with 30-40 killed. (OR, 31:3:180; New York Times, November 29, 1863; MSV, 205, 299 ; WPS, 437. ).” (Gaines. Encyclopedia of Civil War Shipwrecks. 2008, p. 137.) Scott, War of the Rebellion: “Cairo, November 17, 1863. “Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman: “Steamer Sunnyside burned at Island No. 16 yesterday morning with 1,200 bales of cotton. Fire accidental. Thirty to 40 lives lost. General Tuttle’s division arrived at Memphis on the 12th instant from Vicksburg. All quite below. [signed] H. T. Reid, Brigadier-General.” (Scott, Lt. Col. Robert N. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I, Vol. XXXI, Part 3 (Union and Confederate Correspondence, etc.), 1890, p. 180.) Way: Sunny Side. Sidewheel wood-hull packet, built at West Brownsville, PA, in 1860 at 330 tons. “….She burned at Island 16, Mississippi River, Nov. 13, 1863, with 1,130 bales of cotton. Did not get landed and the life loss was ‘considerable.” Capt. Shunk and first clerk McKinney had to swim for it….” (Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats of the Mississippi River System… 1999, p. 437.) Newspapers Nov 14: “Cairo, No. 14. The steamer Glasgow, from Memphis the 12th, brings the painful intelligence of the burning of the steamer Sunnyside, about 5 o’clock yesterday morning [13th] opposite Island No. 15 [sic], twenty -six miles below New Madrid…. “The exit from the boat being insufficient, many of the passengers were obliged to jump overboard, several of whom were drowned….About 30 passengers in all were drowned….” (Green Mountain Freeman, Montpelier, VT. 11-17-1863, p. 5, col. 4.) Nov 14: “Cairo, Nov. 14. – The steamer Glasgow, from Memphis 12th, has arrived, bringing the startling intelligence of the burning of the steamer Sunny Side, from Memphis for St. Louis. She took fire opposite Island No. 16, about twenty-eight miles below New Madrid, at five o’clock on the morning of the 13th, — She was burned to the water’s edge. Twenty-five lives were lost. “I am indebted to Dr. Tausig, late of the 48th Indiana, who was a passenger on the steamer for particulars of the catastrophe. “The Sunny Side had a large trip of passengers and freight. Among the cargo was 1,380 bales of cotton, much of which was on the forecastle, and in front of the boilers. The boat was burning dry wood, and a strong wind blowing aft, drove the sparks among the bales of cotton. “She took fire twice before on the way up, but it was readily extinguished. The third time the fire was communicated to the lower tier of bales, and was under headway before it was discovered. “All efforts to quell the flames proving ineffectual, the passengers were called and the boat run ashore, the water being very shallow at the bow, but some twelve feet deep at the stern. “The gangway forward was very narrow, admitting of the passage of but one or two persons at a time, and was soon partially broken down by trunks which passengers had attempted to save. The crew and deck passengers crowded forward along the guards and were saved. The cabin passengers who could not get through the companion way were obliged to leap from the boiler deck into the water – In the confusion, a few sprang from the wrong side of the boat and were drowned. “The engines were kept in motion to keep the boat to the bank. The rapid revolutions of the wheels caused a strong current, and drew many underneath the boat, who were either crushed by the wheels or drowned. An old gentleman who was drawn under the wheel and passed under the boat, was rescued by one of the crew. “There were ninety cabin passengers aboard, thirteen ladies, eight children and a number of army officers, among them Major Boswell, who was wounded in the shoulder at Vicksburg. His sister, who, as soon as she learned her brother’s situation, went to the camp and nursed him through a long and dangerous sickness, was taking him home. “The brother and sister sprang overboard, and had nearly reached the shore, when the major’s strength became exhausted, and he was obliged to lose his hold upon his sister, who was carried off by the current and drowned. The boatman rescued the major, but he was entirely insensible. There is little hope of his recovery. He was brought up on the Glasgow, and on her taken to St. Louis. “Mr. Boyd, an iron founder of Memphis was with his wife and child on their way to St. Louis. He lashed his wife and child together, hand in hand, and they leaped into the water, but were instantly drawn into the wheel, and all met watery graves. “Mr. Brady and wife, an aged couple of New Albany, Ind., were returning home. Mr. Brady was urging his wife to try to escape by taking to the water but her terror was so great she could not stir. A great mass of burning cotton finally caused the steam chest to explode. This so frightened the old lady that in an instant she was overboard. Her husband followed and both were saved. “A poor, unfortunate follow, who had lost a leg by accident, was lucky enough to make his way to shore. Of thirteen female passengers, only four escaped; of eight children, six were lost; an assistant surgeon from Memphis lost his wife; a chamber maid (colored) the only female servant on the boat, was saved; two of the ladies who escaped were saved by the boatmen; more of them could have been saved, but were afraid to throw themselves into the river until blinded by the flames and smoke, and could not see what they were doing, and leaped almost into the wheel. Mrs. Van Buren and daughter, Mattie C. Van Buren, of Detroit, are among the lost. “….Men rushed frantically to and fro, noiseless and speechless. – Ladies gathered on the guards with glaring eyes and blanched cheeks. For a time, silence the most terrible and oppressive reigned, when suddenly the flames swept with irresistible force aft, and, catching the light dresses of the ladies, in a moment all were on fire. The screams which then rent the air were terrible beyond description. Almost within reach of shore, some sank upon the burning deck, while others, in their frenzy, threw themselves into the water. After the steam-chest exploded, the engines stopped working. “The boat had now burned to the main deck, and gradually swinging out into the current, was carried down the river about half a mile, when she struck on a bar and broke in two. – “The wreck was visited by a party of survivors, who found among the debris the charred remains of some of their ill-fated friends. The clerk had a large amount of money in the safe belonging to the passengers. The safe was not fire proof, and the clerk opened it and gave the money to its owners, but he was not able to save any of the boat’s money or books. “The gunboat No. 7 came down, and seeing the crowd on the bank, stopped, and was about taking them aboard, when the Glasgow came along about 4 o’clock, and took them on board. A family living on the island fed the passengers, and did all they could for them. The deck hands were mostly saved. Two are known to have been lost. “To the above, I have been furnished with the additional list of names of the lost: Mrs. Blake, Mrs. Geo. Cox and child, Mr. Crewell and two children, Mrs. Rose, Mrs. Strong, Jno. Powers, fireman on the boat; four deck hands, names unknown; a negro woman belonging to Major Elliot. Mr. Blake’s child, ten years old, was saved and sent back to Memphis….” (Defiance Democrat, OH. “Burning of the Steamer Sunny Side.” 11-28-1863, p. 1, col. 4. Nov 16: “The steamer Glasgow, from Memphis on the 12th, brings painful intelligence of the burning of the steamer Sunnyside, which took place about 5 o’clock yesterday morning, opposite Island No. 16, twenty-six miles below New Madrid [MO, on MS River]. “She had a large passenger list and a heavy freight on board. Among the latter were thirteen hundred and eighty bales of cotton, which, with the boat, was totally destroyed. “The boat caught fire from the sparks from her chimney, which ignited the cotton. “She was run ashore and her engines kept working, to hold her to the bank. “Means of exit from the boat not being sufficient, many of her passengers were obliged to jump overboard, several of whom were drowned. “The scene is described as being most terrible. “Of thirteen female passengers only four escaped, and of eight children six were lost. “About thirty passengers in all were drowned or burned. “Among the latter was Mr. Boyd, his wife and child, of Memphis; and the sister and wife of Major Boswell; army surgeon, name unknown; Mrs. Van Buren and her daughter Mattie, of Detroit; Mrs. Blake; Mr. George Cox and child; Mrs. Creswell and two children; Mrs. Rose; Mrs. Strong; John Powers, fireman; and four deck hands, names unknown; and a negro woman belonging to Major Elliott. “The boats’ books and money on board were all lost. “The Glasgow brought the survivors her, most of whom have lost everything that they possessed.” (Philadelphia Inquirer. “Burning of the Steamer ‘Sunnyside.’” 11-16-1863, p. 4, col. 4.) Listing of Fatalities Identified by Sources Cited Herein 1. Blake, Mrs. 2. Boswell, wife of Major Boswell; from Paducah. 3. Boswell? sister of Major Boswell. 4. Boyd, Mr.; of Memphis. [Foundryman in St. Louis and Memphis.] 5. Boyd, Mrs. 6. Boyd, child of Mr. and Mrs. 7. Cox, Mr. George [Another account has the loss as Mrs. George Cox and child.] 8. Cox, child of Mr. George Cox. 9. Creswell, Mrs. [Another account has the loss as Mr. Crewell and two children.] 10. Creswell, child one of two. 11. Creswell, child two of two. 12. Elliott; woman, slave of Major Elliott. 13. Powers, John; fireman on the Sunny Side. 14. Rose (or Ross ), Mrs. 15. Strong, Mrs. 16. Van Buren, Mrs., of Detroit 17. Van Buren, Mattie C.; daughter of Mrs. Van Buren. 18. Unnamed U.S. Army surgeon. 19. Unnamed deck hand 1 of 4. 20. Unnamed deck hand 2 or 4. 21. Unnamed deck hand 3 of 4. 22. Unnamed deck hand 4 of 4. Sources Bragg, Marion. Historic Names and Places on the Lower Mississippi River. Vicksburg, MS: Mississippi River Commission, 1977. Accessed 9-15-2020 at: ftp://ftp.library.noaa.gov/noaa_documents.lib/NOAA_related_docs/US_Army/Mississippi_River_names_1977.pdf Defiance Democrat, OH. “Burning of the Steamer Sunny Side.” 11-28-1863, p. 1, col. 4. Accessed 10-31-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/defiance-democrat-nov-28-1863-p-1/ Gaines, W. Craig. Encyclopedia of Civil War Shipwrecks. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2008. Green Mountain Freeman, Montpelier, VT. 11-17-1863, p. 5, col. 4. Accessed 10-31-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/montpelier-green-mountain-freeman-nov-17-1863-p-5/ Lytle, William M., compiler, from Official Merchant Marine Documents of the United States and Other Sources; Holdcamper, Forrest H. (Editor, and Introduction by). Merchant Steam Vessels of the United States 1807-1868. “The Lytle List.” Mystic, CT: Steamship Historical Society of America (Publication No. 6), 1952. Accessed 8-16-2020 at: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015018039084&view=1up&seq=8&size=125 Philadelphia Inquirer. “Burning of the Steamer ‘Sunnyside.’” 11-16-1863, p. 4, col. 4. Accessed 10-31-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/philadelphia-inquirer-nov-16-1863-p-4/ Scott,, Lt. Col. Robert N. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Series I, Vol. XXXI, Part 3 (Correspondence, etc.). Washington: Government Printing Office, 1890. Accessed 10-31-2020 at: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077699845&view=1up&seq=182&q1=sunny%20side Way, Frederick Jr. (Author and Compiler), Joseph W. Rutter (contributor). Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats of the Mississippi River System Since the Advent of Photography in Mid-Continent America (Revised). Athens OH: Ohio University Press, 1999.