1845 — Oct 27, steamer Plymouth sinks in collision with Lady Madison, OH Ri. ~Shawneetown IL-25

— 25 Blanchard estimated death-toll.*

–20-30 Madison Express, WI. “The steamer Lady Madison.” 11-20-1845, p. 2.
— 25 Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. 1972, p. 259.
— 25 Lytle and Holdcamper. Merchant Steam Vessels of the [U.S.] 1807-1868. 1952, p. 227.
— 25 Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours. 1977, p. 680.
— 25 Twaintimes. “1835-1845.”
— 25 Way’s Packet Directory, 1848-1994: Passenger Steamboats…[MS Riv. Sys.]…1999, 276.
— 20 Burlington Hawk-Eye, IA. “Steamboat Collision.” 11-6-1845, p. 2.
— 20 Milwaukee Daily Gazette, WI. “Steam Boat Collision on the Ohio.” 11-8-1845, p. 2.
— >20 Niles’ National Register (Vol. LXIX). Sep 1945-Mar 1846, p. 160.

*Blanchard estimated death-toll. While it is possible that more than 25 died, as the Madison Express reported on Nov 20, noting a possible 20-30 deaths, we choose to rely on subsequent accounts such as Berman, Lytle and Holdcamper, and Way, all of whom put death toll at 25.

Narrative Information

Lytle and Holdcamper: “Plymouth…150 [tons]…collided [footnote: with Lady Madison]…10-27-1845…Shawneetown, Ill. …25 [lives lost].”

Way: Lady Madison: “Collided at Shawneetown, Ill., with the Plymouth on Oct. 27, 1845, resulting in the loss of eh latter and life-loss of 25 persons.” (Way 1999, p. 276.

Newspapers

Nov 6: “On Monday night, the 27th ult., the Lady Madison ran into the Plymouth near Shawneetown. The Plymouth sank in a few minutes causing the death of twenty persons, mostly German emigrants – deck passengers – who jumped overboard. The night is said to have been perfectly clear, and the collision is attributed to the carelessness and negligence of the officers of the Lady Madison. The pilot is supposed by some to have been drunk. The Plymouth was cut clear through and sunk to the boiler deck….” (Burlington Hawk-Eye, IA. “Steamboat Collision.” 11-6- 1845, p. 2.)

Nov 8: “Steam Boat Collision on the Ohio, near Shawneetown, Illinois – Twenty Lives Lost.

“The Steamer Plymouth was bound for St. Louis on the 27th ult., with a full cargo, 250 tons of merchandise, some 70 deck passengers and a large number in the cabins when the collision occurred about 10 o’clock between her and the Lady Madison, the former sinking. The entire blame is laid upon the officers of the Madison. We extract the following statement from the St. Louis Republican:

The captain of the Madison was not upon deck at the time, but came running up in his shirt sleeves. The Plymouth had lost all headway, and the Madison’s engines were not stopped until within a length of the P. She struck just at the forward hatch, cutting her clear through. Capt. J. begged the Madison to hold on, as they could do no more harm, and run them ashore; but the Madison backed off and the Plymouth sunk immediately, up to the boiler deck. The captain rushed aft to restrain the passengers, but many in their fright had gone over, and the boat filled so rapidly that no time was left for reflection. It was about twelve or fifteen minutes before the Madison came up again, and then backed up, crushing the ladies’ cabin; many sprang from the hurricane deck of the Plymouth to the Madison and fell upon the wheel, receiving broken ribs and severe bruises as the consequence. The panic was extreme, and the screams of the unfortunate sufferers most horrific. It is supposed that 25 or 30 are missing. One whole family is gone. One poor woman saved two other women and one child, but lost her own husband and one child. Another lost all her family. The deck passengers who were saved lost all their property – many of them were even barefooted. No cabin passengers were lost.

“….The Lady Madison returned to this place, bringing the officers, crew and passengers. The latter have drawn up a statement fully exonerating the officers of the Plymouth from all culpability, and complimenting for their exemplary conduct in the hour of danger….” (Milwaukee Daily Gazette, WI. “Steam Boat Collision on the Ohio.” 11-8-1845, p. 2.)

Nov 20: “The steamer Lady Madison ran into the Plymouth, on the 27th ult., six miles above Shawneetown, and sunk the latter immediately. From the statements of both papers and passengers, the conclusion is inevitable that the collision was the result of design on the part of the Lady Madison. Between twenty and thirty deck passengers, mostly German emigrants, lost their lives by jumping into the river. The pilot and captain of the Madison should be indicted and tried for willful murder; and if the testimony should corroborate the statements of the press, no doubt can exist but that they will be convicted. There was insurance on the Plymouth of $7000. The boat and cargo are a total loss. Many of the passengers lost their all, and are left in a very destitute condition. – Alton Tel.” (Madison Express, WI. “The steamer Lady Madison.” 11-20-1845, p. 2.)

Sources

Berman, Bruce D. Encyclopedia of American Shipwrecks. Boston: Mariners Press Inc., 1972.

Burlington Hawk-Eye, IA. “Steamboat Collision” [Plymouth and Lady Madison]. 11-6-1845, p. 2. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=136908252

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

Madison Express, WI. “The Steamer Lady Madison.” 11-20-1845, p. 2. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=33336395

Milwaukee Daily Gazette, WI. “Steam Boat Collision on the Ohio.” 11-8-1845, p. 2. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=33405512

Nash, Jay Robert. Darkest Hours – A Narrative Encyclopedia of Worldwide Disasters from Ancient Times to the Present. New York: Pocket Books, Wallaby, 1977, 792 pages.

Niles’ National Register (Vol. LXIX). Sep 1845-Mar 1846. Accessed 9-25-2020 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=XHwFAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Twaintimes – A Time Line of Events in the Life of Samuel Langhorne Clemens – Mark Twain. Accessed 11-16-2008 at: http://twaintimes.net/page2.html

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.