1865 – Apr 25, stmr. Massachusetts & Black Diamond collide, Potomac Riv., ~St. Clement’s Isl., MD–>60

–>60 Blanchard death-toll estimate.*

— 70 St. Paul Weekly Minnesotian. “Steamboat Disaster on the Potomac.” 5-5-1865, p. 12, c. 2.
–66 Massachusetts
— 4 Black Diamond
— 60 Supervising Inspector of Steamboats. Annual Report; in US Secretary of Treasury report.
— 60 Virginia State Journal, Alexandria. “Bodies Recovered.” 5-5-1865, p. 3, col. 1.
–>50 Daily Age, Philadelphia. “Collision of U.S. Vessels in the Potomac.” 4-27-1865, p. 2.
— 50 NYT. “Events in 1865; Chronicle of Noteworthy Occurrences for the Year.” 12-30-1865, 2.

* Blanchard death-toll estimate. In that the Supervising Inspector of Steamboats notes 60 deaths, a source over the years not known for exaggerating death tolls (as does the Virginia State Journal of May 5), we feel confident that at least sixty soldiers died. The reason we note “at least” sixty deaths (instead of 60 exactly) is due to the reporting that seventy soldiers died, 66 from the Massachusetts and 4 from the Black Diamond. Unfortunately we do not see additional reporting which could substantiate the report we cite.

It is also worth emphasizing that at least fifty bodies were recovered.

Narrative Information

Supervising Inspector of Steamboats (U.S.): “April 23. – The steamers Massachusetts and Black Diamond collided on the Potomac river; the former loaded with troops, sixty (60) of whom were drowned. The investigation disclosed the fact that both pilots wholly disregarded the rules established for their government, consequently their licenses were revoked. The opinion given by the local board is, that this lamentable loss of human life has been caused by the present system of carrying signal lights.” (Supervising Inspector, Third Supervising District, p. 215. In: “Report of the Supervising Inspector of Steamboats,” in United States Secretary of the Treasury. Report of the Secretary of the Treasury of the State of the Finances for The Year 1865.)

Newspapers

Apr 26: “Baltimore, April 26 – Yesterday morning at 12½ o’clock the steamer Massachusetts, with a load of soldiers, the greater part of whom were exchanged and paroled prisoners, came in collision with a steamer named the Black Diamond, a small barge propeller, in the Potomac river, about one mile from Blackstone Island [named Saint Clements Island today].

“The Black Diamond was acting there as a picket boat [Civil War] and had on board a guard of about twenty men. The Massachusetts struck her on the port side above the boiler, sinking her in about three minutes.

“In the excitement attending the collision of the two boats, many of the soldiers becoming panic stricken, and beyond the control of discipline, seized planks and whatever they could find that would float, and hastily jumped overboard, and many were thus drowned.

“The Massachusetts lay near the spot till daylight, picking them up. About a hundred men either jumped or were thrown by the force of the collision into the wreck of the Black Diamond. The boats of the Massachusetts were badly stove in, and were with difficulty kept afloat.

“Later in the morning the steamer Mario [unclear], Captain Mott, happened to be passing the spot and relieved the Massachusetts of a large portion of the soldiers. She reached this place [Baltimore] with them last night.

“The Massachusetts it is said had her running lights burning, but the Black Diamond being anchored showed but one light.

“Captain J. M. Holmes of Third Veteran Rescue corps was the officer in command of the troops and from the statement made by him it appears that the loss of life as near as can be ascertained at present will exceed fifty.

“The night was clear but dark, there being no noon. It is impossible to say at present where the blame for this disaster is to rest.” (Daily Age, Philadelphia. “Collision of U.S. Vessels in the Potomac.” 4-27-1865, p. 2.)

Apr 26: “Washington, April 26. – The side-wheeler Massachusetts, Capt. Conch, while bound down to Fortress Monroe on Sunday night with some 300 soldiers from Alexandria who were to be returned to their regiments, collided with the propeller Black Diamond off Blackstone’s Island, on the Potomac River. The Massachusetts was badly damaged, her bows being stove in near the water line, and the soldiers on board of her thinking that she was to sink, a large number of them spring over her sides, and succeeded in getting on board the Black Diamond, which had hauled up to render assistance, it being supposed at the time, by the Captain of the Diamond, that the Massachusetts was the only vessel that had sustained damage. Unfortunately, the Diamond had been struck amidship, which caused her to take in water rapidly, and she went down in a few minutes after the soldiers had got on board of her. Sixty-six of the crew of the Massachusetts and four of the crew of the Black Diamond are missing, and it is believed they were all drowned. Last night Capt. Allen dispatched a steam propeller down the river to the scene of the disaster, with men and hooks on board, to search for the bodies of those supposed to bd lost. The Massachusetts, after the Black Diamond went down, succeeded in reaching Point Lookout in safety, where she landed the remainder of her troops.” (St. Paul Weekly Minnesotian. “Steamboat Disaster on the Potomac.” 5-5-1865, p. 12, c. 2.)

May 5: “The bodies of some twenty-five or more of the 60 soldiers drowned in the Potomac river a week since during a collision between the steamer Prince Albert [sic] and propeller Black Diamond, were recovered yesterday. Capt. Lee, Q.M., at this point, sent down twenty-five coffins last night. We have not learned how the bodies were recovered.” (Virginia State Journal, Alexandria. “Bodies Recovered.” 5-5-1865, p. 3, col. 1.)

May 11: “Some days ago we noticed the fact of Captain Lee, A. Q. M., having dispatched the Steamer Patuxent, Captain McEntire, to the locality of the accident between the steamer Massachusetts and the propeller Black Diamond. This steamer yesterday returned, bringing up the bodies of Samuel Gosnell, Peter Carroll, of Wyoming co., N.Y., and Christian Farley, of Forisburg, N.Y., all former employees of the A. Q. M. Department of this city. Having been members of the Government Steam Engine Companies, their bodies were taken to the engine house, where they remained until about four o’clock in the afternoon. Solemn funeral services were held, attended by almost every employee of the department, besides many members of the different fire companies of the city, and others. At the conclusion of the services a large and imposing procession was formed, headed by the brigade band, which passed up King street, and from thence to the Soldiers’ Cemetery, where the bodies were consigned to their last resting place. Peace to their ashes.

“We learn that those sent down on the Patuxent succeeded in finding the bodies of some fifty of the soldiers who were lost by the accident between the Massachusetts and Black Diamond. A majority of the bodies were found on the Virginia shore, the most of them being entirely stripped of every particle of clothing. They were all properly interred in the neighborhood. Captain Lee deserves great credit for the promptness with which he has acted in this case.” (Virginia State Journal, Alexandria. “Solemn Funeral Services.” 5-11-1865, p. 3, col. 2.)

Dec 30: “A collision on the Potomac, occurring between the steamer Massachusetts and a barge; many soldiers jump overboard in a panic, and fifty are drowned.” (NYT. “Events in 1865; Chronicle of Noteworthy Occurrences for the Year.” 12-30-1865, p. 2.)

Sources

Daily Age, Philadelphia. “Collision of U.S. Vessels in the Potomac.” 4-27-1865, p. 2. Accessed 12-22-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/philadelphia-age-apr-27-1865-p-2/

New York Times. “Events in 1865; Chronicle of Noteworthy Occurrences for the Year.” 12-30-1865. Accessed 12-21-2020 at: https://www.nytimes.com/1865/12/30/archives/events-in-1865-chronicle-of-noteworthy-occurrences-for-the-year.html

St. Paul Weekly Minnesotian. “Steamboat Disaster on the Potomac.” 5-5-1865, p. 12, c. 2. Accessed 12-22-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/saint-paul-weekly-minnesotian-and-times-may-05-1865-p-12/

United States Secretary of the Treasury. Report of the Secretary of the Treasury of the State of the Finances for The Year 1865. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1865. Accessed 12-21-2020 at: https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/title/annual-report-secretary-treasury-state-finances-194/report-secretary-treasury-state-finances-year-1865-5509/report-supervising-inspector-steamboats-302219

Virginia State Journal, Alexandria. “Bodies Recovered.” 5-5-1865, p. 3, col. 1. Accessed 12-22-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/alexandria-virginia-state-journal-may-05-1865-p-3/

Virginia State Journal, Alexandria. “Solemn Funeral Services.” 5-11-1865, p. 3, col. 2. Accessed 12-22-2020: https://newspaperarchive.com/alexandria-virginia-state-journal-may-11-1865-p-3/

Wikipedia. “St. Clement’s Island State Park.” Accessed 12-22-2020 at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Clement%27s_Island_State_Park