SULTANA & CAPT MASON

1864-1865: SULTANA & CAPT MASON, Part 3

April 5 - April 21, 1865: By Friday April 21st, 3,792 Union soldiers had arrived at the parole camp near Vicksburg to await transportation home.

April 13, 1865 - Frustrated at being delayed for two days while Sultana underwent federal safety inspection and licensing, Capt Mason was finally ready to set out from St Louis, or so he thought. The night of the 12th before his planned departure on the 13th, Mason's senior steward, Henry Lyda, abruptly resigned his position citing his belief that Sultana's boilers remained unsafe and that Mason and his officers were careless and reckless. Lyda was immediately replaced and Sultana with her full complimemt of 85 officers and crew set out for their first stop at Cairo. They arrived there 1:00 AM on April 15 and found freight waiting and was told Sultana could load all she can carry. Capt Mason also advertised for passengers to set out by 10:00 AM, April 15.

April 14, 1865 - President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in Washington D.C. Word of the president's death went out by telegraph. War damage to telegraph lines was extensive further south, so Cairo's newspapers picked up the news and printed special editions. Capt Mason grabbed up as many copies as he could carry and set out for New Orleans on April 15th at 5:00 AM without waiting for any more passengers. Mason intended to gain notariety as the first boat to spread the news downstream of Lincoln's death.

April 15, 1865 - Pushing Sultana hard and covering the 260 mile trip south to Memphis in record time, she docked in the very early hours of Easter Sunday. All along the way, with her flags at halfmast and bells ringing, the news of Lincoln's death had been shouted ashore at every opportunity. Once docked at Memphis, Mason and crew spread the word and passed out a few copies of the Cairo newspapers. After only a short stop, Capt Mason continued his race to stay ahead of other boats.

April 17, 1865 - Sultana reaches Helena, Arkansas about noon. Onlookers quickly noticed her flags at halfmast. After a hurried docking and telling the awful news, Mason didn't stay long and rushed on toward Vickburg which they reached about sunset.

Vicksburg MS, April 17 - Once docked at Vicksburg, Mason announced the news of the tragedy. Among the many Union officers in the city was Capt Reuben Hatch, an officer in the Quartermasters Dept who happened to be a personal friend of the President. Hatch hurried to the dock to speak directly with Capt Mason. Surprisingly, Hatch was not there to discuss the assassination. By this date, all Union prisoners of war held by the Confederacy had been released and were waiting transportation home. The US government was paying boat captains to carry paroled prisoners north, and for cash strapped Capt Mason this was a windfall not to be passed up. Being first on the scene gave him opportunity to grab a full load right away, and Capt Hatch was there to make an offer Capt Mason wouldn’t refuse. Under the contract system, the 880 mile trip from Vicksburg to St Louis would pay $9 per officer, and $3.25 per enlisted man. Hatch knew of Sultana’s recent boiler repairs and was privy to Mason’s financial problems as well. Indeed, he had plenty of his own. For a small kickback per man, Hatch would guarantee Mason a thousand men to transport to St Louis on Sultana’s return from New Orleans. As Capt Mason wanted to continue to stay ahead of other boats with the news of Lincoln’s death, Sultana took on a load of coal and left Vicksburg at about 8:00 PM without any further passengers or freight.

April 18, 1865 - Near sunup Sultana pulled briefly into dock at Natchez, Mississippi with the news about Lincoln. After a short time she was off again and by 10:00 PM had made it to Baton Rouge. The news of the President created quite a stir among the people of the city and would have detained Sultana until the next day, but Capt Hatch wasted no time heading back downriver.

April 19, 1865 - At mid-morning Sultana and the news reached New Orleans. Newspapers there immediately picked up what they needed to know from the newspapers Mason had brought from Cairo. Editors were quick to mention and praise Capt Mason and his fast boat, Sultana. Even though business and commerce had been suspended for a day in mourning for Lincoln's sudden death, Mason did not take a day off. Sultana's boilers were cleaned well that very day while she lay at dock, with Capt Mason advertising a 5:00 PM departure the next day. But despite his best efforts to acquire passengers and freight, there was just none available. Two other steamboats also sat idle at dock for the same reason.

April 20, 1865 - The only boat that actually left New Orleans this day was Capt Mason’s old racing rival, Olive Branch. Somehow, her captain had managed to capture all available freight during the mourning period for Lincoln. Mason decides to hold Sultana at dock until 10:00 AM the next day.

April 21, 1865 - A few more passengers boarded Sultana before her departure at 10:00 AM. Three in particular were wealthy and between them brought onboard a total of over $35,000 in cash and gold. Eight were soldiers and officers, and three were single or widowed women of some note traveling alone. A family of eight adults came aboard as did a family with small children. Sultana left New Orleans with a crew of 85 and approximately 40 paying passengers along with a small amount of freight. Not a money-making load, but Capt Mason was looking forward to his promised load of paroled soldiers upon his arrival at Vicksburg which would surely turn him a much needed winfall profit.

April 21-22, 1865 - Pushing upriver against unusually high seasonal water levels and fast downstream currents, Sultana still made good time with her freshly maintained boilers and machinery apparently in good order. Unexpectedly, at about 100 miles below Vicksburg, Sultana slowed to about half her normal speed. The first engineer had discovered a small leak on a side seam on the far lefthand boiler. Because they were all interconnected, pressure had to be reduced in all four boilers with the result that Sultana could not make but moderate speed.

April 23, 1865 - Sultana finally made dock in Vicksburg at about 8:45 PM. Her first engineer immediately went into town to find a boiler mechanic, while second engineer and crew began to drain the boilers. Capt Mason left Sultana in haste to meet with his steamboat association agent and Capt Hatch in search of his promised load of paroled soldiers.

Cristical Note: Young, ambitious Capt Frederic Speed of the Adjutant General's office for the Vicksburg area was in charge of arranging transportation for paroled Union soldiers at Vicksburg. His destiny, that of some of the soldiers, Capts Mason and Hatch, and the Sultana herself would soon interact with tragic results.

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	1864-1865: SULTANA & CAPT MASON, Part 3
	April 5 - April 21, 1865: By Friday April 21st, 3,792 Union soldiers had arrived at the parole camp near Vicksburg to await transportation home. April 13, 1865 - Frustrated at being delayed for two days while Sultana underwent federal safety inspection and licensing, Capt Mason was finally ready to set out from St Louis, or so he thought. The night of the 12th before his planned departure on the 13th, Mason's senior steward, Henry Lyda, abruptly resigned his position citing his belief that Sultana's boilers remained unsafe and that Mason and his officers were careless and reckless. Lyda was immediately replaced and Sultana with her full complimemt of 85 officers and crew set out for their first stop at Cairo. They arrived there 1:00 AM on April 15 and found freight waiting and was told Sultana could load all she can carry. Capt Mason also advertised for passengers to set out by 10:00 AM, April 15. April 14, 1865 - President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in Washington D.C. Word of the president's death went out by telegraph. War damage to telegraph lines was extensive further south, so Cairo's newspapers picked up the news and printed special editions. Capt Mason grabbed up as many copies as he could carry and set out for New Orleans on April 15th at 5:00 AM without waiting for any more passengers. Mason intended to gain notariety as the first boat to spread the news downstream of Lincoln's death. April 15, 1865 - Pushing Sultana hard and covering the 260 mile trip south to Memphis in record time, she docked in the very early hours of Easter Sunday. All along the way, with her flags at halfmast and bells ringing, the news of Lincoln's death had been shouted ashore at every opportunity. Once docked at Memphis, Mason and crew spread the word and passed out a few copies of the Cairo newspapers. After only a short stop, Capt Mason continued his race to stay ahead of other boats. April 17, 1865 - Sultana reaches Helena, Arkansas about noon. Onlookers quickly noticed her flags at halfmast. After a hurried docking and telling the awful news, Mason didn't stay long and rushed on toward Vickburg which they reached about sunset. Vicksburg MS, April 17 - Once docked at Vicksburg, Mason announced the news of the tragedy. Among the many Union officers in the city was Capt Reuben Hatch, an officer in the Quartermasters Dept who happened to be a personal friend of the President. Hatch hurried to the dock to speak directly with Capt Mason. Surprisingly, Hatch was not there to discuss the assassination. By this date, all Union prisoners of war held by the Confederacy had been released and were waiting transportation home. The US government was paying boat captains to carry paroled prisoners north, and for cash strapped Capt Mason this was a windfall not to be passed up. Being first on the scene gave him opportunity to grab a full load right away, and Capt Hatch was there to make an offer Capt Mason wouldn’t refuse. Under the contract system, the 880 mile trip from Vicksburg to St Louis would pay $9 per officer, and $3.25 per enlisted man. Hatch knew of Sultana’s recent boiler repairs and was privy to Mason’s financial problems as well. Indeed, he had plenty of his own. For a small kickback per man, Hatch would guarantee Mason a thousand men to transport to St Louis on Sultana’s return from New Orleans. As Capt Mason wanted to continue to stay ahead of other boats with the news of Lincoln’s death, Sultana took on a load of coal and left Vicksburg at about 8:00 PM without any further passengers or freight. April 18, 1865 - Near sunup Sultana pulled briefly into dock at Natchez, Mississippi with the news about Lincoln. After a short time she was off again and by 10:00 PM had made it to Baton Rouge. The news of the President created quite a stir among the people of the city and would have detained Sultana until the next day, but Capt Hatch wasted no time heading back downriver. April 19, 1865 - At mid-morning Sultana and the news reached New Orleans. Newspapers there immediately picked up what they needed to know from the newspapers Mason had brought from Cairo. Editors were quick to mention and praise Capt Mason and his fast boat, Sultana. Even though business and commerce had been suspended for a day in mourning for Lincoln's sudden death, Mason did not take a day off. Sultana's boilers were cleaned well that very day while she lay at dock, with Capt Mason advertising a 5:00 PM departure the next day. But despite his best efforts to acquire passengers and freight, there was just none available. Two other steamboats also sat idle at dock for the same reason. April 20, 1865 - The only boat that actually left New Orleans this day was Capt Mason’s old racing rival, Olive Branch. Somehow, her captain had managed to capture all available freight during the mourning period for Lincoln. Mason decides to hold Sultana at dock until 10:00 AM the next day. April 21, 1865 - A few more passengers boarded Sultana before her departure at 10:00 AM. Three in particular were wealthy and between them brought onboard a total of over $35,000 in cash and gold. Eight were soldiers and officers, and three were single or widowed women of some note traveling alone. A family of eight adults came aboard as did a family with small children. Sultana left New Orleans with a crew of 85 and approximately 40 paying passengers along with a small amount of freight. Not a money-making load, but Capt Mason was looking forward to his promised load of paroled soldiers upon his arrival at Vicksburg which would surely turn him a much needed winfall profit. April 21-22, 1865 - Pushing upriver against unusually high seasonal water levels and fast downstream currents, Sultana still made good time with her freshly maintained boilers and machinery apparently in good order. Unexpectedly, at about 100 miles below Vicksburg, Sultana slowed to about half her normal speed. The first engineer had discovered a small leak on a side seam on the far lefthand boiler. Because they were all interconnected, pressure had to be reduced in all four boilers with the result that Sultana could not make but moderate speed. April 23, 1865 - Sultana finally made dock in Vicksburg at about 8:45 PM. Her first engineer immediately went into town to find a boiler mechanic, while second engineer and crew began to drain the boilers. Capt Mason left Sultana in haste to meet with his steamboat association agent and Capt Hatch in search of his promised load of paroled soldiers. Cristical Note: Young, ambitious Capt Frederic Speed of the Adjutant General's office for the Vicksburg area was in charge of arranging transportation for paroled Union soldiers at Vicksburg. His destiny, that of some of the soldiers, Capts Mason and Hatch, and the Sultana herself would soon interact with tragic results.

		To include your stories and other information in this site, Email us at Webmaster.
Comments, suggestions, additional info are always welcomed., Please contact: Webmaster