Athens Alabama April 13 and 14th

[richard]

If you live within driving distance of Athens, Alabama, you might be intrested in taking part in the Sultana Survivers gathering at Athens State University. This group, headed by Norman Shaw of Knoxville, Tennessee, has been meeting since the mid 90's. Among the members of the group is the son on one survivers of this tragic accident in April, 1865.

In this accident, some 1800 men lost there lives in the muddy waters of the Mississippi River. A large number of the men on the Sultana were captured in Forrest's raid on the railroad at Athens and Sulphur Trestle, and the Elk River in September of 1864. In these raids, most of the men captured were from the 2nd and 3rd Tennessee Cavalry, Union, 111th and 110th USCT. These raids almost completely removed these units from the war.

There is a bus tour of the Fort at Athens and to the site of the battle of Sulphur Trestle.

Huntsville is just a few miles east of Athens and a very intresting place to visit while you are there. Don't forget the BBQ and Catfish. And I can't go.