- Joined
- Jun 21, 2012
- Location
- Louisville, KY
While many of us are aware of the Sultana disaster, this certainly wasn't the only case of tragedy on the inland waterways of the United States during and shortly after the war.
Steamboat Argosy (Sometime after 1865)
On Saturday I visited the site of a lesser known disaster that, while it pales in comparison to the loss of life from the Sultana, did result in the loss of Union troops simply trying to return home after hostilities had ended in 1865.
The steamboat Argosy (No. 3) was the third steamboat of that name built in as many years in Monongahela, Pennsylvania. She was a wood hulled, sternwheel packet completed in 1864. Under the command of Captain Lew Vandergrift, she normally operated between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.
On August 21, 1865 she was transporting Union soldiers home to Ohio. Traveling east on the Ohio River bound for Cincinnati, a violent storm overtook her near the present-day river town of Magnet, Indiana. The force of the storm blew the Argosy into the Indiana bank of the river resulting in a mud drum explosion. Many troops aboard were scalded while others decided to take their chances in the stormy waters of the Ohio and jumped overboard. The end result, as noted on the historic marker at the site and a period New York Times article from August 25 lists the casualties as 10 killed (8 drown and 2 scalded to death). At least 9 of those killed were from 70th Ohio Infantry but there is some confusion about the 10th. The New York Times listed an unknown soldier from an Indiana regiment as drowning victim in the article and there is a unknown soldier grave at the site.
The Ohio River near the site of the explosion
Ironically, the first boat to render aid to the stricken Argosy was the recently decommissioned USS Argosy. Originally built for Captain George W. Reed, the USS Argosy was the first of the three aforementioned boats of that name built in Monongahela. She was acquired by the U.S. Navy in March of 1863 and converted into tinclad #27. Sold just days earlier at Mound City, Illinois, the first Argosy was bound for Vevay, Indiana where her new owner U.P. Schenck resided. Taking on the survivors of the Argosy, she proceeded to Louisville, Kentucky where the survivors were offloaded.
Back at the site of the explosion, the dead were buried in a mass grave near the site of their deaths. In 1965 a state historic marker would be placed on the site along with individual grave markers for each of those killed.
One notable error on the historic marker is listing the Argosy as "U.S.S Argosy". Only the first steamer of that name, which played a role in this story, was ever commissioned as such. She would go on to operate as a civilian packet steamer until March 7, 1872 when she burned at Cincinnati. The second Argosy also played a role in the war although she was not a part of this ordeal. Argosy (No. 2), as both the first and third of the name, was also a wood hulled sternwheel packet. Completed in 1863, she was acquired by the U.S. Navy in November of that year and commissioned as the USS Wave (tinclad #45). Captured by the Confederacy in 1864 in Texas, her fate is ultimately unknown. However, it was likely she was burned to prevent recapture.
As for the Argosy, she was salvaged after the explosion, refitted and went back into service. She routinely operated on the Ohio but also operated on the Mississippi, particularly later in her career. She was finally dismantled sometime in the mid 1870s.
The site is easy to find but is far off the beaten path and not particularly well known. Driving west out of the Louisville area on the Indiana side, you can reach the site in about an hour and fifteen minutes.
Steamboat Argosy (Sometime after 1865)
On Saturday I visited the site of a lesser known disaster that, while it pales in comparison to the loss of life from the Sultana, did result in the loss of Union troops simply trying to return home after hostilities had ended in 1865.
The steamboat Argosy (No. 3) was the third steamboat of that name built in as many years in Monongahela, Pennsylvania. She was a wood hulled, sternwheel packet completed in 1864. Under the command of Captain Lew Vandergrift, she normally operated between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.
On August 21, 1865 she was transporting Union soldiers home to Ohio. Traveling east on the Ohio River bound for Cincinnati, a violent storm overtook her near the present-day river town of Magnet, Indiana. The force of the storm blew the Argosy into the Indiana bank of the river resulting in a mud drum explosion. Many troops aboard were scalded while others decided to take their chances in the stormy waters of the Ohio and jumped overboard. The end result, as noted on the historic marker at the site and a period New York Times article from August 25 lists the casualties as 10 killed (8 drown and 2 scalded to death). At least 9 of those killed were from 70th Ohio Infantry but there is some confusion about the 10th. The New York Times listed an unknown soldier from an Indiana regiment as drowning victim in the article and there is a unknown soldier grave at the site.
The Ohio River near the site of the explosion
Back at the site of the explosion, the dead were buried in a mass grave near the site of their deaths. In 1965 a state historic marker would be placed on the site along with individual grave markers for each of those killed.
One notable error on the historic marker is listing the Argosy as "U.S.S Argosy". Only the first steamer of that name, which played a role in this story, was ever commissioned as such. She would go on to operate as a civilian packet steamer until March 7, 1872 when she burned at Cincinnati. The second Argosy also played a role in the war although she was not a part of this ordeal. Argosy (No. 2), as both the first and third of the name, was also a wood hulled sternwheel packet. Completed in 1863, she was acquired by the U.S. Navy in November of that year and commissioned as the USS Wave (tinclad #45). Captured by the Confederacy in 1864 in Texas, her fate is ultimately unknown. However, it was likely she was burned to prevent recapture.
As for the Argosy, she was salvaged after the explosion, refitted and went back into service. She routinely operated on the Ohio but also operated on the Mississippi, particularly later in her career. She was finally dismantled sometime in the mid 1870s.
The site is easy to find but is far off the beaten path and not particularly well known. Driving west out of the Louisville area on the Indiana side, you can reach the site in about an hour and fifteen minutes.
Bringing the