Mississippi River Site of Greatest Maritime Disaster in U.S. History

There was an interesting article entitled Sultana yet another night to remember in the April 28 Star Tribune about the greatest maritime disaster in U.S. history.

On April 27, 1865, boilers on steamboat SS Sultana exploded, resulting in about 1,800 casualties. This happened on Mississippi River near Memphis, Tennessee.   According to the article, the legal capacity of the vessel was 376, yet it was packed with an estimated 2,400 passengers.   Many of the victims were Union soldiers who had been injured or imprisoned during the Civil War.

The article mentions a 1992 book about the Sultana tragedy - "The Sultana Tragedy: America's Greatest Maritime Disaster" by author Jerry O. Potter.