Primary document
Explosion of the steamer Sultana
Naval History and Heritage Command
Where this source supports the record
Each entry separates the article’s editorial relevance note from its exact, section-level claims. A bibliography link without a direct claim is labeled plainly.
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Transportation & maritime · 27 April 1865Open article references →
The Sultana Steamboat Disaster
Mississippi River explosion site north of Memphis · United States
Why editors use it hereCataloged contemporary engraving and federal description establishing the river location, date, and casualty scale.
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Quick read
Before dawn on 27 April 1865, boilers aboard the side-wheel steamboat Sultana exploded on the Mississippi River north of Memphis.
Reviewed 26 July 2026 -
Trigger and conditions
The overloaded boat departed with soldiers crowded across decks and superstructure.
Reviewed 26 July 2026 -
Uncertainty
Passenger manifests and death records were incomplete, so credible totals range around 1,500 to 1,800.
Reviewed 26 July 2026 -
Why it matters
The explosion was not simply an unpredictable boiler accident.
Reviewed 26 July 2026
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Quick read