Sultana - Son Volt

April 27, 1865

The worst American disaster of the maritime

No one knows the count of lives lost

The soldiers, civilians and the sisters of charity

At $ 5 a head, Captains Mason and Hatch

Boarded 6 times the legal load of the Sultana

Leaving Vicksburg bound for Cairo

Memphis was the tragic last port of call of Sultana

6 miles out of Memphis a boiler gave out

From the flooding swift river and extra heavy load of Sultana

The current was cold, the river was wide

A mile to either side away from the burning Sultana

3 boilers blew fire and lit up the night sky

Hell was a better place than on board the Sultana

The worst American disaster on water

Titanic of the cold Mississippi was the Sultana

Hell was a better place that night

Titanic of the cold Mississippi was the Sultana

Hell was a better place that night

Titanic of the cold Mississippi was the Sultana