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Str. Sultana (1863)

Str. (Steamer) Sultana of 1863

ELECTRICITY IS NEEDED - SPAWNS AT CREATIVE ISLAND.
(ALSO I suggest you temporarily put her in broadside wind when you hit the scuttle, it encourages her funnels and decks to collapse to the side, which provides better results)



In the winter of 1862, the 6th and final 'Sultana' was laid down at John Litherbury Boatyard, in Cincinnati, Ohio. By January 3 1863, Sultana and her "sister", the Luminary, were launched together in a ceremony.
Fitting out began, and the Sultana was completed on February 12th, 1863, and she began her maiden voyage soon after.

On her maiden voyage, she had issues passing under a bridge due to her funnels.

March 15th 1865, she raced Str. Olive Branch and lost by 37 minutes.



April 8th, Sultana makes a record for herself, the great flood allowed her to steam over many fields and greatly reduce the distance she needed to steam. Thus, captain Mason earned the Elk Antlers, and installed them on the lower branch connecting her twin funnels.

A few days later on April 15th, she was dressed in mourning decor due to Lincoln's assassination.

On April 21st, she limps into Vicksburg for temporary repairs to her boiler, boards around 2,000 prisoners and departs at low pressure.
She reached Helena, Arkansas on April 26th, and was photographed by Thomas W. Bankes.
The excitement of being photographed results in the soldiers rushing towards her port, causing a sharp strong port list.

She temporarily stops at Memphis, before leaving around midnight. She takes on more coal at 1AM in the river, before continuing at low pressure, as her boiler issues were normal.

To aid her problems, her captain Mason would run Sultana on low pressure, as this had worked many times before, so should have not been so different.




April 27 1865:
Around 2AM, 3 of 4 boilers suddenly explode, quiet enough to not wake most people. Almost instantly, her forward decks are torn open.
Her larboard funnel falls forwards, starboard funnel collapses aft

Now with the slanted decks facing the furnaces, they begin to burn. Wind fuels the fire to travel to her stern.

Around 2:30AM, the Str. Bostona (II) passes wreckage and helps survivors on her maiden trip.
Other vessels begin to help the burning Sultana,

Around 1,200-1,500 are lost, and by 7AM, her charred hull and superstructure drift near Marion, Arkansas
She soon would be snagged, and sunk.

She is now under a field due to the meandering river, at an unknown location.


- - - CREDIT - - -

I want to thank SparklyBlueNinja for helping significantly with this vessel (as well as borrowing his texas, pilothouse and elk antlers)

- - -


This was a remake of my terrible old 2021 one, which is also incorrectly titled as PS.
These ships used 'Str.', not 'S.S.' or 'P.S.' like British vessels usually do.

This is to honour those lost in her sinking, and to hopefully bring some light onto her Captain Mason for doing his best.