The Sultana Disaster email and newsletter triggered several things I
should share with the IN-SOUTH-CENTRAL list. First, a book by
William O. Bryant titled: Cahaba Prison and the Sultana Disaster.
While visiting the National Archives in DC I looked through the
original file of my CW Ancestor, Winfield Scott Beck, who was
captured at the Battle Stone’s River, Murphysboro, TN. I discovered
a very small newspaper clipping titled “Deceased Soldiers of
Montgomery AL”. The clipping was not dated, but I’m assuming it was
released after the war. There were many Mid-West Soldiers listed by
their home state and a few listed as Regiments Unknown —including my
ancestor. I have to assume he was one of the first arrivals before
good record keeping and medical care was established because he died
within a month.
My ancestor died at Cahaba Prison and this list named those from
Indiana, and Kentucky. I learned watching “Who do You Think You Are?”
the deceased were later interred at Marietta National Cemetery in
Marietta GA in 1867.
Deceased Soldiers
"The following is a list of deaths of Union prisoners, at Montgomery,
Ala., furnished us by the Hospital Directory, U. S. Sanitary
Commission, of this City. It has never before been published”
Preston Edwards, Private, Co. F, 8th Indiana Infantry
Allen Dickard, Private, Co. F, 59th Indiana Infantry
James Hendrics, Private, Co. E, 35th Indiana Infantry
Reubin Hall, Private, Co E, 4th Indiana Calvary
Henry L. Ray, Private, 3rd Indiana Battery
Isaac Krider, Private, Co. A, 26th Indiana Infantry
Hiram Anderson, Private, Co. K, 26th Indiana Infantry
Wm. Brown, Private, Co. A, 4th Kentucky
Regiments Unknown:
Henry Ware, M. Poole, W. S. Beck, D. H. Cowless, Henry Platt, P. B.
H. Gillian,
and F. Crook.
— W.S. Beck served with Co. B, 22nd Indiana Volunteers — Lexington IN