Sinking the Sultana: A Civil War Story of Imprisonment, Greed, and a Doomed Journey Home

Gr 7 Up--A comprehensive recounting of the devastating but largely overlooked explosion of the Civil War--era steamboat, the Sultana. In April 1865 the Sultana set off along the Mississippi River, loaded with an excess of 2,000 passengers, including civilians and formerly imprisoned Union soldiers. In addition to the sinking, Walker details peripheral events and factors, such as the appalling conditions at Confederate prisoner camps, which the Union soldiers were desperate to escape from; steamboat officers competing to make a profit; a shoddy last-minute repair to the boat's boiler; and the subsequent investigation, which failed to hold anyone accountable for the disaster. Walker includes numerous first-person accounts, adding an emotional depth to the narrative, although the extensive cast of characters is sometimes hard to keep track of. Diagrams, maps, and photos throughout help clarify technical descriptions and ground readers in the time period, and asides are featured sparingly to detail relevant topics, such as steam power technology. The extensive back matter makes this a valuable source for research. Readers who have already devoured the abundance of material on the Titanic will be drawn to the story of the Sultana, which despite being the "worst maritime disaster in American history" is often overshadowed. VERDICT A riveting and informative addition to nonfiction collections.--Jessica Agudelo, New York Public Library

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Drawing on letters, diaries, and other eyewitness accounts, Walker (Winnie) delves into America's worst maritime disaster: the 1865 sinking of the steamboat Sultana near Memphis, Tenn., with more than 2,000 paroled Union prisoners aboard. Beginning by detailing modifications to steamboat construction that allowed for Mississippi River navigation, Walker thoroughly investigates this forgotten disaster, whose loss of life exceeded that of the Titanic. She paints not-always-flattering portraits of key Army personnel and the crew, soldiers, and passengers aboard the luxurious Sultana, reconstructing--almost hour by hour--the crucial loading of the soldiers onto the ship and the aftermath of the boiler's explosion. Replete with vivid details, including the terrible conditions in Confederate prisoner-of-war camps, Walker's engrossing narrative builds to a horrific description of the terrified passengers' actions and ensuing civilian rescue efforts. Although Walker conveys astonishment, even outrage, that no one was held responsible for this tragedy, she presents the evidence with an even hand. After closing everyone's story, she exhorts readers to apply the lessons from this preventable catastrophe to the present day. Period photographs, maps, a glossary, source notes, and bibliography are included. Ages 10-up. (Oct.)

Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Replete with vivid details, including the terrible conditions in Confederate prisoner-of-war camps, Walker's engrossing narrative builds to a horrific description of the terrified passengers' actions and ensuing civilian rescue efforts. Although Walker conveys astonishment, even outrage, that no one was held responsible for this tragedy, she presents the evidence with an even hand.
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

In addition to archival illustrative material, Walker makes extensive use of primary sources...a finely detailed, well-researched chronicle of a little-known disaster.
—Kirkus Reviews

Walker sets the scene for the Sultana disaster as she describes the captain's greed (allowing 2,400 passengers when the legal capacity was 376), the chief engineer's decision to repair rather than replace a deteriorating boiler, the flooded river, and other factors that would come into play....History buffs, and even adults, will be the biggest fans of this crossover YA title.
—Booklist

Readers who have already devoured the abundance of material on the Titanic will be drawn to the story of the Sultana, which despite being the "worst maritime disaster in American history" is often overshadowed. A riveting and informative addition to nonfiction collections.
—School Library Journal

Fans of Walker's Secrets of a Civil War Submarine: Solving Mysteries of the H. L. Hunley (BCCB 6/05) already know her skill at illuminating maritime disaster from many angles; here she investigates the suspected bribery, commercial greed, military ineptitude, and myriad fatal decisions (possibly extending all the way up to President Lincoln himself ) that raised the disaster from sad to epic...This goes on every shipwreck aficionado's must-read list.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books