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River to Rail and Lemen Collection

"City of Madison"

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"City of Madison"

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Title	"City of Madison"
Description	The "City of Madison" was built in 1860 and originally ran from Cincinnati to New Orleans. She was built in Madison, Indiana and was used as a government boat during the Civil War. She participated in Grant's campaign on the Tennessee and was at Vicksburg during the siege. On August 18 or 19, 1863 (there are conflicting reports), while taking on a cargo of ammunition, she exploded in a most spectacular way. Over 150 lives were lost and the steamer "Walch" that lay alongside was badly damaged. The concussion was so great that "not a whole pane of glass was left in a building for 80 rods. Men were blown across the river and fragments of the wreck could be seen all through the city." It is not known to this day if the tragedy involved sabotage. An inquiry was held but no definite conclusion came forth.
Creator	F. B. Schell, lithographer
Date	1863
Subject	"City of Madison"; Steamboats; Riverboats; Steamboat accidents; Explosions; Civil War; Vicksburg
Type	image; lithograph
Format	Original: tif, scanned at 600dpi. Online: jpg, saved at 72dpi.; Scan of lithograph.
Rights	Permission to reproduce this image for other than personal use must be requested from the Director of the Jefferson County Historical Society. Please contact at 615 W. First St., Madison, IN 47250 (812) 265-2335.
Source	Jefferson County Historical Society
Identifier	"JCHSV00417"; "MJCPLV00417"
Notes	Metadata resources: Jefferson County Historical Society; MJCPL Historical Files; Cork Examiner, September 7, 1863-Letter of H.M. Culbertson.