Son Volt - Sultant lyrics

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 $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 The Titanic of the cold Mississippi was the Sultana Hell was a better place that night Titanic of the cold Mississippi was the Sultana