Downing’s Civil War Diary.–Alexander G. Downing.

Sunday, 11th—Our boats ran all night. This is a bright sunshiny Sunday. All went well and everything was quiet until about 4 p. m. when our boat struck a snag. We were nearing Manchester, Ohio, when we ran upon an old sunken stone barge, the bottom of our boat was torn off and it sank in less than three minutes. The captain, quick to see the danger of our going down in midstream, ordered the boat turned toward the Kentucky side of the river, and we were within twenty feet of the bank when it sank stern first, going down at an angle of about forty-five degrees. In the excitement several men jumped overboard, but were rescued by men in canoes from Manchester. Tears were shed by the ladies of Manchester, thinking that, of course, a great many would be lost, but all were saved in one way or another. Regardless of the danger some of the boys on the sinking boat broke into the steward’s pantry and filled their haversacks with the good things in store. Our regiment was now divided, and put on the other already crowded boats. Company E, with H, G and B, went upon the “Nord” —and as usual, Company E got the hurricane deck.