The drought began in the late fall of 1854 and extended through the summer of 1856. Before it was over, several Tombigbee steamboats sank and one caught fire and burned.
Hundreds of thousands of bales of cotton were stacked along the banks of the Tombigbee, unable to be shipped to Mobile where they could be sold. That it had simply rained in Columbus on April 6, 1855, and that the Tombigbee had a two-foot rise, was newsworthy enough to make the New Orleans Times Picayune.
The Mobile News reported from Tuscaloosa on March 6, 1855, that “Capt. George C—–” had moved there in 1818 and never before had water navigation failed during both January and February. In Columbus construction that had just started on St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in 1854 had to halt. Crops could not be sold and large pledges made to the church by planters could not be paid. Construction resumed in 1856 but at a slow pace as the Columbus economy had not fully recovered.
Moving cotton to Mobile was the bread and butter of the Tombigbee steamboats. Even in the low water of 1855 the boats tried to navigate the river. In April 1855 the Eliza Battle was carrying goods that had been shipped from New York through Mobile for Blair’s Drug Store in Columbus. The Battle’s pilot found the river too low and had to deposit her cargo at a warehouse at New Port Landing about 60 miles below Columbus. That night the warehouse caught fire and burned. Blair then sued Cox Brainard and Co., which owned the Eliza Battle, for failure to deliver the goods all the way to Columbus.
The court file, which is now in the Billups Garth Archives, contains interrogatories, which are written questions and answers, from the Battle’s pilot and the New York merchant about what happened. They provide a first-person account of commerce on the Tombigbee and its perils.
Below are narratives of the answers of George W. Claudis, pilot of the Eliza Battle, and Henry Waldune, a New York merchant. (transcribed by Carolyn Kaye)
George W Claudis, pilot of the Eliza Battle
“I am acquainted with the parties in this suit. My age is forty years – reside in Mobile, Ala. Am a pilot by profession. Have been a Pilot on the Alabama and Tombigbee Rivers for Fifteen years and upwards. I was employed as a Pilot on the Steamer ‘Eliza Battle’ in the month of April 1855. Said Steamer left Mobil on the Eleventh day of April 1855 bound for Columbus, water permitting and proceeded on her voyage as far as Newport. Said boat proceeded no farther in consequence of there not being a sufficiency of water. Said Boat landed and discharged her Columbus freight at Newport on the Tombigbee River above Vienna & Gainesville when we reached Gainesville, I advised the Captain not to attempt to go any higher, as it was clear to my mind that we could not get to Columbus, but the Captain insisted that we should go as high as we could, and we accordingly proceeded as far as Newport. When we reached Newport, we found it impossible to proceed further than Memphis, which would have been about Twelve miles further by water. But as Memphis was on the opposite side of the River from Columbus, it was upon my suggestion that we should put the goods out at Newport in as much as it was more convenient for the Columbus Merchants as the Road from Columbus to Newport was said to be the best, and it would avoid the risk and expense of crossing the River in a Flat. As to my means of knowledge of the water, I have to say that I have been for many years a Pilot on said River, and it is one of the essential requisites of my profession to know the stage of water at Newport what must be the stage at Columbus, provided there had been no local rise there, and that this was not the case, was evident from the fact that the River was falling at Newport.
Cox, Brainerd & Co. are Steam Boat owners engaged in the navigation of the River. I am not aware that said firm had any other Steamer navigating the Tombigbee River at that time. I do not know all who compose the firm of Cox Brainard & Co. I am not and never was a member of said Firm, or had any interest or ownership of their Boats or any one of them. I was employed as Pilot for the year at a fixed salary. Said Steamer ‘Eliza Battle’ drew at the time we reached Newport about five feet four inches. If any other Boat reached Columbus at that time I am not aware of it. The Steamer ‘S.S. Prentiss,’ which is a lighter draft Boat than the ‘Eliza Battle’ passed Newport on the same day we landed and only went as far as Memphis. The Steamer ‘Eliza Battle’ put out her freight at Newport because there was not a sufficiency of water to reach Columbus. It would have been for her interest to have gone to Columbus, and the Captain was anxious to do so. No Pilot would have attempted if he understood his business. It would have been more profitable for the ‘Eliza Battle’ to have gone to Columbus, than to have turned back from Newport. Said Boat would not have would not have gotten up to Columbus with her freight. I do not think.”
Henry Waldune of New York
“I have known Mr. James Blair about three years. Our business relations have extended over that period. I shipped (per Bill Lading dated March 2, 1855) on board the ‘Schr’ Montrose’ for Mobile marked Jas Blair Columbus, Miss., consigned David & Ford, Mobile.
3 ½ three & half Barrels Varnish in org’ packages
11 Eleven Tierces Cont Lead and Zinc in 25# & 50# kegs
10 Kegs each 100# Lead in org’ packages
(written on side of previous two items 5 Tons)
1 One Barrel Colors packed
4 Four Cases of colors in org’ packages
2 Two Cans do do
The value of the above Invoice was Twelve hundred & five 95/100 Dollars ($1205. 95/100).”
Blair’s lawsuit over his lost cargo provides a fascinating look at commerce on the Tombigbee River during the drought of 1855.
Rufus Ward is a Columbus native a local historian. E-mail your questions about local history to Rufus at [email protected].
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