William French Dixon – Civil War Survivor of Andersonville Prison and the Sultana Disaster
A Survivor of Two Historic Tragedies
From the horrors of Andersonville Prison to one of the worst maritime disasters in American history, the Sultana Riverboat Explosion, the story of William French Dixon is one of survival against incredible odds.
Living in Mount Vernon, Indiana, along the Ohio River Scenic Byway, Dixon’s life connects this small Ohio River town to two of the most significant and tragic events of the American Civil War.
Early Life and Enlistment
William French Dixon was born on March 1, 1840, in Posey County, Indiana. He was the son of Samuel Dixon and Elizabeth Casselberry. The family lived in Marrs Township before later moving to Henderson County, Kentucky, where he worked as a farmer.
When the Civil War began and Abraham Lincoln called for volunteers in 1861, Dixon returned to Indiana to enlist in the 25th Indiana Volunteers. He was joined in Union service by his 60-year-old father and two brothers.
Early War Service and Campaigns
While serving with the 25th Indiana, Dixon took part in several early campaigns in the Western Theater, including:
- Fremont’s Campaign against Springfield, Missouri (September–November 1861)
- Duty at Otterville and LaMine Bridge
- Pope’s Expedition to Warrensburg (December 1861)
- Action at Blackwater (Milford)
- Movement toward Tennessee in early 1862
These early movements would lead directly into one of the first major engagements of his service.
Wounded at Fort Donelson
Dixon was wounded during the Battle of Fort Donelson in February 1862 while serving under General Ulysses S. Grant.
After being sent home to recover, he later returned to service and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in Company A, 10th Indiana Cavalry in late 1863.
Service with the 10th Indiana Cavalry
While serving with the 10th Indiana Cavalry, Dixon was involved in multiple operations across Tennessee and Alabama, including:
- Duty guarding railroads in northern Alabama
- Action at Elk River (September 1864)
- Sulphur Branch Trestle (September 1864)
- Richland Creek near Pulaski
- Repelling Forrest’s attack on Pulaski
- Athens, Alabama engagements
- Siege of Decatur (October 1864)
- Siege of Murfreesboro (December 1864)
- Battle of Nashville (December 15–16, 1864)
These operations were part of the final major campaigns in the Western Theater.
Capture and Imprisonment at Andersonville
During the pursuit following the Battle of Nashville, Dixon was captured at Hollow Tree Gap near Franklin, Tennessee, on December 17, 1864.
He was sent to Andersonville Prison , Andersonville National Historic Site, in Georgia, one of the most infamous Confederate prison camps.
Even late in the war, conditions were harsh. Dixon endured four months of imprisonment before being paroled near the war’s end.
The Sultana Disaster
After his release, Dixon made his way to Union-held Vicksburg, believing his hardships were finally behind him. Instead, he was placed aboard the steamboat Sultana steamboat.
The ship was designed to carry around 376 passengers but departed with approximately 2,400—many of them recently released Union prisoners.
A poorly repaired boiler would prove fatal.
In the early morning hours of April 27, 1865, just north of Memphis, Tennessee, three of the boilers exploded.
The resulting fire and sinking became known as the Sultana Riverboat Explosion, killing an estimated 1,500 to 1,800 people.
Bodies were found along the Mississippi River for months afterward.
Dixon’s Eyewitness Account
Dixon later wrote:
“I was very poorly for several days and could not stand on my legs… I spit blood from being injured in my chest and swallowing so much water… after a few days treatment I got better… and finally made my way home.”
Against all odds, he survived both imprisonment and one of the deadliest maritime disasters in U.S. history.
Life After the War
The combined toll of imprisonment and the Sultana disaster had lasting effects on Dixon’s health.
He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant on May 1, 1865, and mustered out of service on May 15, 1865.
In December 1866, he married Mary Jane Barter. The family later settled in Mount Vernon, Indiana, where they raised their children.
By 1900, they were living in Mount Vernon, where Dixon remained until his death in 1904 at age 64.
He is buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery.
A Story Connected to the Ohio River
Stories like Dixon’s remind us that small towns along the Ohio River Scenic Byway hold deep connections to national history.
If you’re exploring Mount Vernon, Indiana or traveling the Ohio River Scenic Byway, take a moment to reflect on the lives and stories that shaped this region.
More places that you can learn from
- Visiting Andersonville National Historic Site in Georgia – Civil War Prison, Cemetery & History
- Lyles Station and Gibson County underground railroad.
- Joseph Holt Home
- Mount Vernon, Indiana – A Historic Stop on the Ohio River Scenic Byway
Have you ever heard of a survivor of both Andersonville Prison and the Sultana disaster, or visited a place connected to their story?
