The Pulaski departed from Savannah
on July 13, 1838, with a complement
of nearly 200, including passengers and
crew, bound for Baltimore after a stop
in Charleston. Onboard were some of
the rich and famous of the day, including
New York congressman William B.
Rochester and six members of the Lamar
family, then among the wealthiest in the
Southeast.
“The passengers were from the elite,”
Rebecca Lamar McLeod, one of the survivors,
wrote some years after the disaster.
“Sojourners returning to their distant
homes, and others from farther South and
The Pulaski was a state-of-the-art paddle steamer, noted for its speed and luxurious
passenger accommodations.
West, assembled on the deck, presenting a picture of unusual brightness; so many happy faces animated by hope and expectation.
The Pulaski inspired confidence. She appeared so strong, and looked so comfortable.”
The Savannah and Charleston Steam Packet Company boasted of the ship’s 225-horsepower engine, her copper boilers, and
her luxurious accommodations.
Below: In June 2018 divers from the Blue Water Rose recovered a gold watch and chain
hidden inside a glob of encrusted matter. At first they did not know for sure what
they had. Conservation measures revealed the gold watch. The
watch (right) continues to undergo conservation. There
was a great deal of excitement over this watch, one of
several found so far, first because of its magnificence,
but second the watch stopped at a few minutes
past 11, confirming the reports of the time of the
explosion.
“The Titanic of Its Time”
PHOTOS COURTESY OF NUMISMATIC GUARANTY CORPORATION
july 2018 30
WBM