The 69th Indiana Drownings

From Wikipedia.

During preparations for an invasion of the mainland from Matagorda Island the 69th Indiana assembled. To get to the mainland, they had to cross 300 yards of the bay.

A ferry was made of pontoon boats tied together as a raft which could carry three companies across at a time. On the third trip, carrying companies B, G and K, the raft was swamped by an incoming tide. Two officers and 21 enlisted men drowned and many otghers carried off by current before being rescued.

This occurred on March 13, 1864.

For more information of the 69th Indiana, see today's entry on my Saw the Elephant Civil War blog.

--Old B-Runner