Show famous steamer robert E lee ruined in race although the robert E lee was the most famous boat on the mississippi sis sippi river her race with the natchez june 31 to july 4 1870 unfitted her tor for much future se service vice the driving trip against the speed of the natchez did not injure her machinery but she was so badly shaken up she had to be placed on the marine ways at mounds ill tor for a general overhauling before she could reenter re enter her run from new orleans to vicksburg the natchez returned to new orleans from st louis and although she had been beaten she served shippers in the lower river trade several years before dismantled old government records in the offices of the united states steamboat inspectors office at memphis show the lee sank opposite natchez miss december 21 1870 just six months after winning her race writes joe curtis in memphis commercial appeal it was a cold stormy morning when the lee collided with the steamer potomac and injured her so badly she was beached on a sandbar sandbag by her pilot and there she sank in nine feet of water so far as known this was the only accident to the first robert E lee she was raised a few days later and sent to the ways after being repaired she resumed her regular runs and remained in service until 1876 when she was taken to louisville and dismantled her machinery was placed on a new robert E lee and her hull towed to vicksburg where it became a wharf boat |