Crooked Creek Flood 1847

The Crooked Creek flood on Sept. 3, 1847 is a fairly well-known calamity. This account was original published in the Louisville Courier Journal and was reprinted in New York. Since Eagle Hollow Creek flows into the Ohio River, not Crooked Creek, the mention of it here could mean it was also affected by the flood--or this was simply an error

New York Municipal Gazette May 28, 1847

Terrible Flood And Loss of Property.—A terrible storm of rain occurred at Madison, Ind., on the 3d of September. An extra from the Banner gives full particulars of this destructive calamity.

Crooked Creek, a very small stream running parallel with the Ohio river, between the high hills in the rear of the city, rose above its banks; and the “bottom,” or "commons,” between the Michigan road and the high ground upon which the city is built, was soon converted into a lake or broad river. The culvert under the railroad embankment, across the hollow at the lower end of the city, was choked up with properly, houses, &c. The waters dammed up to a great depth, and there broke through the artificial hill, producing a terrible flood.

All the bridges Across Crooked Creek were swept off, and nearly all the property in the immediate vicinity of its banks was either entirely destroyed or greatly injured. Messrs. Jacob Shuh, Whitney & Hendricks, and Mitchell & McNaughten are among the greatest sufferers. The loss of property is estimated by some at $100,000, and by others at less. The worst remains to be told.

It is certain that nine persons lost their lives by this flood, viz: Mr. Walker and child, drowned in “Eagle Hollow;” Mrs. Judge and two children, in “Irish Hollow;” Mrs. Scott, (daughter of Mr. Cotton,) swept off from the dwelling between Mulberry and West streets: and three colored people—Charlotte, Edward and Israel. It is described as an awful and sublime spectacle. Houses, animals, fences, barrels, and all kinds of household furniture, came whirling along as though they were mere bubbles, or feathers, floating in the air.

The Louisville Journal of Saturday says, the mail boat reports that fourteen lives were lost by the freshet at Madison, on Thursday. Eleven bodies have been found. The amount of property destroyed had not been fully ascertained.—Jour. Com. Sept. 11.

1864: A Black Man Says Why He Fights

Black soldiers were key to the North's victory in the Civil War. Several Madison soldiers were part of the 28th U.S. Colored Troops. They were among several black units who were sacrificed in the fiasco at the "Crater" at Petersburg, Va. One of them, Osbury Allums, died in the battle, which is the subject of the movie, "Cold Mountain. In a letter to a friend Charles, written on Dec. 3, 1846, Madisonian Morgan Carter gave his reasons for serving in the army.

From a private collection at Fort Ward Museum Historical Park, Alexandra, Va., and reprinted in The Black Civil War Soldiers of Illinois: the Story of the Twenty-Ninth U.S Colored infantry. University of South Carolina Press, Columbia, S.C. Edward A. Miller, 1998.

“Feale a little down but [I] soon rally when i think in what principal i am fighting which is for the benefit of my race,” Carter wrote. “[i] have been in a good many veary close places but by the Lords will I have escaped with my life so far.

i have been wounded twice once by a piece of shell on the long to be Remember [ed] field of blood shed and slaughter of 30 of July. there many a poor fell [low] lost theare life for thear country and theare people. But Poor fellows they died a noble death. and in the course if it is necessary i Will give up my life most willingly to Benefit the Collored Race

you youre self [know] that we have bin trampled under the white mans heal for years and now we have a chance to Ellivate oure selfs and oure race and what little I can do towards it will do so most willingly if i should die before i Receive the benefit of it i will have to consolation of noing that generations to come will Receive the blessing of it.

and i think it the duty of all the men [of] our Race to do so when they can.”