May 9 Wednesday – A family story told by Annie Moffett Webster disclosed Sam’s political leaning in 1860 (Annie was 8 years old). That year a third political party of old Whigs and former Know-Nothings called the Constitutional Union Party met in Baltimore and nominated John Bell of Tennessee for president and Edward Everett of Massachusetts for vice president.
May 4 Friday – City of Memphis left for New Orleans.
May 1 Tuesday – City of Memphis arrived in St. Louis.
April 24 Tuesday – City of Memphis left for St. Louis.
April 21 Saturday – City of Memphis arrived in New Orleans.
April 14 Saturday – City of Memphis left for New Orleans.
April 11 Wednesday – City of Memphis arrived in St. Louis.
April 4 Wednesday – City of Memphis left for St. Louis.
April 2 Monday – City of Memphis arrived in New Orleans.
March 25 Sunday – Sam became pilot of the City of Memphis (865 tons) and left St. Louis this day with co-pilot Wesley Jacobs, Captain Joseph E. Montgomery. Here was a 6-boiler, 300-foot behemoth of a boat. Branch asserts that Sam was a skillful pilot [Branch, “Mark Twain: The Pilot” 30].
“One time I mistook Capt. Ed Montgomery’s coat hanging on the big bell for the Capt. himself and waiting for him to tell me to back I ran into a steamboat at New Orleans” [MTNJ 2: 536].