Editing PS General Slocum (section)

==Service history==
''General Slocum'' was named for [[American Civil War|Civil War]] General<ref name=encnyc>Jackson, Kenneth T. "General Slocum" in {{cite enc-nyc2}}, p.499</ref> and New York [[United States Congress|Congressman]] [[Henry Warner Slocum]]. She was owned by the Knickerbocker Steamboat Company.<ref name=USCI-Slocum/>{{rp|3}} She operated in the New York City area as an excursion steamer for the next 13 years under the same ownership.

''General Slocum'' experienced a series of mishaps following her launch in 1891. Four months after her launching, she ran aground off [[Rockaway Inlet|Rockaway]]. [[Tugboat]]s had to pull her free.

A number of incidents occurred during 1894. On July 29, while returning from Rockaway with about 4,700 passengers, ''General Slocum'' struck a [[shoal|sandbar]] with enough force to knock out her [[electrical generator]]. The next month, ''General Slocum'' ran aground off [[Coney Island]] during a storm. Passengers had to be transferred to another ship. In September 1894, ''General Slocum'' collided with the tug ''R. T. Sayre'' in the [[East River]], causing substantial damage to ''General Slocum's'' steering.

In July 1898, ''General Slocum'' collided with the ''Amelia'' near [[Battery Park]]. On August 17, 1901, while carrying what was described as 900 intoxicated anarchists from [[Paterson, New Jersey]], some of the passengers started a riot on board and tried to take control of the vessel. The crew fought back and kept control of the ship. The captain docked the ship at the police pier, and police took 17 men into custody.

In June 1902, ''General Slocum'' ran aground with 400 passengers aboard. Passengers had to camp out overnight while the ship remained stuck.