I have been doing research on a soldier from my family named Cornelius E. Johnson from Co. H of the 56th Illinois US Infantry who went down with the ship. He had just completed his three years of service of the 56th and was on his way home. He was from Wayne County, Illinois. He joined the Union side as a Private on Nov 30 1861 at Fairfield, IL for a period of three years and was mustered in on February 27 1862 at Shawneetown, IL. His Illinois Civil War military record says "Lost on steamer Gen Lyon burned at sea March 31, 1865". Cornelius would have been about age 19. The 56th suffered terribly that day. I have gathered information about the General Lyon since 2009 and have a working story about it, as it relates to the men on the ship from Wayne County, Illinois. I look from time to time on the internet for something new. I have seen little about it.
Janis