How did the 1870 race between the Natchez and the Robert E. Lee become famous?

The 1870 race between the Natchez and the Robert E. Lee became famous as a symbol of the brief but flamboyant revival of steamboat traffic on the Mississippi River following the American Civil War.1

Commencing on June 30, 1870, this intense three-day competition highlighted the fierce rivalry between steamboat captains of the era. The Robert E. Lee ultimately won the race by stripping away all unnecessary superstructure to reduce weight and by taking on extra fuel supplies from tenders while continuing to steam upriver at full speed. This event remains a notable historical example of the competitive spirit that defined the final years of the steamboat's dominance on the river before the rise of more efficient railroad transport.12