Shipwreck Report: Steam Tug Zouave (1861–1877)

Identification & Site Information

• Vessel Name: Zouave
• Other Names: None
• Official Number: 28021
• Vessel Type: Wooden Propeller Steam Tug
• Built: 1861, by B.B. Jones, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Final Location: Sombra, Ontario, St. Clair River
• Date Lost: May 10, 1877
• Cause: Collision with Ferry David Scoville
• Cargo at Loss: None (laid up at the time of accident)
• Loss of Life: None
• Specifications  Length: 97 feet (29.6 meters)  Beam: 20 feet (6.1 meters)  Depth: 8 feet (2.4 meters)
• Gross Tonnage: 117 tons
• Net Tonnage: 80 tons
• Hull Material: Wood
• Propulsion: Steam-powered propeller Tug

Operational History

The Zouave was a powerful wooden steam Tug, built in Milwaukee in 1861. She served on the Great Lakes and the St. Clair River, assisting in towing operations, wreck salvage, and general harbor work.

Notable Service Events:

• 1862: Wrecked and sunk by a boiler explosion near the outlet of Lake St. Clair, resulting in four fatalities.
• 1862 (Weeks Later): Raised and totally Rebuilt, enlarging her structure.
• 1868: Engine replaced, making her one of the most powerful tugs in the region.
• 1870: Major repairs to maintain her service capabilities.

The Zouave was instrumental in towing and salvage operations, often working with Great Lakes freighters, barges, and passenger steamers.

Final Incident: Collision & Sinking (May 10, 1877)

•  Location: Sombra, Ontario, St. Clair River
•  Incident: The Zouave was laid up (not in service) at Sombra when she was accidentally struck by the cross-river Ferry David Scoville.
• The collision caused her to sink at her moorings.
• Aftermath:  She remained Abandoned for several years at Sombra.
• In May 1881, salvage captain P. Williams purchased the wreck and towed her to Windsor, Ontario, to remove and sell her machinery.
• Her engine was later installed in the steambarge C.N. Pratt.
•  Her official documentation was surrendered at Port Huron on November 30, 1881, marking the end of her service life.

Legacy and Significance

One of the Region’s Most Powerful Tugs  Following her 1868 engine replacement, the Zouave was considered one of the most powerful tugs in the St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair region.  Her work in towing, ship assistance, and salvage made her a vital asset in the Great Lakes maritime industry.

A Rare Case of a Vessel Lost Twice  The Zouave first sank in 1862 due to a boiler explosion, but was raised and Rebuilt. Her final loss in 1877 was due to an accidental collision, rather than a structural or mechanical failure.

Part of the Transition in Great Lakes Tug Technology  By the 1870s and 1880s, wooden steam tugs like the Zouave were being phased out in favor of larger, more powerful iron and steel-hulled vessels.  Her engine was repurposed in another vessel, showing how older ships were often salvaged and recycled rather than entirely scrapped.

Wreck Site and Potential Remains

• Location: Sombra, Ontario, St. Clair River
• Current Condition:As she was salvaged in 1881, most of the Hull was likely destroyed, scrapped, or left to deteriorate.Some remnants of the Hull or fittings could still exist on the riverbed near her original sinking location.
• Potential for Discovery:
• No known modern surveys or diving expeditions have identified remains of the Zouave.
• The St. Clair River is a high-current area, making long-term preservation of wooden wreckage unlikely.

Further Research and Resources

• Great Lakes Maritime Database (GLMD) https://greatlakes.bgsu.edu  Contains historical records on tugs and steam-powered vessels from the Great Lakes region.
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes http://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca Archives vessel records, ship registrations, and accident reports.
• Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (NOAA)  https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/thunderbay/ Surveys historic shipwrecks in the Great Lakes, including tugboats.
• Library and Archives Canada  https://library-archives.canada.ca  Holds records of Canadian shipwrecks and maritime incidents.

Conclusion

The Zouave (1861–1877) was a powerful wooden steam Tug that sank twice—first in 1862 due to a boiler explosion, and finally in 1877 after being struck by the Ferry David Scoville in Sombra, Ontario. Though her engine was salvaged and repurposed, the vessel was Abandoned and later lost to history. Today, she remains an example of 19th-century Tugboat technology and the risks of Great Lakes navigation.