The American Eagle was a propeller steam tug, built in 1865 by J. Carroll in Buffalo, New York. It had an official number of 570 and was constructed using wood. The tug had a length of 58 feet, a beam of 17 feet, and a depth of 7 feet. It had a gross tonnage of 35 and a net tonnage of 17.
On June 10, 1891, the American Eagle was involved in a collision with the tug ALVA B., which was stationary at the time. The collision occurred 0.5 miles from the harbor entrance in Cleveland, Ohio, on Lake Erie. The American Eagle subsequently sank while being towed by the ALVA B. Fortunately, there were no reported loss of life during the incident.
The tug was owned by Captain Henry Dahlke, who was also in command at the time of the collision. Around the beginning of July, the American Eagle was raised by Captain Dahlke and brought inside the Cleveland breakwater suspended on chains and timbers between two large barges. However, a squall arose, causing the bucking of the barges and leading the American Eagle to fall off the timbers and onto the chains. The chains cut through the hull, resulting in the tug being deemed a total wreck. Despite the loss of the vessel, its machinery was later salvaged.
Prior to the collision, the American Eagle had already experienced significant incidents. In April 1885, it had struck the wreck of the schooner EXCHANGE near Kelley’s Island, resulting in heavy damage and sinking. Additionally, in June 1885, the tug again sank with heavy damage 1.5 miles west of the Cleveland harbor mouth.
The American Eagle’s history is marked by several unfortunate incidents, including collisions and sinkings. These incidents highlight the risks and challenges faced by vessels navigating the waters of Lake Erie during that time.
