- Paddle Wheel Steamer
- 15ffw 5m
- Point Pelee, Lake Erie
- 41 49.675 82 38.066
The steamship America, a paddle wheel steamer with a tonnage of 1083 tons, was built in Port Huron, Michigan, in 1847. Tragically, on April 5, 1854, the America stranded on Pelee Island in Lake Erie, resulting in its complete loss. Thankfully, no lives were lost in the incident.
According to reports from the Toledo Blade on April 13, 1854, the America was located in seven-foot water on a rock bottom, approximately one hundred rods away from the light on the north end of Point au Pelee Island. It was discovered that the vessel had deviated from its intended track by about half a mile and was headed toward the light. The captain, Capt. Stafford, had gone below at 12 o’clock, believing the ship was on the right course. However, the second-mate, thinking the captain was mistaken, changed the ship’s direction to the south by about three points. Concerned, the mate approached the captain to inquire about the safe distance from the light. The captain responded that it should be “not less than three-quarters of a mile, and preferably a greater distance.” The mate then expressed his concern that they were too close to land. Before the captain could reach the deck, the steamer struck the rocks. The America remained relatively stable until Friday night when a strong northeasterly wind caused significant damage, resulting in the vessel filling with water. On Saturday morning, the captain left for Detroit aboard the propeller Bruce, while the crew was rescued by the Granite State. When the Cleveland arrived on Saturday, four crew members were still on board, but they likely had to abandon ship due to the severe weather conditions. It was anticipated that the America would be a total loss, although the engine and ground tackle might be salvageable. The incident was particularly unfortunate since the vessel had survived the dangers of the previous winter in Dunkirk, only to meet its demise on the rocks early in the season.
Reports from the Buffalo Daily Republic on April 19, 1854, confirmed that the America had been completely destroyed by the recent gale. Only the timbers of the hull were visible, prompting plans to salvage some of the machinery once the weather improved. The newspaper lamented the fate of the America, which had once been the largest and finest vessel on the lakes but had gradually declined to a mere freight carrier.
On April 21, 1854, the Cleveland Morning Leader reported that about fifty tons of the America’s engine were brought into port by a vessel. This, along with a portion of the ship’s furniture, was all that remained salvageable from the ill-fated steamer.
Throughout its history, the America experienced various incidents and changes in ownership. In 1848, it was enrolled in Buffalo and later ran aground near Mamajuda, 10 miles from Detroit. The vessel operated on the Buffalo-Sandusky route until mid-June of that year, after which it extended its service to Chicago for the remainder of the season. In August, it broke a shaft and required repairs in Cleveland. In the following years, the America underwent renovations, including cabin improvements and the addition of two arches from bow to stern over the wheelhouse. It experienced further mishaps, such as engine failures, fires on board, and a tragic steampipe burst in 1850 that resulted in multiple fatalities. The vessel operated on the Buffalo-Cleveland route from 1851 to 1853 and was owned by Lysander M. Cushing and others in Buffalo during 1852-1853. By 1853-1854, David S. Bennett of Buffalo became the owner. In January 1854, the America ran aground and was scuttled in Dunkirk Harbor but was subsequently raised and repaired. However, the ship’s fate was sealed when it ran aground again on April 5, 1854.
