History
On October 15, 1871, the propeller R.G. Coburn met a devastating fate in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron, resulting in the loss of approximately 45 lives. The incident occurred during a fierce gale, which proved to be one of the most treacherous storms on the Great Lakes during that year.
News of the disaster spread rapidly, and fear gripped the hearts of families and loved ones waiting for any updates about the ship’s fate. A telegram received by Captain E.P. Dorr in Detroit reported that the propeller that had gone down in the storm was believed to be the R.G. Coburn.
As the details unfolded, it became clear that the disaster was indeed as grim as feared. From Mr. E.T. Evans, Managing Agent of the Atlantic, Duluth, and Pacific Steamboat Line, it was learned that the propeller Keweenaw, also part of the same line, had arrived in Detroit with some survivors on board. Tragically, only 18 of the crew and passengers were saved in the boats, with the captain and fifteen crew members, including every officer except the second mate, lost to the waters.
The R.G. Coburn was a fine, new propeller built in 1870, measuring 857 tons and expressly designed for the Lake Superior freight and passenger trade. On its fateful trip from Duluth, the vessel was laden with a significant cargo, including wheat and flour consigned to various destinations.
Various reports and accounts from survivors provided a harrowing insight into the disaster. The vessel’s rudder was carried away, rendering it unmanageable, and it soon fell into the troughs of the sea. The life-saving apparatus aboard the ship was deemed sufficient, and the wooden boats carried by the vessel offered hope for survival. However, two metallic lifeboats found ashore were unused, except by two crew members found dead near the boats.
Despite the valiant efforts of the crew and passengers, many lives were lost, including that of Captain Gilbert DeMont and his family, leaving his five children orphans. The tragedy was a blow to Detroit and other cities along the Great Lakes, as the loss of lives and valuable cargo caused immense grief and financial losses.
As the news spread, communities mourned the victims of the R.G. Coburn disaster. Wreckage and portions of the cargo, including barrels of flour and merchandise, were found ashore in Kincardine, Ontario, and neighboring areas. The extent of the disaster and the magnitude of the loss weighed heavily on the hearts of those who knew and loved the passengers and crew aboard the ill-fated vessel. The sinking of the R.G. Coburn would forever remain etched in the annals of Great Lakes maritime history as one of its darkest chapters.
