1833, Schooner
In a devastating turn of events, the schooner Napoleon, under the command of Captain R. Hollister and owned by Thomas S. Hall & Co. of Sacket’s Harbor, met its untimely demise on a fateful Saturday. At midnight, off the head of Stony Island, disaster struck. Laden with a heavy cargo of large stones destined for the Oswego pier, the Napoleon faced the wrath of a raging sea.
Seeking shelter from the tempestuous waves, the master made the decision to retreat under the lea of the island. However, during the vessel’s maneuver to change course, a colossal wave crashed upon her, causing a catastrophic shift in the deck load. Sixteen immense stones, weighing between 2 and 4 tons each, were suddenly flung to leeward, destabilizing the schooner.
Despite the crew’s valiant efforts to jettison some of the stones overboard, the weight and awkward positioning made it an impossible task. The Napoleon, driven relentlessly towards the shore, fought bravely against the unforgiving waters. But fate had other plans. It is believed that the shifting stones in the hold ultimately proved too much to bear, causing the schooner to sink rapidly in 30 fathoms of water. The boat and crew narrowly escaped the same fate, thanks to the timely rescue by the steamboat Oswego, which towed them to the sheltered vicinity of Stony Island.
The loss of the Napoleon was a significant blow, not only to her owners but also to the maritime community. Valued at an estimated $4,000 and without insurance, she represented a substantial investment and a vital vessel for commerce. The shipwreck, a grim reminder of the perils faced by seafarers, left a void in the waters of Lake Ontario.
The Napoleon, constructed in 1833 and initially enrolled at Sacket’s Harbor, had a short but eventful history. It had plied the waters between Detroit and various ports in Ohio, transporting goods and connecting communities. However, its journey was tragically cut short in August 1835 when it sank in Lake Ontario near Galloo Island.
