Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Coquette
- Type: Two-masted schooner (converted to sloop rig, 1860)
- Year Built: 1858
- Builder: A. & D. Bailey, Perry, Ohio
- Dimensions: Length 87.8 ft (26.8 m); Beam 20.0 ft (6.1 m); Depth of hold 9.0 ft (2.7 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 95.91
- Location: Lake Michigan, off Kenosha County, Wisconsin
- Coordinates: N 42° 35.409′ / W 087° 12.993′
- Official Number: 5057
- Original Owners: Mr. Nat Sanders of Menominee (last known owner)
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
- Type: Two-masted schooner (converted to sloop rig, 1860)
- Propulsion: Sail
- Hull Material: Wood
Description
- Length: 87.8 ft / 26.8 m
- Beam: 20.0 ft / 6.1 m
- Depth of Hold: 9.0 ft / 2.7 m
- Gross Tonnage: 95.91
- Cargo at Loss: 8 tons of pig iron (ballast)
- Home Port: Milwaukee, WI
- Builders: A. & D. Bailey, Perry, Ohio
History
- 1858: Launched as a schooner; later struck shoals and briefly sank—recovered.
- 1859: Acquired by U.S. Government for Lake Survey service.
- 1860: Rigging changed to sloop.
- 1864: Wrecked at Rock Island, Green Bay.
- December 1865: Rebuilt and returned to commercial service.
- May 1866: Sold by U.S. Government to private owners (Mr. Nat Sanders of Menominee).
- June 2, 1866: Final Enrollment surrendered at Milwaukee.
Significant Incidents
- Date: July 17, 1866
- Cause: Capsized in sudden northeast squall off Waukegan
- Incident Summary:
- The schooner was lightly ballasted, carrying only pig iron, and had no sail set when struck broadside by a squall.
- The vessel rolled over and capsized almost instantly.
- Capt. Patrick Lee, mate Robert Scott, and two others drowned.
- Nat Sanders (owner) and one crew member were rescued by the schooner Falcon at dawn after being found clinging to debris in critical condition.
- The Coquette was a former government survey ship and had recently returned to private cargo service.
- Reported By: Door County Advocate, July 26, 1866, page 1
Final Disposition
- No confirmed archaeological site reported as of current research.
- Coordinates provided suggest potential shallow-depth wreckage in Kenosha County waters, suitable for targeted survey.
Current Condition & Accessibility
- None noted. This wreck predates modern hazard-to-navigation registries.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”coquette-us-5057″ title=”References & Links”]
The Coquette was a lightly built mid-sized schooner with mixed public and private service. Her capsizing in 1866 highlights the dangers of light loading and sudden Lake Michigan weather shifts. As a former U.S. Government survey vessel, she also holds significance for the study of federal inland navigation efforts. A prime target for archaeological verification, her potential remains could help better understand smaller commercial transitions after Civil War-era fleet transfers.
Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record
This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.
(1858–1866)
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Vessel Name: Coquette
- Official Registry Number: 5057
- Year Built: 1858
- Coordinates: N 42° 35.409′ / W 087° 12.993′
- Location: Lake Michigan, off Kenosha County, Wisconsin
- Nearest Port: Kenosha, WI
- Depth: Unspecified; likely accessible via shallow water survey
- Lives Lost: 4 (Capt. Patrick Lee, Mate Robert Scott, and two unnamed crew)
Vessel Type
- Type: Two-masted schooner (converted to sloop rig, 1860)
- Propulsion: Sail
- Hull Material: Wood
Description
- Length: 87.8 ft / 26.8 m
- Beam: 20.0 ft / 6.1 m
- Depth of Hold: 9.0 ft / 2.7 m
- Gross Tonnage: 95.91
- Cargo at Loss: 8 tons of pig iron (ballast)
- Home Port: Milwaukee, WI
- Builders: A. & D. Bailey, Perry, Ohio
Service History
- 1858: Launched as a schooner; later struck shoals and briefly sank—recovered.
- 1859: Acquired by U.S. Government for Lake Survey service.
- 1860: Rigging changed to sloop.
- 1864: Wrecked at Rock Island, Green Bay.
- December 1865: Rebuilt and returned to commercial service.
- May 1866: Sold by U.S. Government to private owners (Mr. Nat Sanders of Menominee).
- June 2, 1866: Final Enrollment surrendered at Milwaukee.
Final Disposition
- Date: July 17, 1866
- Cause: Capsized in sudden northeast squall off Waukegan
- Incident Summary:
- The schooner was lightly ballasted, carrying only pig iron, and had no sail set when struck broadside by a squall.
- The vessel rolled over and capsized almost instantly.
- Capt. Patrick Lee, mate Robert Scott, and two others drowned.
- Nat Sanders (owner) and one crew member were rescued by the schooner Falcon at dawn after being found clinging to debris in critical condition.
- The Coquette was a former government survey ship and had recently returned to private cargo service.
- Reported By: Door County Advocate, July 26, 1866, page 1
Located By & Date Found
- No confirmed archaeological site reported as of current research.
- Coordinates provided suggest potential shallow-depth wreckage in Kenosha County waters, suitable for targeted survey.
Notmars & Advisories
- None noted. This wreck predates modern hazard-to-navigation registries.
Resources & Links
- Wisconsin Shipwrecks – Coquette
- Newspaper Source: Door County Advocate, 26 July 1866, Page 1 (via Newspapers.com)
- NOAA Lake Michigan Historical Charts
- US Lake Survey Archives – 19th Century Vessels
- HCGL Great Lakes Vessel Database
Conclusion
The Coquette was a lightly built mid-sized schooner with mixed public and private service. Her capsizing in 1866 highlights the dangers of light loading and sudden Lake Michigan weather shifts. As a former U.S. Government survey vessel, she also holds significance for the study of federal inland navigation efforts. A prime target for archaeological verification, her potential remains could help better understand smaller commercial transitions after Civil War-era fleet transfers.
Keywords & Categories
Region: Lake Michigan, Waukegan–Kenosha
Vessel Type: Wooden Schooner / Sloop
Cause of Loss: Capsizing in squall
Loss Type: Foundered
Dive Difficulty: Unknown – presumed accessible
Historical Significance: Ex-Government Survey Vessel