Gen. H.E. Paine (U.S.S. Trefoil) US 10856

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Gen. H.E. Paine
• Type: Tugboat / Towboat
• Year Built: 1865
• Builder: D. McKay
• Dimensions: Approx. 140.3 ft × 24 ft × 10.7 ft (42.7 m × 7.3 m × 3.3 m)
• Registered Tonnage: ~248.2 gross tons
• Location: Off Grand Haven, Lake Michigan
• Official Number: 10856
• Original Owners: Lawrence Litchfield, J.J. Case, Ed. P. Ferry
• Number of Masts: 1

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

A single-deck wooden-hulled screw tug/towboat initially built for the U.S. Navy, later converted for civilian use.

Description

The Gen. H.E. Paine, originally named U.S.S. Trefoil, was a wooden-hulled tugboat designed for both military and civilian operations. It featured a single propeller and was rebuilt in 1867, increasing its gross tonnage and dimensions.

History

1865–67: Commissioned as U.S.S. Trefoil; served as executive/dispatch tugboat under U.S. Navy from 2 Feb 1865.
1 July 1867: Sold to Lawrence Litchfield, Boston, renamed Gen. H.E. Paine.
17 Oct 1867: Rebuilt in Detroit; ownership transferred to J.J. Case of Racine, WI.
1868: Chartered by the Engelmann Line for lumber transport.
14 May 1869: Ran aground near Cat’s Eye Light in Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan.
Late 1860s: Served passenger steamer routes between Muskegon, MI and Chicago, IL.
27 Oct 1870: Repaired in Milwaukee after losing a paddle wheel (unclear circumstances).
7 Mar 1871: Acquired by Ed. P. Ferry and others of Grand Haven, MI.

Significant Incidents

• 14 May 1869: Ran aground near Cat’s Eye Light in Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan.
• 27 Oct 1870: Repaired in Milwaukee after losing a paddle wheel (unclear circumstances).

Final Disposition

On 19 November 1879, during a gale near Grand Haven, Lake Michigan, the Gen. H.E. Paine struck a submerged crib, sprang a leak, broke up, and sank. All passengers were rescued by the U.S. Lifesaving Service. The machinery was later salvaged and installed in the freighter H.C. Akeley. Official documentation was formally surrendered at Grand Haven on 30 June 1880.

Additional confirmation of sinking in November 1879 and nature of disaster appears in contemporary records.

Current Condition & Accessibility

No record of wreck rediscovery. The vessel likely sank in water too deep for shore dive assessment, and its machinery was removed post-sinking, offering few remnants for later identification.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”gen-h-e-paine-u-s-s-trefoil-us-10856″ title=”References & Links”]

The Gen. H.E. Paine exemplified the transition of Civil War–era government tugs to merchant service in the Great Lakes, performing passenger, cargo, and tug duties across multiple regional lines. Its structural evolution mirrors shifting mid- to late-19th-century maritime trends. The vessel’s eventual foundering in a gale after striking a navigation structure underlines the persistent hazard of submerged obstructions and late-season storms. All passengers survived, and valuable machinery was salvaged, preserving a fragment of its operational legacy.