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.
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.
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Vessel name: Gen. H.E. Paine (originally U.S.S. Trefoil)
- Also known as: General H.E. Paine
- Official Number: 10856
- Year built/Launched: 1865 (built in Boston, MA)
- Built by: D. McKay
- Final fate: Foundered off Grand Haven, Lake Michigan, 19 November 1879
- Vessel Type
- A single-deck wooden-hulled screw tug/towboat initially built for the U.S. Navy, later converted for civilian use.
- Construction & Dimensions
- Hull: Wood
- Decks: 1
- Machinery: Screw (single propeller)
- Original tonnage: ~370 tons
- Rebuilt: October 1867 in Detroit by Campbell, Owen & Co., increasing tonnage to ~248.2 gross tons
- Dimensions post-rebuild: Approx. 140.3 ft × 24 ft × 10.7 ft (42.7 m × 7.3 m × 3.3 m)
Operational 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
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. There were passengers aboard, all of whom 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 (en.wikipedia.org, familysearch.org).
Located By & Date Found
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.
Notices & Advisories
No Notmar navigational hazards currently associated with the site, though its sinking site would remain a potential underwater hazard following salvage of superstructure but prior to machinery removal.
Conclusion
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—from a government dispatch boat to a rebuilt, larger commercial vessel—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.
Resources & Links
- “List of shipwrecks in November 1879” (Wikipedia) (en.wikipedia.org)
- Historical listings of U.S. Navy vessels / American Civil War naval registries
- Shipping line and local marine records from Grand Haven and Milwaukee archives