Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: James E. Eagle
- Type: Wooden screw tug
- Year Built: 1859
- Builder: Charles Hindman at Algonac, Michigan
- Dimensions: 120 ft (36.6 m) × 21 ft (6.4 m) × 8 ft (2.4 m); 137 tons gross
- Registered Tonnage: 137 tons gross
- Location: Saginaw Bay, near Bay City, Lake Huron
- Official Number: 13668
- Original Owners: R. Burlington, Port Huron
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The James E. Eagle was a wooden screw tug originally launched as a passenger steamer, later repurposed for towing operations.
Description
At approximately 4 AM on August 8, 1869, while towing a log raft in Saginaw Bay, James E. Eagle caught fire and was burned to a total loss. The fire engulfed the vessel while it remained under way; the crew only escaped by launching the yawl and drifting away. The burning hull continued steaming before sinking. The total financial loss was estimated at approximately $10,000.
History
The James E. Eagle was owned by R. Burlington of Port Huron and captained by Robert McNeff. The vessel was involved in towing operations, specifically a log raft, when the incident occurred.
Significant Incidents
- August 8, 1869: Caught fire during towing operations in Saginaw Bay, resulting in total loss.
Final Disposition
The vessel was burned to a total loss and sank in Saginaw Bay. The probable site of the wreck is in southern Saginaw Bay, where a concentrated debris field of burned wood and metal may exist.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The remains of the James E. Eagle are likely scattered charred timber, iron fittings, and engine remnants due to the wooden hull being burned through.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”james-e-eagle-us-13668″ title=”References & Links”]
The James E. Eagle represents the evolution of mid-19th-century steam tugs and highlights the hazards of early steam towing operations on the Great Lakes.
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
- Name: James E. Eagle
- Official No.: 13668
- Built: 1859 by Charles Hindman at Algonac, Michigan, originally launched as a passenger steamer
- Type: Wooden screw tug
- Dimensions: 120 ft (36.6 m) × 21 ft (6.4 m) × 8 ft (2.4 m); 137 tons gross
- Loss Date: August 8, 1869
- Location: Saginaw Bay, near Bay City, Lake Huron
- Cause of Loss: Fire during towing operations
- Cargo/Task: Towing a log raft
- Casualties: None — crew escaped in yawl (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, Wikipedia, Wikipedia, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Incident & Final Disposition
At approximately 4 AM on August 8, 1869, while towing a log raft in Saginaw Bay, James E. Eagle caught fire and was burned to a total loss. The fire engulfed the vessel while it remained under way; the crew only escaped by launching the yawl and drifting away. The burning hull continued steaming before sinking. The total financial loss was estimated at approximately $10,000. (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Ownership & Command
- Owner: R. Burlington, Port Huron
- Master: Captain Robert McNeff (Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Wreck & Investigation Potential
- Probable Site: Southern Saginaw Bay, location varies; possible concentrated debris field of burned wood and metal
- Remains: Wooden hull burned through, so likely scattered charred timber, iron fittings, and engine remnants are the primary survivors
- Potential Survey:
- Remote sensing (side-scan sonar, magnetometer) in the Bay City–Saginaw Bay region
- Dive expeditions to verify and document remains
- Archival reconstruction of tow route and sinking coordinates from crew or harbor logs
Archival & Research Gaps
- Tow Details: Identify the log raft’s owner and the towing client — potentially recorded in Bay City shipping manifests
- Crew List & Rescue: Crew names and yawl set-off procedures documented in crew or harbor records
- Fire Damage Context: Determine fire origin—boiler, lamp, or engine room failure—via newspaper or marine reports
- Insurance/Inquiry: Fire likely prompted insurance claim or marine court inquiry; potential records in Port Huron archives
- Debris Salvage: Investigate salvage permits or local salvage contractor logs for metallic remnants
Significance
The James E. Eagle encapsulates mid-19th-century steam-tug evolution—an Algonac-built vessel repurposed from passenger service to towing sustainable forestry log rafts. Her loss to onboard fire and her steam-heated voyage to eventual sinking underscore the hazards inherent in early steam towing operations on the Great Lakes.
Recommended Next Steps
- Archive Outreach
- Bay City and Port Huron newspapers (August–September 1869) for incident coverage
- National Archives (Detroit or Buffalo Customs District) for enrollment, tow manifests, and insurance filings
- Field Planning
- Coordinate with maritime archaeologists to conduct sonar mapping in Saginaw Bay
- Locate and document any extant wreck remains
- Crew Documentation
- Obtain crew enrollment and vessel inspection files for 1869 to identify survivors and procedures