Red Jacket (1877)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Red Jacket
• Type: Propeller steam tug
• Year Built: 1877
• Builder: W. Morris, Port Huron, Michigan
• Dimensions: 46 ft × 12 ft × 5 ft (14.0 m × 3.7 m × 1.5 m)
• Registered Tonnage: 20 GRT
• Location: Entering Chicago River, Illinois
• Coordinates: Unknown
• Official Number: Not recorded
• Original Owners: Unknown
• Number of Masts: Unknown

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The Red Jacket was a small propeller-driven steam tug constructed in Port Huron, Michigan, in 1877. Built for harbor and river tow service, the tug operated with a modest tonnage of 20 GRT and dimensions of just 46 feet in length. Though small, her boiler propulsion system placed her among the many early steam vessels that faced operational hazards due to evolving steam technology and limited regulation.

Description

The Red Jacket was a small propeller-driven steam tug constructed in Port Huron, Michigan, in 1877. Built for harbor and river tow service, the tug operated with a modest tonnage of 20 GRT and dimensions of just 46 feet in length. Though small, her boiler propulsion system placed her among the many early steam vessels that faced operational hazards due to evolving steam technology and limited regulation.

History

Details of Red Jacket’s service are scarce, but she was actively engaged in assisting inbound and outbound vessels along the Lake Michigan–Chicago River corridor. On 18 June 1866, while assisting the brig Mary during entry into the Chicago River, she pulled alongside to slow or stop the sailing vessel. At this point, her boiler exploded catastrophically.

Only three men were aboard Red Jacket. Two were killed instantly in the blast. The third crewman’s fate is not fully documented. On the Mary, several sailors sustained injuries due to proximity and force of the explosion.

Significant Incidents

• 18 June 1866: Boiler explosion while assisting the brig Mary during entry into the Chicago River, resulting in the destruction of the Red Jacket and fatalities among her crew.

Final Disposition

The Red Jacket was completely destroyed—either burning to the waterline or sinking in the aftermath. Sources record her simply as “destroyed by a boiler explosion,” and no salvage is recorded. The location is presumed to be in or near the river mouth at Chicago harbor.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Not found. No confirmed wreck location or recovery documentation has been identified. Urban dredging, riverfront redevelopment, and lack of salvage likely erased any identifiable remains.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”red-jacket-1877″ title=”References & Links”]

Two crew aboard Red Jacket were killed. Identities unknown. Injuries aboard the brig Mary noted in some accounts. Further research in 1866 newspaper archives (e.g., Chicago Tribune, Chicago Times) recommended.