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: Red, White and Blue
• Official number: 21301
• Year built: 1863 at Madison Dock, Ohio by A. & D. E. Bailey
• Type: Wooden-hulled barkentine (three masts), single deck
• Dimensions: 163 ft × 31 ft × 13 ft (49.7 × 9.4 × 4.0 m); ~582 tons (old measure); capacity ~28,000 bushels
• Date lost: 10 October 1895
• Location: Whaleback Shoal, Green Bay, off Wisconsin’s Door Peninsula in Lake Michigan
• Loss type: Driven onto reef by a gale while under tow, broke up on the shoal; hull destroyed
• Cargo: Coal; bound from Toledo, OH to Green Bay, WI under tow of steamer Otego

Vessel Type & Description

A significant three-masted barkentine used in bulk cargo transport, originally registered in Cleveland, OH. Ideal for large freight loads like wheat, coal, and lumber, with ample cargo hold and sail rigging suited for late-season voyages across the lakes.

History & Operational Record

• 1863: Enrolled in Cleveland, OH
• Notable incidents:
  • 1863 – Aground at Grosse Isle, Detroit River
  • 1865 – Ownership changes and tonnage adjustments (milestone increases noted)
  • 1871 – Aground near Beaver Island carrying wheat
  • 1876 – Rebuilt and continued service
  • 1882–1889 – Ownership transitions between Wisconsin and Ohio firms; likely involved in grain and coal trade
• 1895: Under ownership likely based in Cleveland or Lorain, Ohio, in coal trade toward Green Bay

Final Disposition

On 10 October 1895, during a strong fall gale, the barkentine was being towed by steamer Otego toward Green Bay. Near Whaleback Shoal—a known navigational hazard—she was driven onto the reef. The vessel struck heavily, lost her hull integrity, and broke up rapidly. No reports of loss-of-life have been found; crew likely transferred safely to the steamer.

Located By & Status

• Wreck presumed destroyed and unrecoverable due to the violent breakup on the reef.
• No recorded archaeological dives or rediscovery efforts.
• Whaleback Shoal remains inaccessible, marked on charts as a high-risk area for vessels, especially in poor visibility or rough conditions (Internet Archive, James D. Julia, Auctioneers, greenbay.uslakes.info).

Notmar & Navigation Advisories

• Modern nautical charts designate Whaleback Shoal as a significant hazard in Green Bay.
• Mariners are advised to navigate at safe speeds and maintain routes that avoid this submerged shoal, particularly during periods of fog or storms.

Resources & Links

• Standard reference listings note her enrollment, tonnage, and loss, though detailed narrative sources are limited due to the wreck’s vintage and destruction.
• Whaleback Shoal details—location and navigational significance .

Conclusion

The Red, White and Blue illustrates the perils faced by large sail-powered freighters late in the Great Lakes navigation season. Driven onto Whaleback Shoal by a fall gale, she broke apart and sank without major loss of life. While no remains exist, the incident remains instructive for navigation in Green Bay, highlighting the enduring importance of shoal mapping and weather preparedness.

Keywords, Categories, Glossary

• Keywords: barkentine, Green Bay wreck, Whaleback Shoal, 1895 storm, coal freighter
• Categories: Wooden sailing freighters, late-season Great Lakes losses, shoal groundings
• Glossary:
  • Barkentine: Three-masted vessel with square sails on the foremast and fore-and-aft sails on the others.
  • Whaleback Shoal: Submerged hazard in northern Green Bay, Lake Michigan.
  • Barkentine break-up: Structural failure leading to the vessel splitting due to grounding and wave action.

red-white-and-blue-us-21301 1895-10-10 22:48:00