Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Sir William Wallace
- Type: Two-masted wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1836
- Builder: Henderson, New York (rebuilt in 1856, Goderich, Ontario)
- Dimensions: 84 × 17 × 7 ft (25.6 × 5.2 × 2.1 m); Beam; Depth of hold
- Registered Tonnage: 87 gross tons
- Location: Amsterdam, Wisconsin
- Official Number: Not officially numbered
- Number of Masts: Two
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
- Configuration: Traditional wooden schooner, two-mast rig
- Intended Use: Freight, likely wood and tie transport on Lake Michigan routes
Description
- Construction: Wooden hull typical of mid-19th-century schooners
- Dimensions & Tonnage: ~84 ft length, 17 ft beam, 7 ft draft—~87 gross tons
- Mast Configuration: Two spars, suitable for inshore freight hauling
History
- Built Year & Origin: 1836, Henderson, NY (rebuilt in 1856, Goderich, ON)
- Loss Date & Locale: March 16, 1861; Amsterdam, WI
- Cause: Stranded in icy gale—anchors failed
- Casualties: None lost; 1 crew member badly frostbitten
- Disposition: Declared total loss after abandonment
Significant Incidents
- March 16, 1861: The vessel was loading firewood at Amsterdam, Lake Michigan when a sudden Northeast winter gale struck.
- The crew was forced to clear the pier to avoid being crushed.
- The vessel dragged anchor and was stranded on the shore.
- The crew endured freezing conditions, with one member suffering severe frostbite.
- The vessel was ultimately destroyed by ice and wave action.
Final Disposition
- The Sir William Wallace was declared a total loss after being abandoned following the storm.
- The crew was rescued, but one member suffered severe frostbite due to exposure.
Current Condition & Accessibility
- The wreck site is likely near Amsterdam, Wisconsin, but specific conditions and accessibility details are not documented.
- Potential for remnant hull timbers exists, but no surveys have been confirmed.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”sir-william-wallace” title=”References & Links”]
The Sir William Wallace serves as a historical reminder of the challenges faced by 19th-century mariners on the Great Lakes. Its loss during a fierce storm highlights the dangers of navigating these waters, especially in winter conditions.
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.
(Wooden Schooner, built 1836; lost March 16, 1861)
Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Official Number: Not officially numbered
- Type: Two-masted wooden schooner
- Built: 1836 in Henderson, New York (some sources cite 1856 in Goderich, Ontario—likely rebuilt later); approx. 84 × 17 × 7 ft, 87 gross tons
- Registry at Loss: Operating on Lake Michigan, loading wood at Amsterdam, Wisconsin (Leelanau County)
- Final Disposition: Stranded and lost during an early-spring storm; crew rescued, one severely frostbitten
(Wisconsin Shipwrecks, Great Lakes Shipwreck Files, wuaa.org, Wisconsin Shipwrecks)
Vessel Type
- Configuration: Traditional wooden schooner, two-mast rig
- Intended Use: Freight, likely wood and tie transport on Lake Michigan routes
Description
- Construction: Wooden hull typical of mid-19th-century schooners
- Dimensions & Tonnage: ~84 ft length, 17 ft beam, 7 ft draft—∼87 gross tons
(Great Lakes Shipwreck Files) - Mast Configuration: Two spars, suitable for inshore freight hauling
Final Incident – March 16, 1861
- Date & Location: Evening of March 16, 1861, loading firewood at Amsterdam, Lake Michigan
- Weather Conditions: Sudden Northeast winter gale—icy storm
- Sequence:
- Forced to clear pier to avoid crushing
- Dragged anchor, then stranded on shore
- Crew endured freezing conditions; one was drastically injured/frostbitten
- Ultimately destroyed by ice and wave action
(Wisconsin Shipwrecks)
Summary Table
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Built Year & Origin | 1836, Henderson, NY (rebuilt in 1856, Goderich, ON) |
| Dimensions | ~84 × 17 × 7 ft; 87 GRT |
| Loss Date & Locale | March 16, 1861; Amsterdam, WI |
| Cause | Stranded in icy gale—anchors failed |
| Casualties | None lost; 1 crew member badly frostbitten |
| Disposition | Declared total loss after abandonment |
Historical Context
- Amsterdam (near Leland, Michigan) was a small wood and log port along Lake Michigan’s eastern shoreline, heavily affected by ice stakes in March
- The Northeast gale and ice floes contributed to anchor dragging and shorefall
- Crew rescue was swift, though one member suffered severe frostbite due to exposure in rigging
(Great Lakes Shipwreck Files)
Research & Survey Opportunities
- Local Newspaper Archives (Spring 1861)
- Milwaukee Sentinel, Manistee Tribune, Traverse City Record-Eagle likely covered the incident, crew rescue details, and loss specifics.
- Hydrographic Records & Ice Surveys
- Period Navy/Coast Survey charts could show ice movement and anchorage hazards in Amsterdam Bay.
- Vessel & Builder Documentation
- Construction records from Henderson, NY, and later rebuild in 1856 at Goderich may clarify the vessel’s timeline.
- Maritime Archaeology
- Unlikely to be surveyed, but inshore site near Amsterdam is plausible for a dive reconnaissance checking for remnant hull timbers.
Proposed Research Paths
- Would you like me to retrieve 1861 newspaper reports from Appleton-area or Wisconsin papers?
- Should I locate shipbuilder or enrolment records from Henderson or Goderich?
- Interested in coastal ice chart archives to match storm timing?
- Or investigate whether any inshore wood remains have been documented near Amsterdam