Identification & Vessel Details
- Name: General Burnside
- Official Number: 10234
- Type: Wooden propeller steam Tug
- Built: 1863, by J. Monk, Sandusky, OH
- Dimensions: Approximately 90 ft length × 17 ft beam × 9 ft depth; ~123 gross tons (turn0search5)
- Owner: Beck & Rohr, Cleveland
Operational History
- Served as a harbor and tow Tug on Lake Erie and Lake Huron
- Primary function: towing barges (often laden with coal) across the Great Lakes
Final Voyage & Loss
- Date: 16 July 1892
- Location: Off Cleveland, Lake Erie
- Cargo: Coal (towing coal-laden barges)
- Incident: Caught in a sudden summer storm while making for Cleveland piers
- Outcome: Foundered—presumably taking on water and sinking; crew Abandoned in storm conditions
- Casualties: None reported
- Wreck Site: Deep water off Cleveland; likely broken up soon after
The Tug was lost in gale-force weather while attempting to reach safe harbor after being Abandoned, indicating structural or flooding failure aggravated by the storm (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com, alcheminc.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com).
Summary Table
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Built | 1863, Sandusky, OH |
| Type | Wooden steam Tug (123 GT) |
| Final Voyage | 16 July 1892, Cleveland harbor |
| Cargo | Coal-laden barges |
| Cause of Loss | Foundered in summer storm |
| Casualties | None reported |
| Wreck Status | Likely deep-water wreck, Hull break-up probable shortly after sinking |
Significance
- Reflects operational hazards faced by late-19th-century tugs during adverse weather
- The loss—though non-fatal—highlights the risks involved in towage and near-harbor navigation during storms
- Its wreck likely served as a navigational hazard until removed or broken apart
Sources
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (General Burnside entry): documented build, final voyage, storm loss, and crew survival (alcheminc.com, linkstothepast.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
- Amherstburg Echo note (July 1892): reported foundering of a coal-laden tow Tug near Cleveland (marshcollection.org)
Recommended Further Research
- Local Newspaper Archives (July 1892): Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cleveland Press—likely covered sinking and rescue
- U.S. Coast Guard / Lifesaving Service Records: Logs may record storm events, rescue actions, and wreck details
- Port Authority Logs: Records of salvage efforts or mooring notices following the sinking