Identification & Site Information

  • Name: Napoleon
  • Year Built: 1853
  • Type: Schooner
  • Hull Material: Wood
  • Home Port: Dundas, Ontario
  • Final Resting Place: Lake Ontario, near an unspecified shore location
  • Date of Loss: 2 December 1856
  • Cargo at Time of Loss: None specifically recorded
  • Crew Casualties: None reported

Vessel Type Description

The Napoleon was a wooden-hulled Schooner, typical of the 1850s Great Lakes trade, designed for carrying general bulk cargoes across Lake Ontario. Schooners of this class were usually two- or three-masted, built to endure harsh weather while maintaining shallow-Draft capabilities for port access.

History

Built in 1853, the Napoleon served the trade routes of Lake Ontario out of Dundas, Ontario. These schooners were indispensable to the Canadian grain, lumber, and general goods trades, linking Upper Canada with U.S. ports around the lake.

On 2 December 1856, a severe gale drove the vessel ashore, where she grounded heavily. Some accounts suggest that following her grounding, the Schooner may have caught fire, resulting in a Total Loss of the vessel. No salvage was reported, and there are no records of casualties.

Final Disposition

The Napoleon was considered a Total Loss after the grounding and possible fire. Her location onshore was not precisely documented, but she was never returned to service.

Located By & Date

There are no diver confirmations or modern survey data documenting the wreck site, and its exact location remains unknown.

NOTMARs & Advisories

No active Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) apply to the Napoleon wreck area today.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Given the vessel’s destruction more than 165 years ago and the possibility of fire, there are likely no structural remains. The wreck site is not an active dive target and no known debris field has been identified.

Resources & Links

Conclusion

The loss of the Napoleon highlights the vulnerability of mid-19th-century schooners to both storms and accidental fires, especially when driven ashore in severe conditions. Though her final position is uncertain, she serves as a reminder of the hazards faced by Great Lakes sailors in the age of sail.

Keywords, Categories, Glossary Terms

Napoleon, Schooner, Lake Ontario shipwreck, Dundas Ontario shipping, gale loss, 19th-century Great Lakes trade, fire loss