Identification & Site Information
- Name: Phoenix (originally I. U. Masters)
- Official Number: 12795
- Built: 1862 by Peck & Masters, Cleveland, OH
- Vessel Type: Wooden steam Tug (wrecking)
- Dimensions: 103 × 23 × 11 ft; 173 GRT / 110 NRT
- Final Loss: 17 November 1884, C.S.R. Railroad slip, Amherstburg, ON (Detroit River)
- Cargo: N/A (no cargo aboard)
- Crew & Casualties: No casualties reported
Vessel Type
A mid‑19th-century wooden steam Tug—later repurposed for wrecking salvage—of moderate size and power, commonly employed on the Detroit River and Great Lakes.
History & Final Voyage
On 17 November 1884, while docked in Amherstburg, Phoenix caught fire within one of her coal bunkers. The blaze quickly spread through the upperworks. Multiple vessels attempted rescue, including the Tug Shaughraun and steambarge Marsh, with Shaughraun finally towing her off the dock near Norvell’s Wharf, where she burned through and sank (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com).
Final Disposition
Phoenix was gutted by fire—upper decks destroyed, machinery likely damaged—and sank at her float. She was declared a Total Loss, later Rebuilt and relaunched in September 1884 under the same name, continuing service .
Located By & Date Found
Nil return. No modern archaeological surveys or GPS coordinates confirm her location; remains likely worked into dock area sediments.
Notations & Advisories
No navigational warnings or chart markers reference the Phoenix site. As a river vessel, her wreck posed no open-water hazard.
Resources & Links
- Detailed account in Great Lakes Shipwreck Files (noting coal-bunker fire, rescue attempts, and final sinking) (greatlakesrex.wordpress.com)
Conclusion
The steam Tug Phoenix, built in 1862, burned internally in a coal bunker on 17 November 1884, and sank after being towed off Amherstburg’s dock. No casualties occurred. Although Rebuilt and reactivated later that year, her burned Hull was written off and Abandoned. No remnants have been identified, but her story is preserved through historic Tug operations on the Detroit River.
Next Steps
- Retrieve period newspapers (e.g., Windsor Evening Record, Detroit Free Press) for eyewitness fire coverage?
- Access insurance or reconstruction records detailing her post-fire Rebuild?
- Map likely sediment burial locations based on historic wharf layouts?