John J. Audubon (brig)

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Audubon (8740805497).jpg
Top view of the John J. Audubon
History
Flag of the United States.svgUnited States
NameJohn J. Audubon
OperatorE. G. Merrick and Captain D. C. Pierce
BuilderG. & W. Jones
Launched1854
Completed1854
Acquired1854
In service1854
Out of service21 October 1854
FateSank following collision, October 21, 1854
General characteristics
Type Brig
Tonnage370 tons (old style)
Length148 ft (45 m)
NotesBuilt for Great Lakes freight transport
John J. Audubon sailing card AUDUBON (Ship) (c112-01-03).jpg
John J. Audubon sailing card

John J. Audubon was a wooden two-masted brig built in 1854 in Black River (Cleveland), Ohio by G. & W. Jones. Owned by E. G. Merrick and Captain D. C. Pierce of Detroit, the vessel was designed for rapid cargo transport across the Great Lakes. She was carrying a heavy load of railroad iron when it sank after a collision with the schooner Defiance on October 21, 1854. [1]

Contents

Description

John J. Audubon measured approximately 148 feet (45 m) in length, with a tonnage of 370. Constructed of wood with two masts, the brig was purpose-built for speed and cargo capacity, transporting iron bars westward to support railway expansion. [2]

Collision and sinking

On the foggy night of October 20, 1854, John J. Audubon was sailing northbound on Lake Huron en route to Chicago with 401 bars of railroad iron aboard. [3]

Around 1:30 a.m. on October 21, she was struck midship by the southbound schooner Defiance through dense fog approximately five miles off Presque Isle, Michigan. [4] The collision opened a deep gash in John J. Audubon's hull, causing her to sink rapidly. Defiance was also fatally damaged and sank shortly after a short drift. [5]

Despite the speed of the disaster, all crew members from both vessels escaped in lifeboats and were later rescued by passing ships, including Ocean Wave and the steamer Mayflower. [6] At the time of the sinking, John J. Audubon was estimated to be insured for $15,000, though salvage was deemed impossible due to the depth of water. [7]

The wreck

Diver examines the wreck of John J. Audubon John J. Audubon.png
Diver examines the wreck of John J. Audubon

The wreck of John J. Audubon rests upright and largely intact in 170 feet (52 m) of cold, fresh water near Rockport, Michigan, in what is now the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. [1] Her wooden hull is preserved, though the foremast has collapsed and her main mast lies across the deck. [2]

The site is accessible to technical divers at 45°17.331′N83°20.351′W / 45.288850°N 83.339183°W / 45.288850; -83.339183 . [1] Just a few miles away lies the wreck of Defiance, which also remains upright in deeper water. The pair of wrecks have been studied by oceanographers such as Dr. Robert Ballard and Jean-Michel Cousteau due to their remarkably preserved state and proximity. [2]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "John J. Audubon". NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 "The Collision of the John J. Audubon and the Defiance". National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  3. ↑ Lofton, Justine (23 October 2024). "2 ships collided, sank in Lake Huron 170 years ago". MLive.
  4. ↑ "The Collision of the John J. Audubon and the Defiance". National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. 9 November 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  5. ↑ "Collision on Lake Huron". Cleveland Morning Leader. 27 October 1854.
  6. ↑ "The Collision on Lake Huron". Buffalo Democracy. 27 October 1854.
  7. ↑ "Collision—Two Vessels Sunk". Buffalo Democracy. 26 October 1854.
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