Bay Shipwrecks

To look out at the Chesapeake on a fair day, alive with boats and ships of all varieties, one would hardly suspect that the remains of many once-seaworthy vessels still litter the Bay's bottom. From the mysterious shipwreck lying off the tip of Tangier Island that possibly dates back to the 16th century, to the Coast Guard cutter Cuyahoga that sank after slamming into a freighter in 1978, over 1,800 vessels have met their end in Bay waters.

How Vessels Became Shipwrecked

Storms and collisions are only two of the possible hazards facing vessels on the Bay. Explosions, stranding, ice and poor judgment also cause ships to go down. In the past, fire was the most feared disaster; it could quickly spread through early wooden ships, destroying them in a matter of minutes.

Certain areas in the Bay are known for their treacherous shoals or exposure to dangerous storms. The area between capes Henry and Charles at the mouth of the Bay is particularly infamous for its shifting sand bars. Ships often became stranded in this area, which is known as “The Middle Ground.” Incapacitated and vulnerable to storms, ships were pounded with incoming waves until they broke apart, often spewing their cargo and crew into the waters of the Atlantic.

Not only was the “Middle Ground” passage between the capes hazardous, but sailing too close to the capes themselves often proved disastrous. Willoughby Spit, at the mouth of the James River, also caused the demise of many ships.

During wars, calamities of battle heightened the usual hazards of ship travel. Many of the shipwrecks in the Bay are casualties of the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and the Civil War. Direct hits from cannons, explosives and torpedos brought down many of the ships, but fires and collisions also played a role.

Notable Chesapeake Shipwrecks

Sometimes it was not direct confrontation between the war enemies that destroyed a ship; internal dissent among members of the same community could be equally effective. One of the most celebrated examples of this is the wreck of the Peggy Stewart in 1774.

• As unrest grew in response to British treatment of the colonies, the Peggy Stewart entered the Port of Annapolis with a load of tea onboard—a product explicitly banned by the county association.
• At a public meeting to decide the fate of the brig, citizens decide to have the ship burned to set an example to others that may have followed suit.
• The remains of the Peggy Stewart now rest in the reclaimed land below Luce Hall at the U.S. Naval Academy.

During the latter part of the 1800s, steamboats became a popular means of traveling around the Bay. But these boats were vulnerable to the whims of hurricanes or nor'easter storms, especially if caught in the open Bay with no cover. In October 1878, Express—a steamer on the Potomac Transportation Line—discovered just now violent the Chesapeake can be.

• Express was working her way north in the Bay when a storm with gale-force winds struck.
• Unable to make safe harbor, and with anchor chains snapped by the fury of the waves, the streamer took the full brunt of the storm's swell.
• Express capsized, forcing her passengers to cling to bits of floating debris to save their lives.
• Lifeboats from another streamer driven aground that night rescued many of the victims, but 16 of the 31 on board lost their lives.

Excavating Shipwrecks

Marine archaeologists use whatever records may be available, such as old news reports, to help locate wrecks of possible historical interest. Excavation projects are invaluable in providing clues to our history.

The Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons, Maryland sponsored the excavation of the remains of the “Turtle Shell Wreck” from the Patuxent River. The excavation team found the well-preserved wreck and a variety of artifacts about 5 feet below the river's bottom sediments. The ship had belonged to the Chesapeake Flotilla, which was mobilized against the British during the War of 1812.

While the “Turtle Shell Wreck” was found in remarkably good condition, not all wrecks are found intact. The initial damage that caused the ship to sink, as well as bacterial decay, borrowing by animals, rusting and water saturation, all degrade wrecks over times.

The fright, panic and horror that the passengers and crews on sinking ships must have felt are barely conceivable. Yet years later, these same ships, lying broken and battered on the floor of the Bay, allow us to glance back at the way our forefathers lived, worked and traveled on the Chesapeake.