Powhattan
Emigrant Ship · United States · Lost 1854 · The New Jersey Coast
An emigrant ship from Le Havre lost with all aboard off Harvey Cedars in 1854, one of New Jersey's deadliest wrecks.
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The Vessel and Her Loss
Powhattan was carrying German emigrants from Le Havre to New York when she wrecked in a storm off Harvey Cedars on Long Beach Island in April 1854. The ship broke apart with no survivors, and bodies and wreckage washed ashore for days afterward. The disaster, occurring only months apart from the similarly catastrophic wreck of New Era, intensified public pressure for organized lifesaving along the Jersey shore. It remains one of the deadliest single shipwrecks recorded in New Jersey history.
Vessel
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- Wood
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- Sail
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Loss
- April 16, 1854
- Storm
- Off Harvey Cedars, Long Beach Island, New Jersey
- Atlantic Ocean
- Le Havre, France → New York
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- 311
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The Wreck Today
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Position
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- Harvey Cedars, Long Beach Island, New Jersey
Evidence
Overall confidence: Partially documented (60/100)
The exact number of persons aboard and lost is reported inconsistently across period sources.
New Jersey Maritime Museum
Wreck narrative and casualty figures.
