SS Rosecrans
Oil Tanker · United States · Lost 1913 · The Columbia River Bar & Oregon Coast
An oil tanker bound for Portland ran aground on Peacock Spit in a January gale in 1913, killing 33 of her crew.
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The Vessel and Her Loss
Built in 1883 and originally named Methven Castle, the vessel later sailed as Columbia before becoming the oil tanker Rosecrans under Associated Oil Company. On January 7, 1913, bound from Monterey to Portland with 19,000 barrels of fuel oil, she ran aground on Peacock Spit near Cape Disappointment during a violent gale. U.S. Life-Saving Service crews fought the storm all day, but 33 of the crew were lost, making it one of the deadliest wrecks on the Columbia River bar.
Vessel
- 1883
- Not established
- Not established
- Iron
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- Steam, single screw
- Associated Oil Company
Loss
- January 7, 1913
- Grounding
- Peacock Spit, Cape Disappointment, Washington
- Columbia River bar, Pacific Ocean
- Monterey, California → Portland, Oregon
- 19,000 barrels of fuel oil
- Not established
- 33
- Not established
The Wreck Today
- Not established
- Broken apart on the spit
- Not established
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Position
- 46.28° N 124.06° W
- Approximate position
- Cape Disappointment, Washington
Approximate position on Peacock Spit near Cape Disappointment.
Evidence
Overall confidence: Documented (80/100)
Exact casualty count varies slightly among contemporary sources.
Loss date, cause, cargo, and casualty figures.
Former names, ownership history, and build year.
