AH-WR-0454

Yankee Blade

Sidewheel Steamer · United States · Lost 1854 · The Channel Islands

A Gold Rush-era steamer carrying gold and hundreds of passengers, wrecked in fog off Point Arguello in 1854 amid allegations of deliberate sabotage.

Become Captain of Record See Shipwreck on Map

Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents. See the documented evidence.

Documented Likeness. Drawn from surviving builder's plans or clear photographs of this vessel. See the documented evidence.

The Vessel and Her Loss

Built in 1853 for Cornelius Vanderbilt's Independent Line, Yankee Blade was one of the fastest steamers running gold, passengers, and cargo between Panama and San Francisco. On October 1, 1854, racing a rival steamer, she ran aground in fog off Point Arguello. Contemporary survivor accounts described chaos and alleged criminal misconduct aboard during the wrecking, and an estimated 30 to 40 lives were lost. Survivors were carried to San Diego by the steamer Goliah.

Vessel

Built: 1853
Builder: Perrine, Patterson & Stack
Yard: Not established
Material: Wood
Length: 274 ft
Beam: 39 ft
Tonnage: 1767
Propulsion: Steam, side-lever engine, sidewheels
Owners: Independent Line (Cornelius Vanderbilt interests)

Loss

Date: October 1, 1854
Cause: Grounding
Location: Off Point Arguello, Santa Barbara County, California
Water: Pacific Ocean
Voyage: San Francisco, California → Panama
Cargo: Gold bullion
Aboard: 800
Lives lost: Contemporary accounts report roughly 30 to 40 lives lost; figures vary by source.
Master: Captain Henry Randall