The ocean-going tug Great Isaac tows a WWII Liberty Ship north of the New Jersey coast towards the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1947. Dense fog descends near Barnegat where a freighter heads southbound. The three meet early in the morning.
The collision and wreck is one story. But two greater connections to U.S. and World history are revealed.
The Fog Shrouded Sea; The Demise of the Great Isaac, part of the New Jersey Shipwreck Series is available on Amazon:
Yusuf Ismail was better known by the moniker “Terrible Turk”.
As a wrestler he was a force to be dealt with. At 6’2”and 250 pounds he was known for his massive size and strength. In a four year wrestling career started in 1894 he was undefeated in the ring.
Early in 1898 his new manager brought him to the United States, where in a New York theatre $100 was offered to anyone who could survive in the ring with him for fifteen minutes. A well known lightweight wrestler took up the challenge but paid the price. Many years later he recalled the event:
He was a modern Hercules and he knew how to apply his punishing strength, as he was as quick as a jungle cat and master of all holds. Youssuf came at me like a bull. He rushed me right off the mat into a bunch of chorus girls in the wing. The first thing I knew I found myself helpless. The Turk picked me up as if I was a kitten. Never before have I felt such terrible strength. Before I could give a wiggle or squirm he dashed me down on the boards with terrific force, knocking all the strength and wits out of me… They told me that after I had landed, Youssuf rolled me over with his foot, looked out over the audience, gave a contemptuous snort and walked off the stage. When I came to, I was a sadder, but wiser young man. Somehow or other I got into my clothes, hobbled out into the street and started to walk up Third Avenue towards my home. Youssuf had given my neck such a wrench that he almost tore it from my shoulders. It was several days before I could look in the direction I was headed.
In July 1898 he boarded La Bourgogne returning to Europe to open a cafe.
The four masted steamship La Bourgogne was launched in 1885, the second of four large steamships commissioned by Compagnie Générale Transatlantique. The other three ships, La Champagne, La Bretagne and La Gascogne, were likewise named after old French provinces.
All four ships were built to identical dimensions: 7,400 gross tonnage extending 500 feet, almost the length of two American football fields. Two funnels towered over the iron and steel construction and 8,000 horsepower allowed her to sail upwards of 17 knots or 20 miles per hour. Her design accommodated cabins for 390 first class, 65 second class and berths for 600 third or steerage passengers.
There were four decks, promenade, main, cabin and steerage. Curiously on the main deck were places where heavy marine guns could be placed. For what contingency was not revealed.
Commanding the Cromartyshire was Captain Oscar Henderson. In the early morning of 3 July 1898, he was summoned from the pilot house by his wife, Clara Maud Henderson. She was an early riser and at 5:00 a.m. she thought she had heard a ship’s whistle in the distance.
Nothing could be discerned through the dense fog, so she and her husband walked forward and listened. Seconds past. Nothing. A whole minute passed without a sound.
And then they heard something approaching from the port side of the bow.
To warn ships of their presence in a dense fog, the Cromartyshire used a Norwegian Pattern Foghorn:
Norwegian Pattern Foghorn
A sailor on watch carried the valise size box to the bow, cranked several times until a loud mournful sound penetrated the mist.
To hear what the crew of both the Cromartyshire and La Bourgogne actually heard at 4:56 a.m. on 4 July 1898 click here
Below is an earlier image( four masts) of La Bourgogne I animated.
La Bourgogne’s structure was later modified from four to two mast, presumably to reduce fuel consumption and make her faster on her trans-Atlantic route.
The New York marriage license of Doctor Simon Koppe and Josephine Mathilda Rentz dated 22 June 1898.
Sadly, the couple’s name was found on La Bourgogne’s list of victims lost two weeks later:
On the La Bourgogne, First Class passengers were entitled to preferential accommodations and the privilege of seating with the Captain at dinner. In addition you were in 19th century version of “Who’s, Who” for the voyage.
Below are two folders distributed to the First Class passengers:
Listing of Passengers (French Version)
Listing of Passengers (English Version)
I’m making significant progress with the research of the La Bourgogne book including contact with the family of the only woman survivor, Victorie LaCasse.
Victorie Lacasse
(Photo courtesy of Patricia Pinner)
Victorie’s rescue was noted in newspaper’s worldwide…the “One Woman”.
If all goes well I expect to have a final draft to the publisher in December, 2020. Distribution will be in eBook form so links will be available. I expect it to be available on Amazon, iBooks, Smashwords and other on-line outlets.
I have been able to locate a number of images of the “other” ship, the Cromartyshire, before and after the collision.
Image of the Cromartyshire from French Newspaper shortly after the accident.
The Cromartyshire’s bow after towed to Halifax. Nova Scotia