General Butler
Year Built
1862
Year Sank
1876
Depth
40 ft (12.2 m)
Difficulty Level
Novice-Intermediate
General Butler
Wreck Location
Approximately 225 feet west of the south end of the Burlington breakwater.
~ GPS Shipwreck Location ~
Latitude: 44° 28' 13.8" N Longitude: -73° 13' 41.9988" W
Description
The General Butler was built in Essex, New York in 1862. Designed as a canal boat-schooner it was able to remove the masts and raise its centerboard and navigate the canal system. While approaching Burlington during a Winter storm in early December 1876, the Butler's steering broke and the ship collided with the Burilington breakwater and sank .