Invincible (schooner) facts for kids

Invincible was a 120-ton topsail schooner, a type of sailing ship. It was used by the United States Army in California between 1849 and 1851. Its main job was to transport supplies for the Army's Department of the Pacific.

Helping Settlers in 1849

In September 1849, the Invincible played an important role in helping people. It carried 13,000 food rations for settlers who were starving on the trails leading to California. The ship sailed from Benicia to Sacramento. Major H. D. Rucker of the U.S. Army was on board. He was in charge of organizing groups to deliver the relief supplies.

Mission to Fort Yuma in 1850

Later, on November 1, 1850, the Invincible was sent on a new mission. It had to deliver 10,000 food rations to Fort Yuma. This fort was a remote Army post located on the Colorado River.

Challenges of the Colorado River

Captain Alfred H. Wilcox commanded the Invincible and its 12-person crew. Lieutenant George Derby was in charge of the mission. They wanted to see if the schooner could deliver supplies up the Colorado River from the Gulf of California. At the time, Fort Yuma received its supplies by land from San Diego. This land route was very difficult and expensive. It often led to food shortages at the fort.

The Invincible first went to San Diego to pick up the rations. Then, it sailed to the mouth of the Colorado River. It only stopped at Cabo San Lucas and Guaymas along the way. The ship reached the river mouth on December 25, 1850.

Getting Stuck in Shallow Water

Captain Wilcox began to sail up the river, but it was very hard. The Invincible needed eight feet of water to float. However, the Colorado River Delta had extreme low tides. This meant the ship often got stuck in the mud when the tide went out.

On January 3, 1851, after sailing about 30 miles upriver, Captain Wilcox had to stop. Shoals, which are very shallow areas, blocked their way. The ship could not go any further. Local Cocopah people agreed to carry a message to Fort Yuma. The message told them that the ship had arrived.

Meeting at the River

Lieutenant Derby waited until January 11 for a reply, but none came. He thought the fort was closer than it was, based on an old map. So, he decided to try and reach the fort using the ship's smaller longboat.

Two days later, he met Major Samuel P. Heintzelman, the fort commander. Major Heintzelman was coming down the river in a boat. They made plans to unload the supplies from the Invincible. The supplies would be taken off the ship at its anchorage on the shore of Sonora. Then, wagons from the fort would pick them up on January 28.