November's Fury: The Deadly Great Lakes Hurricane of 1913

by Michael Schumacher

On Thursday, November 6, the Detroit News forecasted “moderate to brisk” winds for the Great Lakes. On Friday, the Port Huron Times-Herald predicted a “moderately severe” storm. Hourly the warnings became more and more dire. Weather forecasting was in its infancy, however, and radio communication was not much better; by the time it became clear that a freshwater hurricane of epic proportions was developing, the storm was well on its way to becoming the deadliest in Great Lakes maritime history.


The ultimate story of man versus nature, November’s Fury recounts the dramatic events that unfolded over those four days in 1913, as captains eager—or at times forced—to finish the season tried to outrun the massive storm that sank, stranded, or demolished dozens of boats and claimed the lives of more than 250 sailors. This is an account of incredible seamanship under impossible conditions, of inexplicable blunders, heroic rescue efforts, and the sad aftermath of recovering bodies washed ashore and paying tribute to those lost at sea. It is a tragedy made all the more real by the voices of men—now long deceased—who sailed through and survived the storm, and by a remarkable array of photographs documenting the phenomenal damage this not-so-perfect storm wreaked.


The consummate storyteller of Great Lakes lore, Michael Schumacher at long last brings this violent storm to terrifying life, from its first stirrings through its slow-mounting destructive fury to its profound aftereffects, many still felt to this day.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History, Maritime, 20th Century, Survival, Historical

216 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2013

About the author

A lifelong resident of the Great Lakes region, Michael Schumacher is the author of twelve books, including biographies of Allen Ginsberg, Phil Ochs, and Eric Clapton, and the award-winning book Wreck of the Carl D. He has also written twenty-five documentaries on Great Lakes shipwrecks and lighthouses.

Reviews

[El · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review is of an ARC won from Goodreads First Reads Giveaway program.

I'm a fan of the Great Lakes. For a time I lived nearish to Lake Michigan and I have a soft spot in my heart for that particular lake. Visiting it again years later as an adult brought back memories just by the smell and the feel of the air. The feel of the air is different at Lake Michigan than the air at the Atlantic Ocean, or at Lake Erie, or the Mediterranean Sea. Some people say "waves are waves" or "a beach is a beach", but you can't tell me that. I know when I feel Lake Michigan. It can't be replicated.

We all have a hurricane story. We know Katrina. Most of us in Pittsburgh certainly remember Ivan from nine years ago (right around this time of the year, in fact!). Personally after living in the midwest for so long I have more tornado stories than hurricane stories, but reading the news brings the experiences into the homes of everyone.

Most of us are less familiar with the fact that hurricanes can occur on freshwater lakes like the Great Lakes too. And in 1913, just that happened. Weather forecasts called for a "moderately severe" storm, but in the end, all told, there were over 250 fatalities. Most fatalities occurred on the Great Lakes themselves, with Lake Huron holding the highest number of lost ships.

The story itself is fascinating, and I would have liked more. This book focuses primarily on the ships and their crew, which would be fine in and of itself, but it left me wishing there was more outside of that issue. The storm certainly affected the sailors on the water in horrific ways, but those on land also suffered. There was brief mention of how Cleveland bore the brunt of the storm, but I wanted more of it. There could have been more discussion of the meteorological conditions that created this storm, more science!

Instead it was one brief discussion of ship after ship, which felt more like the author was paying homage to those lost (not a bad thing in itself, but not what I expected when I received my copy). This is an incredible part of maritime history, the history of the Great Lakes, and American history in general, but I feel there could have been more potential.

In the end I feel I learned about the event, but would have liked to learn even more.

Last fall when we visited family in Corsica, our overnight ferry encountered a bad storm on the Mediterranean. Luckily we had Dramamine in our bags and were able to somewhat sleep through it, though I found myself waking up to images in my mind from Titanic and expecting to hear water filling the floor of our cabin. It was not a particularly pleasant experience, feeling the ferry ride up into the air on a wave and then to wait, and to continue to wait, for the wave to break and for the ferry to fall back onto the water. There were some long waits. That was nerve-wracking.

And that, my friends, was nothing compared to what the 250+ sailors experienced during the storm of 1913. The idea makes me throw up a little.

[Katharine Ott · Rating 4 out of 5]

"November's Fury: The Deadly Great Lakes Hurricane of 1913" - written by Michael Schumacher and published in 2013 by University of Minnesota Press. "Boats grounded on the rocks, shorelines displaced and resculpted, flotsam and wreckage drifting to the shores of Canada, harbor entries damaged and property onshore destroyed - the beating administered by the storm was monumental." This storm, extending from November 7-10, 1913, was termed a rare "freshwater hurricane" and "the loss of lives and vessels was staggering." Schumacher does a remarkable job here detailing the carnage and heroism that ended with around 250 deaths. He also reviews the controversies, with blame put on the weather service, the boat captains, and the owners. Cleveland was not spared - "From the beginning of the snowfall on Sunday until the end on Tuesday morning, a record 21.2 inches of snow dropped on Cleveland." Transportation and communication came to a standstill. This book left me with an admiration of the hard lives the boat skippers and staffs led. What a story!

[Shrike58 · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was not my intention to read this book on basically the anniversary of the event in question (having had this book on various TBR lists for about five years), but I found this to be a great accounting of another "perfect storm," which devastated the Great Lakes at the time. Schumacher's focus is on the battle for survival of the individual ships, but he will also give you some overview of how the region (Cleveland (OH) in particular), was flattened by the storm. The question that Schumacher leaves me with is to wonder about the accounting after the disaster, particularly how the insurance companies responded to the numerous claims, and whether they found the shipping companies negligent; this is due to rumors about ship masters being pressured to sail when weather conditions were threatening.

[Macayla Fryc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uber niche nonfiction books are rated relatively, so this gent gets a solid 4 stars. I was genuinely engaged, the history was well-researched, and the story told very nicely. Bonus for pictures. Only complaint was that in order to write about 8+ ships and all their crew over the chronological events of 3 days, the bouncing between such similar stories did cause me to forget the details by the time that freighter rolled back around to the headline. Had to scan back through the pages to find mention of the ships and re-read to freshen my memory. (Not entirely sure how else a book like this could have been written, so not saying that I have any better ideas.)

Fun fact: a hurricane is a cyclone storm that sustains 74+mph winds. Though "hurricane" by definition is geographical term for a tropical cyclone storm on the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific ("typhoon" over Western Pacific), the fact remains that the Great Lakes - lakes actually had a "hurricane." On freshwater. In the winter. With snow. That's nuts.

All in all, the book was well done, and the actual events were truly intriguing. The industry, death, survival, mystery etc. of the Great Lakes is a completely fascinating one to me, and the fact that it's local history makes it all the more meaningful.

[Reet Champion · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was the storm of the century and one that would not be soon forgotten. To be caught in it on land was bad enough, but for sailors plying their trade on the Great Lakes the conditions were worse. In a storm so fierce that vessels capsized and landed on the lake bottom upside down, one can only imagine the horrors experienced that November. When all was said and done over 200 lives were lost and a number of ships sunk, grounded or damaged in some way. Entire crews vanished when their ships sunk beneath tumultuous waves, leaving only wreckage - and in some cases bodies - behind as evidence of the tragic fates met. To this day there are still unsolved (or unsolvable) mysteries surrounding the demise of several vessels, their last moments lost to history and to the crews's loved ones left behind.

In a spellbinding narrative Michael Schumacher weaves a story of heartbreak and endurance as he takes readers into the heart of the Great Lakes Storm of 1913. This is an event I have been wanting to know more about for quite sometime now, but had never attempted to locate a publication dealing with it. I stumbled across November's Fury quite by accident and am glad to see Mr. Schumacher has tackled the subject. I have had the pleasure of reading other titles from Mr. Schumacher and was not disappointed with November's Fury - he has a way of evoking emotion from the reader so that one can sympathise with the sailors who were experiencing the horrible elements. Admittedly, it started out slow but quickly picked up momentum. Highly recommend.

DISCLAIMER: In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising” we would like to note that we received an electronic copy of “November's Fury” from NetGalley.com provided by the publishers, University of Minnesota Press, in exchange for our honest review.

[Joseph Spuckler · Rating 4 out of 5]

November's Fury: The Deadly Great Lakes Hurricane of 1913 by Michael Schumacher presents a detailed account of the worst storm on the Great Lakes in recorded history. Michael Schumacher is the author of several books including The Mighty Fitz: The Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Biographical information on the author is scarce, but his other books include biographies of Allen Ginsberg and Eric Clapton among others.

From November 7th through November 11th a perfect storm swept though the Great Lakes region. Two major storm fronts converged over the region of warm water creating hurricane force winds and blinding snow storms and huge waves. The city of Cleveland was isolated from the rest of the world as the storm knocked out electrical and communications lines. On the waters of the Great Lakes, over 250 sailors would lose their lives as 40 ships were damaged. Among the damaged ships 12 sank and five have yet to be found.

It is hard to believe today that so many ships could be lost in a storm. The Great Lakes are no where near the size of the Gulf of Mexico or the oceans where hurricanes form. The ships on the Great Lakes hauling ore and coal were 400 – 550 feet long. These ships are huge for freshwater shipping and looking at them, its unimaginable that they could sink in a storm. This was before radar, GPS, and storm tracking. Granted the weather service did issue warnings a combination of hubris, greed, and bad planning caused a large loss of life. For the residents of Cleveland there was little that could be done. Winter storms and lake effect snow are expected yearly, however, he severity cannot prevented or at that time accurately anticipated.

Cleveland lay in white and mighty solitude, mute and death to the outside world, a city of lonesome snowiness, storm swept from end to end – The Cleveland Plain Dealer

I grew up in Cleveland and studied Cleveland history in grade school, but don't recall the reading about the storm of November 1913. We were aware or the shipping dangers of Great Lakes and lake effect storms. I am old enough to remember when the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in a storm on Lake Superior. Even 60 years more modern than the ships lost in 1913 and it immense size of 729 feet, it too could not stand up to the punishment the Great Lakes can dish out. This is a tragedy that hopefully can be avoided in the future with current storm tracking and navigation technology.

November's Fury is well written and tells an amazing story. At times it is hard to believe that you are reading non-fiction. The damage storm and loss of life seem beyond anything experienced real life. Schumacher weaves together the individual accounts of each ship into a compelling story. There are courageous acts as well as foolish acts (which many were just standard procedure at the time) as well. This book is a valuable history and recommended to those interested in maritime history or the Great Lakes.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Armistice Day storm of 1940, the storm of 1905, the storm that sank the Edwin Fitzgerald - none could compare with the sheer cataclysmic nature of the great storm of 1913 in both number of ships lost and number of lives lost.

Schumacher traces the journeys of the ill-fated freighters, steamers, and barges as a white hurricane descends on the Great Lakes. He follows each of the ships in turn over the course of the storm, coming back to chart their fate in a strong narrative with plenty of pictures to place each vessel in their context; however sometimes it was difficult to remember each ship and their crews considering just how many vessels were caught up in this storm.

While primarily focusing on the Great Lakes and the ships thereon, Schumacher also explores the impact of the storm on land, in particular Cleveland and the severe damage done to the city, effectively cutting it off from the rest of the country.

The book ends with the discovery of wrecks of ships - Regina and Wexford - long thought lost to the lakes and offers closure to these ships’ crews who bravely faced the storms but never made it back to harbour.

Great Lakes maritime history is a niche subject but Schumacher is able to create a strong narrative thanks to the engaging human interest stories that surround this meteorological disaster - the delivery truck carrying milk to Cleveland driving on train tracks as a train bears down on them, US marshal Christopher Keenan aboard the lost barge Plymouth and his final message in a bottle, the sailor once identified as John Thompson and was buried as such until the real Thompson (who survived the storm) attended his own wake to name just a few.

As for the crews of the James Carruthers, Leafield, and the Plymouth, this book is their tombstone, their monument until such a time as the Lakes are willing to reveal these wrecks and allow for the final part of this story to come to an end.

[Nathan M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you are trapped indoors by what is literally the coldest day in history where you live, what better way to celebrate such a weather related feat while living in the Great Lakes region than by reading a book about the unbridled ferocity of Mother Nature within the Great Lakes region?

Fascinating book by Michael Schumacher, whose "Mighty Fitz" I finished just a week before and was also impressed by. The guy most definitely knows how to write and bring life to unbelievable-but-true tales of the Great Lakes.

A hurricane across the Great Lakes? Sounds crazy, but it has happened plenty, none with such force as this famed 1913 massacre of a storm. One I had known nothing about before the discovery of this author and further discovery of this book. I really enjoyed the simple break downs of what happened to whom and when, and the inclusion of a lot of photographs with informative blurbs under them so that you knew exactly what it was that you were looking at.

Living an hour inland from Lake Michigan and becoming a now yearly traveler to Mackinaw City and the U.P., I've always been in awe of the beauty of the lakes and the landscape surrounding them...and am now in awe of how dangerous things have been - and can be - when it comes to weather.

I'm vacationing in the U.P. again at the end of April (and going hiking on Mackinac Island for a second time) and I will definitely have the memory of Schumacher's two excellent books on my mind during my travels!

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent account of one of the worst storms to ever hit the Great Lakes. Rather than one account of the event, Schumacher takes the reader from Lake to Lake as the storm tears across the shores of Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio, both peninsulas of Michigan and Canada. At the time, 1913, calling it a hurricane was frowned upon. However, looking at the wind velocity, the destruction the massive waves caused and the length of time the storm lasted, there really could be no other name for it than "White Hurricane" The loss of life and the freighters that simply disappeared was staggering. Shipping companies across the region were affected by the losses, all of the shores of all of the Great Lakes were strewn with wreckage.

I did not love this book, but I liked it enough to recommend to anyone who is interested in the Great Lakes, storms and history.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does a wonderful job of encompassing the magnitude of the 1913 storm. Covering the storm as it crosses each lake, and the impact that it made as it traveled, November's Fury does the difficult and brings home the devastation to the Great Lakes shipping community. Nor does the book end with the storm, it continues to speak of the aftermath, the blame, and the cleanup that followed. It ends with the shipwreck hunters who still look for some of the ships that went missing without a trace.

[Marieta Grissom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through thorough research and brilliant assembly of that information, Mr. Schumacher created a captivating history of catastrophe in November 1913 during such severe weather as to be considered a literal hurricane on the Great Lakes. Through amazing storytelling, he recounts the events of those four fateful days and their aftermath with a combination of objectivity and care. He understands the devastating loss but has the advantage of the distance of a century.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

A highly detailed and very credible account of the event. In that era, radios were yet to become standard equipment aboard ships, partly because the technology was so primitive, and partly because captains did want the owners "spying" on them. The weather service was also fairly young then, it was not greatly respected by the sea faring community, and -- without satellites and with very few live data points from ships at sea -- the forecasters had little chance to make accurate predictions that were trustworthy. November was (and still is) prone to rough storms on the Great Lakes, but the shipping industry tries to get as many trips as possible before being shut down for winter.

It did not help that Great Lakes freighters of that time period were under powered, by modern standards. Today's ships have about four times the horsepower, which they seriously need in the event of bad storms.

So the stage was set for disaster. Along came the storm of November 1913, with far more strength than the usual November storms. Ships that left port when the weather was not that bad were overtaken so suddenly that they had little time to react, and far too little power to successfully maneuver. Many were caught in a trough and subsequently overcome.

[Dianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since I went to Duluth with my youngest Daughter and her little girl I have been reading about Duluth. This book covered other Great Lakes affected by the storm. Lake Huron had the most ships and lives lost. Was interesting.

[J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book mostly because I am a sucker for any book about Great Lakes shipping, storms and wrecks. It jumped around more than other books on the subject which was a little confusing. Otherwise I would have given it a higher rating.

[Andrew Post · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exactly what I'd hoped for: a blow-by-blow (ha ha) account of the "white hurricane" of 1913, that sank a dozen ships and killed nearly 250 people on the Great Lakes. Informative, sensitive, heartbreakingly tragic, and thoroughly researched.

[Jan Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was very interesting and well researched. I have heard the term hurricane applied to the Great Lakes before and there is a some background to it. I was somewhat familiar with the ferocity of storms there due to growing up with the news of the Edmund Fitzgerald but this was so much worse.

[Aranka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It’s the second I’ve read from this author and I just really like his style. He writes in an engaging way and I never lose interest despite it essentially being a history book.

[Curtis Anthony Bozif · Rating 5 out of 5]

Schumacher's style is a no BS type of writing that I really enjoy. Despite that, he paints a vivid picture of the events playing out on the lakes in early November on 1913. Really enjoyable read.

[Dani Wilk · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit slow but very detailed read of the White hurricane of 1913. Very informative but perceived as a bit disorganized in account of the stories of all the ships lost.

[Elizabeth Bolt]

Very good!

[Pam Kuepper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting book about the Great Lakes tragedy.

[MJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent retelling of the White Hurricane that blasted the Great Lakes. Vivid detail and quick pace make for a fantastic read.

[JulieAnne Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Covers a LOT of different shipwrecks and it flips back and forth between them, difficult to follow sometimes!

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Schumacher does a great job of presenting us with these harrowing tales in an engaging and dramatic way.

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very engrossing read about how absolutely unforgiving the Great Lakes can be. For every tale about a ship making it back OK, there's another that ends with no one ever seeing the ship ever again.

[George Earl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well done. Tells a detailed story of each ship and her crew.

[Deb M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Lake Superior and all it's secrets. This book is fascinating telling the story of the Great Lakes Hurricane of 1913.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

In March of 1913, Ohio suffered massive flooding that killed 462 people, wrecked 20,000 homes, and left many more homes unlivable (p104). On the heels of that, in November, the state then suffered one of the worst maritime tragedies in history, a massive hurricane by sea and a massive blizzard by land. 235 hundred died and many ships were lost to the Great Lakes, totaling a loss of nearly $5 million in goods and ships. It's a tragic story of loss but also a story of business priorities and an ineffectual Weather Bureau. Much like the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, the Weather Bureau was at the whim of the technology and, unfortunately, was not well respected by those in maritime business. In an age where licking your finger and sticking it up in the air helps you gauge the wind, listening to a report of a possible storm when there was money to be made seemed silly and futile. Many did listen and stayed docked. But others, desperate for a full season bonus or pressured by their bosses to deliver, braved the waters that would come to be their final resting place. Some were lucky. Milton Smith had a 'feeling' and quit the day before his ship was set to sail. Sounding like some 9/11 survivor stories, James McCutcheon was late to work that day and missed the boat's departure. This was the third time he had been late to work and avoided death. He missed both a ship fire and a ship sinking before missing the tumultous storm and loss of the Wexford. Another was one of five to have survived his ship's sinking. He was one of the lucky few to be seen floating after the storm died down. Another lucky man showed up at his own funeral after his father misidentified a body (who sadly was never claimed). Many others were not so lucky. Many were found in life jackets or tethered to life boats. Others would wash up on shore, with no more respect than flotsam. Where there was respect was from the Lake Carriers' Association. While Canada refused to pay out any money to family members for deaths that were a result of a natural disaster, Lake Carriers' Association did do so, doling out $17,825 to 153 individuals. Besides financial recompense, people also wanted answers. How did the ships fail? "There is a longstanding belief, held by sailors and underwater explorers alike, that a wreck will not be discovered until a sunken vessel is ready to reveal herself to those searching for her...A wreck, no matter how twisted or destroyed, possesses a dignity and spirit, and that spirit is not about to be disturbed except under its own terms," (p170). The storm lifted up the remains of other shipwrecks from before 1913 which made for a macabre but enlightening sight. Over the course of the next year and indeed decades to come, more wreckages would also be found that would provide answers. With nautical ventures, we know more of what happened to Lightship 82, Charles Price, The Regina, the Wexford (in 2000!), the Henry Smith (2013!), etc. The science, technology, and craft is amazing.
It's a truly sad story of a little known event. The Perfect Storm film shed light on that event. Perhaps this book can shed a little light on this one. With plenty of pictures that really bring the men and ships to life, it tells the story in an engaging manner, jumping from ship to ship, trying to tell the tale in chronological order, and from sea to land to sea, in order to provide insight into the chaos and communication cut off that the state was dealing with at the time. It was clear which ships would survive by the author's source material. If he could provide quotes, there were survivors. If he relied on other secondary sources or speculation, there would be none. And you really hoped, each time you learned of a different ship, there would be quotes.

[Ron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coming out on the 100th anniversary of the storm, November's Fury provides a narrative account of one of the most destructive storms to hit the Great Lakes. On November 7-10, 1913, two fronts collided to generate hurricane force winds that lasted for hours. Twelve ships were sunk (eight in one day), thirty-one others were grounded on beaches and rocks while other boats were severely damaged. Over 250 men and women died as a result of the storm which also isolated Cleveland, Ohio in a blizzard that cut train service, disrupted food supplies and wracked the city with storm surges.

Michael Schumacher provides a day by day account of the storm as it hits Lake Superior and Lake Michigan, then spreads to Lake Huron and Lake Erie. The author uses diaries, contemporary newspapers, official reports, and secondary sources to bring to life the tales of the men, women and ships involved. The reader is also provided many photographs of the ships named in the narrative, which also helps set the tone of the tale. Readers are introduced to ship captains and crew as they make their struggle against the storm and lake. We cheer and groan as disaster is averted or strikes with deadly consequences. The author provides closure by letting the reader in on what has been discovered since 1913 in regard to the wrecks. He also provides an appendix which summarizes all the ships involved with details regarding cargo, size, deaths involved, etc.

Despite growing up near the Great Lakes, I had not heard about this storm. I found the book to be an interesting, informative and, despite the subject matter, an enjoyable read. The narrative tone is spot on to involve the reader in the story while providing just enough details to not overwhelm us. I highly recommend this book for those interested in maritime and Great Lakes history.

[Maxine · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If ever there was a ‘perfect storm’ on the Great Lakes, it would be the one that pounded the lakes from November 7 through November 10, 1913, leaving a wake of destruction unlike anything ever seen on fresh water at any point in recorded history. By the time the storm had blown out of the region, twelve boats had sunk, thirty-one more had been grounded on rocks and beaches, and dozens more severely damaged. More than 250 men lost their lives. Eight boats, with their entire crews, were lost in a single day on Lake Huron alone."

Thus begins the Introduction to author Michael Schumacher’s book, November’s Fury which gives a fascinating account of the storm. Along with details of the ships and the fury of the storm, Schumacher gives us several individual stories including one about a sailor who had a premonition about the storm and walked away thus saving his life, another who was saved when he was left behind after going ashore to cash a money order, and one young man who had switched boats at the last minute - he arrived home just as his funeral was being held. It was thanks to these and other survivors that many of the bodies which washed ashore were identified. Sadly, identification was made more difficult by looters and several bodies were never identified.

Published by the University of Minnesota Press, which calls it, ‘the ultimate story of man versus nature’ and accompanied by dozens of photographs of the ships effected by the storm, this is a detailed and well-researched account of this deadly storm and its aftermath. For anyone with an interest in marine history, I can’t recommend it highly enough.