The Tonquin Explosion

The Tonquin explosion was a tragic and pivotal event in the early history of the American Pacific Northwest, particularly within the broader context of the fur trade and westward expansion. The ship at the center of the story, the Tonquin, was a merchant vessel commissioned by John Jacob Astor’s Pacific Fur Company, a subsidiary of the larger American Fur Company. Its mission: establish an American presence in the lucrative fur trade on the Pacific Coast, specifically in the Oregon Country, during a time when British and Russian interests were dominant in the region.

In 1810, the Tonquin departed New York under the command of Captain Jonathan Thorn, a former U.S. Navy officer known for his strict discipline and irascible nature. The voyage around Cape Horn and up the Pacific Coast was arduous, marked by internal conflict between Thorn and his crew, as well as strained relations with the company’s civilian partners, who were often at odds with military-style leadership.

After months at sea, the Tonquin arrived at the mouth of the Columbia River in March 1811, where the crew and company men established Fort Astoria, the first permanent U.S. settlement on the Pacific coast. With the fort under construction, the Tonquin soon sailed northward to Vancouver Island to trade with the Nuu-chah-nulth (Nootka) people for sea otter pelts, which were highly prized in the Chinese market.

It was during this trading expedition that disaster struck. Accounts vary, but according to surviving reports—most notably from a half-Native interpreter named Lemazee, the sole survivor—the Tonquin’s fate was sealed by a deadly cultural misunderstanding and the abrasive leadership of Captain Thorn. During a tense negotiation with a local Nuu-chah-nulth chief near Clayoquot Sound, Thorn reportedly insulted the chief by slapping him with a beaver pelt or striking him in the face—an act of deep disrespect. The insult enraged the Native group, who withdrew only to return in force the next day under the pretense of further trade.

The Tonquin’s crew, taken by surprise, was overwhelmed in a sudden and brutal attack. Most were killed on the spot. A few, including Captain Thorn, fought back fiercely but were ultimately slain. The Nuu-chah-nulth then boarded the vessel to loot it. Unknown to them, a wounded crew member—believed to be the ship’s clerk or possibly the armorer—had remained hidden below deck. As the looters rummaged through the ship, the surviving American detonated the ship’s magazine in a desperate act of revenge, triggering a massive explosion that destroyed the Tonquin and killed many of the Nuu-chah-nulth warriors onboard.

The only known survivor, Lemazee, was captured by the Nuu-chah-nulth and later ransomed to American or British traders. His testimony is the primary source of the details surrounding the incident.

The destruction of the Tonquin was a major blow to Astor’s ambitions in the Pacific Northwest and symbolized the complex, often volatile relationships between Native populations and foreign traders. It also underscored the perils of cultural arrogance and the high cost of poor diplomacy in unfamiliar lands.

To learn more about the Tonquin Explosion, check out the History At The OK Corral video linked below: