The Wenona was a case heard by the United States Supreme Court in 1873. The case involved a dispute between the owners of the steamship Wenona and the owners of the steamship City of New York. The owners of the Wenona had filed a libel in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against the owners of the City of New York, claiming that the City of New York had negligently caused the Wenona to be damaged. The District Court found in favor of the Wenona's owners and awarded them damages. The owners of the City of New York appealed the decision to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court held that the District Court had erred in awarding damages to the Wenona's owners. The Court found that the City of New York had not been negligent in causing the damage to the Wenona, and that the Wenona's owners had failed to prove that the City of New York had been negligent. The Court also held that the District Court had erred in awarding damages to the Wenona's owners, as the damages were not supported by the evidence. The Supreme Court reversed the decision of the District Court and dismissed the libel.

In the case of The Wenona, the Supreme Court was tasked with determining whether a vessel that had been sold in good faith to an innocent purchaser should be held liable for damages caused by its previous owner. The majority opinion found that since the new owner had no knowledge of any wrongdoing on behalf of the former owner, they could not be held responsible for their actions and thus were not liable for damages. However, Justice Field dissented from this decision arguing that it would create a dangerous precedent where purchasers could buy vessels knowing full well about their past wrongdoings without fear of being held accountable. He argued instead that if there is evidence proving prior misconduct then liability should remain with those who committed such acts regardless of subsequent sales or transfers.