The list of shipwrecks in 1865 includes all ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during 1865.
| Operator | Ship | Flag | Class | Cause | Location | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 April | Sultana | United States | Paddlewheeler | destroyed after boiler explosion | Memphis, Tennessee | estimated 1800 passengers and crew lost |
| Ship events in 1865 | |||||||||||
| Ship launches: | 1860 | 1861 | 1862 | 1863 | 1864 | 1865 | 1866 | 1867 | 1868 | 1869 | 1870 |
| Ship commissionings: | 1860 | 1861 | 1862 | 1863 | 1864 | 1865 | 1866 | 1867 | 1868 | 1869 | 1870 |
| Ship decommissionings: | 1860 | 1861 | 1862 | 1863 | 1864 | 1865 | 1866 | 1867 | 1868 | 1869 | 1870 |
| Shipwrecks: | 1860 | 1861 | 1862 | 1863 | 1864 | 1865 | 1866 | 1867 | 1868 | 1869 | 1870 |