United States Navy Vessels on Lake Ontario

   Vessels Built for United States Navy for War of 1812 on Lake Ontario

                         (Subject to Change)

                  Compiled by Richard F. Palmer

                            Part I

Chippewa Gunship 74 guns 204’ x 56’. Laid down Oct. 5, 1814 at Storrs Harbor near Sackets Harbor.Adam and Noah Brown, builders. Never launched. Sold on ways Nov. 1, 1833 and burned for old iron. Preserved under a ship house.

General Pike Corvette 26 guns 900 tons 145’ x 37’ x 15’. Launched Sackets Harbor June 12, 1813. Built by Eckford. Sold March 23, 1825 to Robert Hugunin.

Jefferson Brig 18 guns 509 tons 121’6” x 31’6”. Launched Sackets Harbor April 7, 1814. Built by Eckford. Sold March 25, 1825. Sunk and decayed at Navy Point, by 1823.

Jones Brig 18 guns 509 tons (same dimensions as Jefferson). Built by Eckford. Launched Sackets Harbor April 10, 1814. Sold March 25, 1825. Sunk and decayed at Sackets Harbor by 1823.

Lady of the Lake Schooner 1 gun 289 tons. Launched Sackets Harbor April 6, 1813. Built by Eckford. Sold to Capt. John Rogers, Oswego, Feb. 2, 1826. Lost December 1826, three miles from Oswego.

Madison Corvette 24 guns 593 tons. 112’ x 32’6” x 15’. Launched Sackets Harbor Nov. 26, 1812. Built by Eckford. Sold May 27, 1827 to Robert Hugunin, Oswego. Cut down to 350 tons and renamed General Brady (Another source states new name was General Leavenworth. )

Mohawk Frigate 36 guns 155’ x 37’ x 18’. Launched Sackets Harbor June 1 1, 1814. Built by Eckford. Sunk and decayed at Sackets Harbor by 1823. Sold March 23, 1825 to Robert Hugunin.

New Orleans Ship of the Line  212' x 56' x 30' 3,200 tons  1815. Never launched. Demolished 1883.   

Oneida Brig 18 guns 243 tons 85’6” x 22’6” x 8’. Launched at Oswego March 31, 1809. Built by Henry Eckford. Sold May 1815 but repurchased by U.S. Government. Sold again May 1825 to Robert Hugunin. Refitted as merchant vessel Adjutant Clitz in 1826. Sold to E.G. Merrick, last owner. Abandoned Clayton, N.Y.,1837.

Plattsburg Frigate 58 guns 1,749 tons. 185’ x 46’. Laid down in 1815 by Adam and Noah Brown. Never launched. Sold on stocks March 23, 1825 to Robert Hugunin.

Spitfire British gunboat captured July 19, 1813.

Superior Frigate 44 guns 1,580 tons 180’ x 33’. Launched Sackets Harbor May 2, 1814. Built by Eckford. Sunk and decayed at Sackets Harbor by 1823. Sold March 23, 1825 to Robert Hugunin.

Sylph Schooner 16 guns 340 tons. Launched at Sackets Harbor Aug. 18, 1813. Built by Eckford. Altered to brig in 1814. Sold March 23, 1825 to Robert Hugunin; to E. G. Merrick & Co., Clayton, in 1836. Used as a timber schooner. Sunk Clayton, N.Y. in 1837. Like so many of these warships pieces of wood were removed particular from the keels to fashion into furniture.


                         Part 2  Merchant Vessels Captured or Purchased

Asp  Schooner 2 guns 57 tons ex-Elizabeth  Built Mississaga  Point, Canada, 1808. Captured November 10, 1812. Sold May 15, 1815. Wrecked Salmon River, N.Y., Lake Ontario (Mexico Bay), October 11, 1820.

Black Snake British gunboat (sloop) 1 gun. Captured June 19, 1814. Scuttled below Clayton, St. Lawrence River.

Catharine Schooner (no information) Purchased from Townsend, Bronson & Co., Oswego, Dec. 26, 1812.

Conquest Schooner 3 guns 82 tons. Built Ogdensburg by Jonathan Brown as Genesee Packet. Purchased by Navy Oct. 24, 1812. Sold May 15, 1815 to Obed Mayo, Ogdensburg, renamed Genesee Packet.

Fair American Schooner 2 guns 82 tons 64’ x 18°6” x 8’. Built Oswego 1804 by Wilson. Another source states built by Augustus Ford for Northwestern Fur Co. Said to have been the first commercial vessel built on U.S. side of Lake Ontario. Purchased by U.S. Navy Nov. 10, 1812. Sold May 15, 1815 to Alvin Bronson, Oswego. Wrecked Salmon River October 1818.

Governor Tompkins Schooner 6 guns 99 tons 70’ x 22’ x 7’6”. Built Oswego 1810 as Charles and Ann. Purchased Oct. 24, 1812 from Alvin Bronson, Oswego. Sold back to Bronson May 15, 1815 and renamed Charles and Ann.

Growler Schooner 5 guns 53 tons. Launched July 4, 1809 at Ogdensburg as Experiment. Purchased 1812. Captured by British Aug. 10, 1813, renamed HMS Hamilton. Retaken by U.S. Navy Oct. 5, 1813. Again retaken by British, at Oswego, May 6, 1814.

Hamilton Schooner 9 guns 76 tons. Built Oswego 1809 by Henry Eagle for Matthew McNair and H.D. Hugunin. Purchased by U.S. Navy 1812. Original name Diana. Foundered Aug. 8, 1813, off present Port Dalhousie.

Henrietta Schooner 25 tons 50’6” x 14’4” x 3°10%”. Contracted for from Townsend, Bronson & Co. to transport ordnance and stores.

Hunter Schooner 59 tons 61°6” x 20’5” x 8’. Built at Great Sodus by Matthew McNair 1814. Contracted for to transport ordnance and stores.

Julia Schooner 47 tons 54’ x 18’4” x 5’. Built Oswego 1808 by Matthew McNair. Sold to U.S. Navy Oct. 8, 1812. Captured by British Aug. 10, 1813, renamed Confiance. Recaptured by U.S. Oct. 5, 1813. Sold back to McNair, 1815.

Lady Gore Schooner 94 tons. Captured from British Oct. 5, 1813.

Lais British gunboat 1 gun. Captured May 11, 1814.

Ontario Schooner 1 gun 82 tons 65’ x 19’6” x 8’. Built in Oswego 1810 by Porter, Barton & Co. Purchased by U.S. Navy Oct. 1812. Resold back to Porter, Barton & Co. May 15, 1815.

Penelope Schooner 1814. Oswego Contracted for by U.S. Navy from Townsend, Bronson & Co., Oswego, to transport ordnance and stores. Captured by British at Oswego, May 6, 1814.

Pert Schooner 4 guns 50 tons. Built in Ogdensburg in 1809 by Jonathan Brown as Collector, Purchased in 1812. Sold May 5, 1815.

Ranger Brig 1 gun 80 tons. Built in Oswego as Mary in 1810 by Alvin Bronson. Purchased by Navy Oct. 5, 1813. Resold to Bronson May 15, 1815.

Raven Schooner, one gun,  50 tons. Purchased by Navy Feb. 6, 1813. Sold May 15, 1815 to Capt. Barzillai Pease. Renamed George (Enrollment records list the schooner Mary built in Aurelius, Cayuga County, N.Y. in 1814. 49 tons, 65’ x 21’ x 4’1”. John T. Trowbridge, Oswego, owner and master as of July 17, 1816. [Not known if these vessels are one and the same.]

Scourge 10 guns 45 tons. Built Niagara, Upper Canada, 1811 by Asa Stanard as Lord Nelson for James and William Crooks. Captured by brig Oneida May 1812. Foundered off today’s Port Dalhousie, Aug. 8, 1813.


Note: There is mention of other vessels purchased or contracted for of which there is no record, such as the schooner N. H. Packet owned by Townsend, Bronson & Co.






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