HMS Detroit
Encyclopedia
HMS Detroit was a 20-gun sloop
of the Royal Navy
serving on Lake Erie
during the War of 1812
.
Detroit was a corvette (a ship-rigged flush decked vessel), of approximately 490 tons (though there is much debate regarding measurement of tonnage, due both to differences in British and American measures and ways in which tonnage is measured, either in tonnes burthen or in displacement), and was built at Amherstburg Royal Naval Dockyard
in Amherstburg. Launched in August 1813, she was captured just a month later, 10 September, in the Battle of Lake Erie
. The vessel was commissioned into the United States Navy
as its first USS Detroit
, but was badly damaged, never sailed again, and was sold in 1825.
The Detroit was originally intended to have a main battery of twenty 24-pounder carronade
s. In late April 1813, these guns were in store at the dockyard in York, the provincial capital of Upper Canada
, awaiting shipment to Amherstburg. On 27 April, after the British were forced to retreat at the Battle of York
, these weapons were captured by the Americans under the command of Commodore Isaac Chauncey
, commanding the United States squadron on Lake Ontario
. As a result, the Detroit was fitted out with nineteen assorted guns, some of which were removed from the defences of Fort Amherstburg. Instead of the short-range carronades, many of these were long guns, firing a lighter shot but with longer range. Most of the guns lacked flintlock firing mechanisms, and even linstocks and slow match to fire them, and could be discharged only by flashing pistols at powder piled in the touchholes.
There had been another on Lake Erie during this time. This had been the United States
brig
Adams, fitted out to mount six 6-pounders. She was surrendered to the British on 16 August 1812 with the surrender of Detroit and subsequently used to dominate the lake. However, the Americans recaptured Detroit on 9 October but could not get the vessel away from shore guns, and burnt her later that day.
Sloop-of-war
In the 18th and most of the 19th centuries, a sloop-of-war was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. As the rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above, this meant that the term sloop-of-war actually encompassed all the unrated combat vessels including the...
of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
serving on Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
.
Detroit was a corvette (a ship-rigged flush decked vessel), of approximately 490 tons (though there is much debate regarding measurement of tonnage, due both to differences in British and American measures and ways in which tonnage is measured, either in tonnes burthen or in displacement), and was built at Amherstburg Royal Naval Dockyard
Amherstburg Royal Naval Dockyard
Amherstburg Royal Naval Dockyard was a Royal Navy yard from 1796 to 1813 in Amherstburg, Ontario. The yard comprised blockhouses, store houses, magazine, wood yard and wharf.Vessels built or serviced at the yard included:...
in Amherstburg. Launched in August 1813, she was captured just a month later, 10 September, in the Battle of Lake Erie
Battle of Lake Erie
The Battle of Lake Erie, sometimes called the Battle of Put-in-Bay, was fought on 10 September 1813, in Lake Erie off the coast of Ohio during the War of 1812. Nine vessels of the United States Navy defeated and captured six vessels of Great Britain's Royal Navy...
. The vessel was commissioned into the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
as its first USS Detroit
USS Detroit (1813)
The first USS Detroit was a 12-gun corvette in the United States Navy and was named after the city of Detroit, Michigan.Detroit was built by the British at Malden, Canada, in 1813 and captured by the United States during the Battle of Lake Erie on 10 September 1813. She was so badly damaged that...
, but was badly damaged, never sailed again, and was sold in 1825.
The Detroit was originally intended to have a main battery of twenty 24-pounder carronade
Carronade
The carronade was a short smoothbore, cast iron cannon, developed for the Royal Navy by the Carron Company, an ironworks in Falkirk, Scotland, UK. It was used from the 1770s to the 1850s. Its main function was to serve as a powerful, short-range anti-ship and anti-crew weapon...
s. In late April 1813, these guns were in store at the dockyard in York, the provincial capital of Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
, awaiting shipment to Amherstburg. On 27 April, after the British were forced to retreat at the Battle of York
Battle of York
The Battle of York was a battle of the War of 1812 fought on 27 April 1813, at York, Upper Canada . An American force supported by a naval flotilla landed on the lake shore to the west, defeated the defending British force and captured the town and dockyard...
, these weapons were captured by the Americans under the command of Commodore Isaac Chauncey
Isaac Chauncey
Isaac Chauncey was an officer in the United States Navy.-Biography:Chauncey, born in Black Rock, Connecticut, 20 February 1779, was appointed a Lieutenant in the Navy from 17 September 1798...
, commanding the United States squadron on Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
. As a result, the Detroit was fitted out with nineteen assorted guns, some of which were removed from the defences of Fort Amherstburg. Instead of the short-range carronades, many of these were long guns, firing a lighter shot but with longer range. Most of the guns lacked flintlock firing mechanisms, and even linstocks and slow match to fire them, and could be discharged only by flashing pistols at powder piled in the touchholes.
There had been another on Lake Erie during this time. This had been the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
Adams, fitted out to mount six 6-pounders. She was surrendered to the British on 16 August 1812 with the surrender of Detroit and subsequently used to dominate the lake. However, the Americans recaptured Detroit on 9 October but could not get the vessel away from shore guns, and burnt her later that day.
See also
- Oliver Hazard PerryOliver Hazard PerryUnited States Navy Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry was born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island , the son of USN Captain Christopher Raymond Perry and Sarah Wallace Alexander, a direct descendant of William Wallace...
concerning Battle of Lake Erie and fate of a replica of this ship.