Engagements on Lake Ontario

Engagements on Lake Ontario Part of the War of 1812 Date 1812 - 1815 Location Lake Ontario Result Indecisive Belligerents  Great Britain  United States Commanders James Lucas Yeo Isaac Chauncey Strength 1 first rate ship of the line 2 frigates 6 sloops and brigs 4 schooners and gunboats 2 frigates 6 sloops and brigs 12 schooners and gunboats Casualties and losses 1 sloop destroyed 2 brigs destroyed 1 brig captured[1] 1 brig destroyed 2 schooners sunk 2 schooners captured[1]

v • d • e St. Lawrence/Lake Champlain frontier 1st Sackett's Harbor – Gananoque - 1st  Lacolle Mills – Lake Ontario - Elizabethtown - Ogdensburg – York - Sackett's Harbor – Chateauguay – Crysler's Farm – 2nd Lacolle Mills – Fort Oswego – Big Sandy Creek - Plattsburgh

The Engagements on Lake Ontario encompass the prolonged naval contest for control of the lake during the War of 1812. Few actions were fought, none of which had decisive results, and the contest essentially became a naval building race, sometimes referred to sarcastically as the "Battle of the Carpenters".

Contents 1 Operations in 1812 2 Operations in 1813 2.1 Vessels on Lake Ontario in 1813 3 Operations in 1814 3.1 Vessels on Lake Ontario in 1814 3.2 Ships under construction in 1815 4 Aftermath 5 Results 6 Notes 7 References 8 External links

Operations in 1812

When war was first declared, the British had an early advantage on the Great Lakes in that they possessed a quasi-naval body, the Provincial Marine. Although not particularly well-manned or efficient, its ships were initially unopposed on Lake Erie and Lake Huron, and made possible the decisive early victories of Major General Isaac Brock. On Lake Ontario, they possessed the ships Royal George and Prince Regent, the brigs Earl of Moira and Duke of Gloucester, and the schooners Seneca and Simcoe, under the eighty-year old Commodore Hugh Earle.^[2]. The Americans possessed only one brig, the Oneida under Lieutenant Melancthon Taylor Woolsey, and a small navy yard at Sackets Harbor, New York. On July 19, five vessels of the Provincial Marine attacked Oneida in the First Battle of Sackett's Harbor but were beaten off.

To redress matters, the United States Navy appointed Commodore Isaac Chauncey, then commanding the navy yard in New York, to command on the lakes on September 3, 1812. Although Chauncey was nominally in charge of the forces on Lake Erie also, he took no part in its construction or operations there but concentrated his attention on Lake Ontario. His first ships were hastily purchased or commandeered trading vessels, but he despatched large numbers of carpenters, shipwrights and so on to Sacket's Harbor to construct proper fighting ships. The chief architects were Adam Brown, his brother Noah and Henry Eckford. They launched the first ship, the corvette Madison, on November 26. The trees from which it was constructed had still been standing in September.^[3]

Chauncey hoisted his broad pendant on November 6 and pursued the British ship Royal George into Kingston, Ontario. He too was beaten off, partly by shore batteries and gunboats, and partly because a gun exploded aboard the schooner Pert, throwing the American squadron into confusion. At this point winter closed in, immobilising the ships of both sides in port. The British began building two corvettes to match the Madison, one each at Kingston and York.

Operations in 1813

Chauncey had the advantage in ships and men once the ice melted. He and General Henry Dearborn had the opportunity to strike a blow before British seamen and officers could reach Canada and travel up the St. Lawrence. An attack on Kingston would have been decisive, but Chauncey and Dearborn persuaded themselves that it was defended by 5,000 British regulars (there were in fact only 600). They instead attacked York, defeating the outnumbered defenders under Major General Roger Hale Sheaffe and looting the town. They captured the brig Duke of Gloucester and also several cannon which were destined for the British squadron on Lake Erie, (which contributed to the later American victory at the Battle of Lake Erie). The British themselves set fire to the ship Isaac Brock which was still being built, to prevent it falling into American hands.

Chauncey and Dearborn then defeated the British army at the Battle of Fort George. At both York and Fort George, Chauncey's schooners and gunboats (commanded at the latter engagement by Oliver Hazard Perry) had proved very effective in supporting troops landing from boats. Dearborn and Chauncey had nevertheless left themselves vulnerable to a potentially decisive counter-attack. While they were preoccupied at the western end of Lake Ontario, Commodore James Lucas Yeo had arrived in Kingston to take charge of the British squadron. Embarking troops under the British Commander-in-Chief in Canada, Lieutenant General Sir George Prevost, he almost immediately attacked the American base at the Battle of Sackett's Harbor. Although this was a strategically bold stroke, both Yeo and Prevost attacked cautiously and called off the attack when they met with stiff resistance. The Americans had prematurely set fire to the captured Duke of Gloucester and a ship under construction, the General Pike, but managed to put out the fire when the British withdrew. The Gloucester and large quantities of stores were destroyed, but the Pike was saved.^[4]

While Chauncey was in harbour awaiting the completion of the Pike, Yeo's squadron assisted in driving the American army on the Niagara peninsula back into Fort George, and captured or destroyed large quantities of stores.

Chauncey's full squadron put out on July 21. They first contemplated an assault on the British defensive positions at Burlington Heights, but found the defenders too well-prepared to risk the operation, and instead they briefly captured York again, this time causing little loss.^[5] On August 7, they encountered Yeo near Fort Niagara, but the two squadrons spent several days in cautious manoeuvres. Chauncey had an advantage in long guns and waited for calm conditions in which he could engage at long range, while Yeo had the advantage in carronades and wanted to close in heavy weather. On August 8, two American schooners (the Hamilton and Scourge) capsized and sank in a sudden squall. On August 10, Chauncey was caught at a disadvantage by a shift in the wind, and two more American schooners, the Growler and Julia, were captured.^[6]

Both squadrons withdrew to their bases for provision. On September 11, there was an indecisive long-range skirmish off the Genesee River at the western end of the Lake.^[7]. On September 28, the two squadrons met again in York Bay. This time, the Pike's long guns came fully into action, partly dismasting Yeo's flagship, the Wolfe. Yeo ran before the wind into Burlington Bay. (The Americans later referred to the action as the "Burlington Races".) Most of Chauncey's squadron was left behind in the chase, and Chauncey declined to follow Yeo over the sandbar at the entrance to the bay. He might have destroyed Yeo's squadron but feared that he himself would be trapped on a hostile lee shore and destroyed if the wind strengthened.^[8]

Nevertheless, while Yeo was able to make hasty repairs before retiring to Kingston, Chauncey effectively controlled the lake. Over the next months, his ships captured five British schooners (including Growler and Julia) which were moving supplies or soldiers westward. Their control of the lake allowed the Americans to move their troops from Fort George to Sacket's Harbour in preparation for their attack on Montreal late that year. Although Chauncey was supposed to blockade the British in Kingston and prevent them interfering, an effective blockade was difficult in the foul weather of late autumn, and amidst the many islets at the mouth of the Saint Lawrence River. This allowed a British force to pursue the American army of James Wilkinson and defeat them at the Battle of Crysler's Farm.^[9]

Vessels on Lake Ontario in 1813

The following table should not be treated as an authentic list of fighting vessels. Both sides (especially the British) renamed, re-rigged and re-armed their ships several times during the war. Both sides also possessed several unarmed schooners or other small vessels for use as transports or tenders.^[10]

Nationality	Name	Type	Tonnage	Crew	Armament	Notes
United States Navy	General Pike	sloop	875	300	28 long 24-pdr
"	Madison	corvette	593	200	28 32-pdr carronade
"	Oneida	brig	243	100	16 24-pdr carronade
"	Sylph	schooner	300	unknown	4 long 32-pounder 6 long 6-pounder
"	Hamilton	schooner	112	50	1 long 32-pdr 1 long 24-pdr 8 long 6-pdr	sunk in squall
"	Scourge	schooner	110	50	1 long 32-pdr 8 12-pdr carronade	sunk in squall
"	Conquest	schooner	82	40	1 long 32-pdr 1 long 12-pdr 4 long 6-pdr
"	Tompkins	schooner	96	40	1 long 32-pdr 1 long 12-pdr 4 long 6-pdr
"	Julia	schooner	82	35	1 long 32-pdr 1 long 12-pdr	captured & recaptured
"	Growler	schooner	81	35	1 long 32-pdr 1 long 12-pdr	captured & recaptured
"	Ontario	schooner	53	35	1 long 32-pdr 1 long 12-pdr
"	Fair American	schooner	53	30	1 long 24-pdr 1 long 12-pdr
"	Pert	schooner	50	25	1 long 24-pdr
"	Asp	schooner	57	25	1 long 24-pdr
"	Lady of the Lake	schooner	89	15	1 long 9-pdr	Said to be "very sharp" Used as despatch vessel
Royal Navy	Wolfe	sloop	637	220	1 long 24-pdr 8 long 18-pdr 4 68-pdr carronade 10 32-pdr carronade
"	Isaac Brock	sloop	637	unknown	unknown	unfinished, burned on stocks
"	Royal George	sloop	510	200	3 long 18-pdr 2 68-pdr carronade 16 32-pdr carronade
"	Lord Melville	brig	279	100	2 long 18-pdr 12 32-pdr carronade
"	Moira	brig	262	100	2 long 9-pdr 12 24-pdr carronade
"	Duke of Gloucester	brig	unknown	unknown	"10 guns"	captured; subsequently burned
"	Beresford	schooner	216	80	2 long 12-pdr 10 32-pdr carronade	formerly the ship-rigged Prince Regent
"	Sidney Smith	schooner	187	70	1 long 12-pdr 1 long 9-pdr 6 18-pdr carronade	formerly named Simcoe

Note: another British schooner of similar tonnage and armament to Simcoe, the Seneca, was part of the Provincial Marine in 1812 but does not appear to have been used as a warship in 1813 and 1814.

Operations in 1814

Over the winter of 1813-14, the Americans diverted shipbuilder Noah Brown and some shipwrights and materials to Lake Champlain, which allowed them to construct the squadron which later won the decisive Battle of Plattsburgh. Yeo had been building two big frigates (HMS Prince Regent and HMS Princess Charlotte), and when these were ready shortly after the ice broke up, he held the initial advantage. He began the year with the Raid on Fort Oswego, to cut the supply line from the New York Navy Yard to Sacket's Harbor. The raid was partially successful, and the schooner Growler changed hands for the third time.^[11]

Yeo's main aim had been to capture guns intended for Chauncey's own new frigates, but most of these had still been twelve miles up the Oswego River, where Yeo could not reach them. He established a blockade to prevent these reaching Sacket's Harbor. A few weeks later, Lieutenant Woolsey nevertheless tried to take several boats loaded with cannon for Chauncey's new ships to Sacket's Harbor but was driven into a creek a few miles south of the base. Yeo sent a party of marines and sailors to "cut out" the American boats, but they were ambushed and all killed or captured at the Battle of Big Sandy Creek.

Shortly after this, Chauncey received his guns and completed two frigates (the Superior and Mohawk) even larger than Yeo's. However, his squadron was not ready for service until mid-July, and then delayed in port until the end of the month. When eventually they did set out onto the lake, Yeo retired into Kingston. The pattern for the year was set; whichever flotilla had a fleeting disadvantage in ships or guns stayed in harbour until they had built something bigger.

The Americans temporarily controlled the lake and destroyed a 10-gun brig under construction at Presque Isle before it could be launched, and also the British brig Magnet (whose crew ran her aground at the western end of the lake and set fire to her to prevent her capture). However, Chauncey concentrated on "blockading" Kingston and was criticised by General Jacob Brown and other army commanders for his failure to prevent the British reinforcing and maintaining their troops in the Niagara peninsula, which contributed to the indecisive result of the campaign there.^[12]

On October 15, Yeo put out in the three-decked ship of the line Saint Lawrence, dominating the Lake until November 21, when winter set in. This was the winning stroke. Although the Americans at Sacket's Harbor immediately laid down one (or two) even larger ships of the line, British construction over the winter of 1814-15 matched American attempts to regain the lead.

Vessels on Lake Ontario in 1814

This list is not absolutely accurate because of changes in some ships, and propagandists exaggerating or discounting ships' capabilities. Most of the American schooners (which had been alarmingly unstable with their heavy armament) had been disarmed and were now used as transports only. The British had re-rigged their schooners as brigs and renamed most of their ships since many of them belonging to the Provincial Marine had names which duplicated those of Royal Navy ships in commission at sea.^[13][14]

Nationality	Name	Type	Tonnage	Crew	Armament	Notes
United States Navy	Superior	frigate	1,580	500	30 long 32-pdr 2 long 24-pdr 26 42-pdr carronade	4 guns later removed
"	Mohawk	frigate	1,350	350	26 long 24-pdr 2 long 18-pdr 14 32-pdr carronade
"	General Pike	sloop	875	300	26 long 24-pdr 2 long 24-pdr chase guns
"	Madison	corvette	593	200	2 long 12-pdr 22 32-pdr carronade
"	Jones	brig	500	160	2 long 12-pdr 20 32-pdr carronade
"	Jefferson	brig	500	160	2 long 12-pdr 20 32-pdr carronade
"	Sylph	brig	300	100	2 long 12-pdr 14 24-pdr carronade
"	Oneida	brig	243	100	2 long 12-pdr 14 24-pdr carronade
Royal Navy	St. Lawrence	battleship	2,305	unknown	28 long 32-pdr 40 long 24-pdr 4 68-pdr carronade 32 32-pdr carronade
"	Prince Regent	frigate	1,450	485	32 long 24-pdr 4 68-pdr carronade 22 32-pdr carronade
"	Princess Charlotte	frigate	1,215	315	26 long 24-pdr 2 68-pdr carronade 14 32-pdr carronade
"	Montreal	sloop	637	220	7 long 24-pdr 18 long 18-pdr	formerly Wolfe
"	Niagara	sloop	510	200	2 long 12-pdr 20 32-pdr carronade	formerly Royal George
"	Charwell	brig	279	110	2 long 12-pdr 14 32-pdr carronade	formerly Moira
"	Star	brig	262	110	2 long 12-pdr 14 32-pdr carronade	formerly Melville
"	Netley	brig	216	100	2 long 12-pdr 14 24-pdr carronade	formerly Beresford
"	Magnet	brig	187	80	2 long 12-pdr 12 24-pdr carronade	formerly Sydney Smith Destroyed

Ships under construction in 1815

Nationality	Name	Type	Tonnage	Crew	Armament	Notes
United States Navy	New Orleans	battleship	2,805	unknown	130 guns (mainly 42-pdr)	not completed
"	Chippawa	battleship	unknown	unknown	130 guns (mainly 42-pdr)	not completed[15]
"	Plattsburgh	frigate	1,748	unknown	"64 guns"	not completed
Royal Navy	Wolfe (II)	battleship	2,152	unknown	36 long 32pdr 76 long 24pdr / 24-pdr carronade	not completed (laid down 1814, cancelled 1831, hull destroyed on stocks by storm 31 July 1832)
"	Canada	battleship	2,152	unknown	36 long 32pdr 76 long 24pdr / 24-pdr carronade	not completed (laid down 1814, cancelled 1832)
"	Psyche	frigate	769	315	28 long 24-pdr 28 32-pdr carronade	Frame constructed in Britain, 1814

Aftermath

After the Treaty of Ghent which ended the war, a separate pact known as the Rush-Bagot Treaty was signed in 1817, to limit the number and strength of warships which could be maintained on the Lakes. On Lake Ontario, Britain and America could keep in commission one vessel each, of no more than 100 tons, and armed with one 18-pounder gun. No other armed ships could be built, and those already built should be dismantled.

In fact, very few of the existing ships were broken up. The British constructed a storehouse, referred to as a "stone frigate", to keep the rigging and other fittings. In theory, they could have recommissioned their entire squadron within a few days. By 1827, all the ships were mouldering, and unfit for service. The stores were auctioned in 1834 and the surviving ships were written off or disposed of over the next few years.

The American squadron also quickly fell into disrepair. It had been acknowledged when they were built that they would last only five or six years, with their green wood and rough finish. One survivor was the unfinished battleship New Orleans, which was enclosed by a great shed on the slipway, and not sold until 1883.^[16]

Results

Because neither side had been prepared to risk everything in a decisive attack on the enemy fleet or naval base, the result of all the construction effort on Lake Ontario was an expensive draw. The great demands for men and materials made by both squadrons adversely affected other parts of the war effort.

The Americans had been based at Sacket's Harbor, and this small town was unable to cope with the great numbers of soldiers, sailors and shipwrights there. There were many deaths from cold, exposure and inadequate rations during the winter months, and from disease during the summer. On the British side, the effort required to ship all the ordnance and naval stores up the Saint Lawrence prevented them from deploying decisive numbers of troops in Upper Canada. Prevost once reported paying £1,000 to transport one monstrous cable for the battleship Saint Lawrence to Kingston.

Both Yeo and Chauncey have been criticised by historians for their unwillingness to act decisively, and for the long and rambling excuses they made in their despatches for their setbacks. Chauncey has come in for more abuse from American historians than Yeo has from British historians. Roosevelt (and subsequent historians) argued that, since the overall American strategy was offensive, the American forces on Lake Ontario ought to have risked a decisive attack against Kingston, or Chauncey should have sought a decisive action against Yeo's squadron when opportunity offered.^[17] Instead, Chauncey (and the Army commanders Dearborn and Wilkinson) repeatedly shied away from any attack on Kingston, while Chauncey failed to pursue Yeo to destruction after the action in Burlington Bay. After the British attack on Sackett's Harbor, Chauncey continually hampered operations against targets other than Kingston. He either kept his vessels in port waiting for more ships, or refused to use them to support the Army's attacks elsewhere (on the Niagara peninsula, for example).^[18]

By contrast, it has been argued that since the British strategy (under Governor General Sir George Prevost) was defensive, Yeo needed only to avoid defeat, and certainly succeeded in this.^[19] However, British (and Canadian) historians such as Forester and J. Mackay Hitsman have argued that he did so at such cost that other operations were curtailed or thwarted. (For example, Yeo's hoarding of men and supplies, and failure to forward sufficient of these to the British squadron on Lake Erie, led to their decisive defeat. Similarly, a far smaller effort on Lake Champlain that that required to construct battleships on Lake Ontario would have made British victory on Champlain certain, and decisive.^[20]) From the American side, Roosevelt lauded Yeo's second-in-command (Commander William Mulcaster) as a far more decisive and energetic officer than Yeo, who might have undertaken operations which could permanently thwart American designs.

Notes

References

• Colledge, J. J. and Warlow, Ben (2006). Ships of the Royal Navy: the complete record of all fighting ships of the Royal Navy, Rev. ed., London: Chatham. ISBN 9781861762818. OCLC 67375475. 
• Elting, John R. (1995). Amateurs to Arms:A military history of the War of 1812. New York: Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-80653-3. 
• Forester, C.S.. The Age of Fighting Sail. New English Library. ISBN 0-939218-06-2. 
• Malcomson, Robert (1998). Lords of the Lake:The Naval War on Lake Ontario 1812-1814. Toronto: Robin Brass Studio. ISBN 1-896941-08-7. 
• Roosevelt, Theodore. The Naval War of 1812. New York: Modern Library. ISBN 0-375-75419-9. 

External links

• Chauncey's action off the Genesee River

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