I recently had the opportunity to view a painting entitled " Battle of Lake Erie" depicting Admiral Oliver Perry’s victory over the British in 1813. My question is… How did they get these ships to Lake Erie since Niagra Falls separates Lake Erie from Lake Ontario?
I believe the ships that took part in that battle were constructed in shipyards on Lake Erie. From a quick look at wikipedia, most of the British ships were built in Canada, near Detroit while many of the US ships were built in Erie Pennsylvannia.
Right. By the War of 1812, the eastern areas of Lake Erie were no longer really the wild frontier. Buffalo and Erie were getting to be respectable cities and quite a lot of shipbuilding was going on there. It really flourished when the war was over.
Thanks for the info. I appreciate it. I’ve lived my entire life in PA and grew up only 70 miles from Erie and Presque Isle but I’m ashamed to say I know very little about the area’s history in the War of 1812 etc. Perhaps this could be an interesting change of pace from WW II “heavy metal”
Jack
oliver hazard perry & mathew perry are my ancestors.
I live only 10 km from where there was a big battle and the Invasion was pushed back. Have I gone to the museum or the yearly battle recreation? I feel embarrassed that I have completely ignored that aspect of our history.
You’ll see alot of focus on the war over the next year, Canada is planning big education campaign and ceremonies for the bi-centennial.
There is a kit- I believe it is Model Shipways- of the Niagara. It is a wood kit, plank on bulkhead. Available from Model Expo. Quite a project, but if you are really into that battle…
Maxfax,
Since confession is good for the soul… I now live about 2.5 hours from the Gettysburg (US Civil War) battlefield and have only been there once. 8000 men killed over 50,000 casualties and I don’t have time to visit??? I am also ashamed and embarrassed
I thought I read somewhere that one of the ships sunk in the battle had been found on the lake bottom in almost immaculate condition. There was even some talk of raising it.
Jack I’m Canadian and been to Gettysburg more then that. Well worth the trip.
Yes, it was raised. Don’t know if they are going to restore it or do a scholarly research on it. Either way, it will be displayed.
The Great Lakes were the source of some very active shipbuilding during the war - that theater was ultimately the most strategically decisive considering the importance of water for communication/logistics in any invasion headed in either direction.
Noah Brown and Henry Eckford were incredibly prolific in their building efforts - including a few massive 120 gun 1st rates as noted in the summary below plucked from the web:
Noah brown was born at “Salem” county, northern New York, and raised in Stamford, Delaware County.
He and his three brothers survived capture by Indians, who killed his father in 1780. Trained as a house carpenter from 1785 to 1792. Brown worked in New York until 1804. After he and his brother Adam built a North West Company schooner, the Work, at Newark, Upper Canada, in 1804, Noah was employed at Forman Cheesman Yard in New York. Next spring, the brothers built a whale ship at Sag Harbour, Long Island, and in 1807 worked at George Peek’s shipyard. The two cut live oak in North Carolina for the frigate New York from 1807 to 1808, built five navy gunboats in 1809, repaired the Brooklyn, and built the privateers, General Armstrong, Paul Jones, Prince De Neufchatel, Warrior, Yorktown, and Zebra at New York from 1812 to 1814.
In January 1813, when Commodore Isaac Chauncey hired Henry Eckford to build lake vessels, he appointed Noah to work with Daniel Dobbins at Erie, Pennsylvania. From late February to June 1813, Brown finished three gunboats, a despatch schooner, and Perry’s brigs Lawrence and Niagara. Noah and Adam built the US sloop Peacock at Corlears Hook, New York, from July through September 1813. By March 1814, they were working for master Commandant Thomas Macdonough on Lake Champlain, building the ship Saratoga, 26 guns, and nine gunboats and converting the steamer Vicennes into Ticonderoga, 17 guns. In June, they commenced the brig Eagle, 18 guns, launched August 11. They returned to New York to build Robert Fulton’s Demologus and his torpedo-boat Mute. They next worked with Eckford on two 120 gun ships at Sacket’s and Henderson’s Harbours.
After the war, Noah was elected assistant alderman of new York’s Tenth Ward in 1815 and 1816 as a Republican. He ceased shipbuilding in 1833 after completing the ferry-boat Sussex.
the great lake area is amazing for those intereted in ship wrecks it has been said that on a square mile basis the lakes have more shipwrecks than any other body of water in the world
More wrecks per square mile… Now that’s really interesting. With the water being fresh and fairly cold some must be in pretty good shape. hmmmmm…
There is a museum in Eire Pa that has a ‘living’ exhibit of the Brig Niagara, that sails about the Great Lakes, and takes folks out on excursions. i believe it also has some old beams in it. I was on the ship in Cleveland a few years back, and it would provide a good historical reference for building a model.
Yes, the Brig Niagara at the maritime museum in Erie PA is well-worth visiting. And it’s very impressive to see sailing the lake, too.
Here is a shot of the Niagara that I took at Duluth last year.
!(http://i983.photobucket.com/albums/ae316/donstauffer/Tall ships 2010/BrigNiagaras.jpg)
Thanks Don and Paul, This is some really interesting stuff that I never knew about. It seems that the Great Lakes were much more active in the War of 1812 than I imagined. The info on the Niagara is particularly interesting. Next time I’m “home” I may make a side trip.
Thanks again to all!!!
All the US ships involved in the 1812 Lake Erie campaign were built at two different shipyards on Presque Isle Bay in Eie, Pa. At that time the town of Erie only had a population of around 400 and most men were either wagon masters or woodsmen. They used the oak trees that lined the shoreline of Lake Erie in their ship building. Iron workers, carpenters, shipwrights and canvas workers were brought into Erie from Pittsburgh. There were 9 ships build in Erie for the battle in 4 months.
