Английская Википедия:HMS Detroit (1813)

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Шаблон:Infobox ship imageШаблон:Infobox ship careerШаблон:Infobox ship careerШаблон:Infobox ship careerШаблон:Infobox ship characteristics

HMS Detroit was a 20-gun sloop of the Royal Navy, launched in July 1813 and serving on Lake Erie during the War of 1812. She was the most powerful British ship in the Lake Erie squadron until the Americans captured her during the Battle of Lake Erie on 10 September 1813. Detroit was commissioned into the United States Navy as its first USS Detroit. However, she was so damaged that the sloop took no further part in the war. Postwar, Detroit was sunk for preservation at Misery Bay off Presque Isle until 1833, when she was refloated and converted for commercial service. In 1841, Detroit was reduced to a hulk at Buffalo, New York, where she was purchased with the intent of sending her over Niagara Falls. The plan went awry and Detroit ran aground on a shoal before the falls and broke up.

Design and description

In November 1812, the British learned of the American plan to gain mastery over the upper Great Lakes. In response, the British ordered the construction of a new vessel at Amherstburg Royal Naval Dockyard in Amherstburg, Upper Canada.Шаблон:Sfn The design of the vessel was a repeat of Шаблон:Ship, which itself was based on the ocean-going Шаблон:Sclass sloops. The design was modified by Master Shipwright William Bell for service on the Great Lakes.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn

The ship measured 305 tons burthen (bm) and was Шаблон:Convert long between perpendiculars with a beam of Шаблон:Convert, a depth of hold of Шаблон:Convert and a draught of Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn After capture by the Americans in 1813, the dimensions of Detroit were reported as Шаблон:Convert long with a beam of Шаблон:Convert and a draught of 12 ft, but this has been discredited as an attempt by Jesse Elliott to claim larger ships to receive larger payouts from the prize courts as it produced disproportionate measurements.Шаблон:Sfn The Americans give the displacement of the vessel as Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn

No design drawings remain, though from contemporary art, Detroit was seen to have a flush, corvette-style upper deck, pierced for 20 guns. The ship was designed to be armed with four Шаблон:Convert long guns and sixteen Шаблон:Convert carronades. However, due to the inability of the British to resupply Amherstburg during the War of 1812, the sloop of was armed with a mix of guns taken from other ships in the Lake Erie squadron and from Fort Malden. The hodgepodge armament was composed of one 24-pounder carronade, one Шаблон:Convert carronade, two 24-pounder long guns, one 18-pounder long gun on a pivot, six Шаблон:Convert long guns and eight Шаблон:Convert long guns.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn At the Battle of Lake Erie, the ship had a company of 150.Шаблон:Sfn

Construction and career

Construction of Detroit began in January 1813, however delays began almost immediately as William Bell complained that he did not have enough shipwrights. The construction placed further burdens on British supply lines, with the vessel requiring Шаблон:Convert of oak timber, 200 oak knees and over Шаблон:Convert of pine timber and boards. Furthermore, there was shortages of fabric for sails, bolts, sheaves and deadeyes. Reinforced by shipwrights sent from Kingston, Upper Canada, planking of the sloop began in April. However, this was soon interrupted when Brigadier General Henry Procter ordered the shipwrights to concentrate their efforts on the construction of gunboats for the army.Шаблон:Sfn

On 27 April 1813, the guns meant for Detroit were captured at the battle of York.Шаблон:Sfn Commander Robert Barclay of the Royal Navy arrived in June to take command of the Lake Erie squadron. In June and July, Barclay and the Lake Erie squadron made several voyages to Long Point to await reinforcements and stores meant for Detroit. Barclay's American counterpart, Oliver Hazard Perry was also constructing newer, more powerful ships at Put-in-Bay and these were completed before Detroit became operational. Barclay was forced to retreat to Amherstburg to await DetroitШаблон:'s completion. In the meantime, the Perry blockaded Long Point, preventing further supplies from reaching Amherstburg.Шаблон:Sfn

As the situation at Amherstburg became untenable, Procter and Barclay agreed that Barclay would have to challenge Perry's American squadron. Detroit launched in mid-July and was commissioned into the Royal Navy in August as Barclay's flagship. Without the guns that were captured at York, Barclay was forced to arm Detroit with a mix of guns pulled from other vessels in the squadron and Fort Malden. The guns themselves were not in optimal condition, as they lacked flintlocks and required alternative and less dependable means for firing them.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn For sails, a spare set from Queen Charlotte was used. Furthermore, there was a lack of sailors in the squadron, with crews being filled out with soldiers from Procter's army.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn

Battle of Lake Erie

Barclay and his squadron set sail from Amherstburg on 9 September 1813 intending to bring the American squadron to battle. The two forces met on 10 September, and Detroit which was second in Barclay's line of battle, squared up with Perry's flagship Шаблон:USS. Detroit began that battle with a single shot from its 24-pounder long gun directed at Lawrence. It missed, but DetroitШаблон:'s second shot hit. Lawrence and the schooners Шаблон:USS and Шаблон:USS engaged Detroit, with Lawrence exchanging broadsides with Detroit. Queen Charlotte moved up the battle line and added her guns to DetroitШаблон:'s in battering Lawrence, eventually knocking the American ship out of the battle. This forced Perry to shift his command to Шаблон:USS.Шаблон:Sfn

By this point Barclay had been injured and command of Detroit had passed to Lieutenant George Inglis. After Perry had shifted to Niagara, he moved the vessel up the American battle line, and closer to Detroit in order to engage the British flagship. Detroit began firing at Niagara, but by this point was heavily damaged and the crew tired, unlike Niagara which had to this point, barely taken part in the battle. Niagara moved to pass in front of DetroitШаблон:'s bow in order to rake the British ship. Queen Charlotte, to this point unable to engage Niagara, attempted to get into a position to attack the American vessel. However, in doing so, became entangled in DetroitШаблон:'s yardarms, locking the two vessels together and immobilising them. Niagara continued to fire on the two British ships while they tried to disentangle themselves, causing considerable damage. After untangling, Queen Charlotte struck her colours, followed by Detroit and the rest of the British squadron.Шаблон:Sfn

American service

The British prizes were taken to Put-in-Bay and laid up to prevent the ship from sinking.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The Americans used their prizes Detroit and Queen Charlotte as hospital ships. A gale swept the lake on 13 September and dismasted both, further damaging the already battered ships. Once the wounded had been ferried to Erie, Pennsylvania, the two British ships were effectively reduced to hulks.Шаблон:Sfn In May 1814 Шаблон:USS assisted in fitting out prizes Detroit and Queen Charlotte at Put-in Bay, and convoyed them to Erie in November.Шаблон:Sfn There the vessels were used as receiving ships for the rest of the war.Шаблон:Sfn

Following ratification of the Treaty of Ghent in 1815, the Americans submerged Detroit at Misery Bay off Presque Isle Bay in order to preserve the ship.Шаблон:Sfn In 1816 the Rush-Bagot Treaty, which demilitarized the Great Lakes, came into effect; the treaty limited each nation to two warships on the upper Great Lakes.Шаблон:Sfn On 8 August 1825 the US government closed the Lake Erie station and sold the submerged Detroit and other vessels to the merchant Benjamin H. Brown of Rochester, New York. He did nothing with them until 20 June 1836 when he sold them to George Miles of Erie. Miles raised Detroit and fitted the vessel out as a trading barque.Шаблон:Sfn She worked on the Great Lakes until 1841, when she was laid up at Buffalo, New York, as a hulk.Шаблон:Sfn

Fate

A group of merchants purchased the hulk in September 1841, intending to create a spectacle at Niagara Falls. They had her re-rigged to sail and set her loose atop Niagara Falls hoping that she would go over the falls to smash at their base. However, Detroit ran aground on a shoal before reaching the falls. Detroit eventually broke up on site.Шаблон:Sfn

References

• Шаблон:Cite book
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