USS Hamilton (1812)

The USS "Hamilton", formerly the "Diana", was a schooner which foundered at Lake Ontario on August 7, 1813, during the War of 1812. The "Diana" was built at Oswego, New York in 1809 for merchant Matthew McNair. She found her way into the US Navy on October 21, 1812, when she was purchased to be based out of Sackets Harbor. Her name was changed to "Hamilton" on November 5, 1812, in honor of the Secretary of the American Navy Paul Hamilton.cite web| title =Hamilton-Scourge web site| url=http://www.hamilton-scourge.city.hamilton.on.ca/| accessdate = 2007-01-28]

The "Hamilton" was not a large specialized war vessel; instead, she was a simple merchant ship that was pressed into service for the American Navy just prior to the War of 1812.cite web| title =Hamilton-Scourge web site| url=http://www.hamilton-scourge.city.hamilton.on.ca/| accessdate = 2007-01-28]

With the conversion of the "Hamilton" to a man of war problems came up such as the decks not being strong enough to carry naval guns and the bulwarks not being high enough to provide enough protection for the gun crews.cite web| title =Hamilton-Scourge web site| url=http://www.hamilton-scourge.city.hamilton.on.ca/| accessdate = 2007-01-28]

The 76-ton "Hamilton" was armed with eight 12-pound carronades and one swiveling 24-or 32-pound cannon, or "Long Tom" mounted amidships.

The "Hamilton" and the "Scourge", sank during a sudden squall off Fourteen Mile Creek near present-day Hamilton, Ontario around 2:00 am on August 7, 1813. cite web| title =Hamilton-Scourge web site| url=http://www.hamilton-scourge.city.hamilton.on.ca/| accessdate = 2007-01-28] The sinking took more than 80 men to their death. The "Hamilton" was under command of a Lt. Winter. According to a Letter of August 1813 after both ships were lost sixteen survived. [http://books.google.com/books?id=ceceAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA195&dq=Schooners+Hamilton+and+Scourge&lr=&ei=lnZwR8GwBIfQiwHs7_WJCQ] A survivor of the "Scourge" was Ned Myers who told his story to James Fenimore Cooper. [http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=fVcI6OY6N6gC&dq=ned+myers&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=cfLfegUCyA&sig=3FajNBQCbDhxAMQCfNoZC-ND36A#PPA67,M1] According to Myers account about 8 from the "Hamilton" were saved and about 42 were lost.

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/h1/hamilton-i.htm

External links

*http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/h1/hamilton-i.htm US Navy Library entry on loss of USS Hamilton
*http://www.hamilton-scourge.city.hamilton.on.ca/home.htm
* [http://books.google.com/books?id=ceceAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA195&dq=Schooners+Hamilton+and+Scourge&lr=&ei=lnZwR8GwBIfQiwHs7_WJCQ August 1813 letter reporting Loss of Hamilton and Scourge]
* [http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=fVcI6OY6N6gC&dq=ned+myers&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=cfLfegUCyA&sig=3FajNBQCbDhxAMQCfNoZC-ND36A#PPA67,M1 Ned Myers account]