USS Niagara (1813)

The first USS "Niagara", also known as US Brig "Niagara", was a brig in the United States Navy during the War of 1812.

"Niagara" was built at Presque Isle, Pennsylvania, along with her sister ship, the "Lawrence", by Adam and Noah Brown under the supervision of Sailing Master Daniel Dobbins and Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry, and was launched early in the summer of 1813.

"Niagara" and the other ships of Perry's squadron were held at Erie both by British blockade and by lack of crews, until August 1, when the British squadron retired. The draft of the "Niagara" and the "Lawrence" was deeper than the depth of water over the bar at the mouth of the harbor. This necessitated stripping all armament and stores of the ships, and the ingenious use of camels (essentially large, strap-on ballast tanks) in order to get over the bar. "Niagara" reached deep water on August 5, and four days later her commanding officer, Captain Jesse D. Elliott, arrived with some 100 officers and men to take command. The squadron sailed in search of the British on August 12, located it in the mouth of the Detroit River, and waited for its sortie.

On September 10 1813, the two fleets met in the Battle of Lake Erie. Perry led the US fleet aboard the "Lawrence", which drew concentrated fire from the British until "Lawrence" became an unmanageable wreck. He then transferred to "Niagara" which had not closed the enemy in the earlier stages of the action. When Perry arrived on "Niagara", he took command and brought her into the attack. From her deck he regrouped his squadron and came down through the enemy line, "Niagara" pouring broadsides into the British ships until victory was secured, and with it control of Lake Erie, freeing the upper Great Lakes from the threat of invasion.

"Niagara" covered the landings at the mouth of the Detroit River which captured Malden on September 23, then covered the Army's advance up the Detroit to Lake Saint Clair as they pursued the retreating British. After wintering at Erie, she returned to patrol and convoy operations which included the capture of British ships "Mink", "Nancy", "Perseverance" and "Batteau". She wintered at Erie once more in 1814, then served as receiving ship there until sunk in Misery Bay for preservation in 1820.

In 1913 the sunken remains of "Niagara" were raised from her grave at the bottom of Misery Bay. Using some of the original structure, "Niagara" was reconstructed and was towed by the "Wolverine" to Put-In-Bay for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Lake Erie.

References

* [http://www.hnsa.org/ships/niagara.htm HNSA Ship Page: U.S. Brig Niagara]
* [http://www.brigniagara.org/niagara_history.htm Brig Niagara & Erie Maritime Museum: Niagara History]