Detroit
was a 6-gun
brig
launched
in 1798 as
Adams
in the United States. During the
War of 1812
the British captured her, renamed her, and took her into the
Provincial Marine
. She served on
Lake Erie
during the War of 1812, giving the British control of the lake. The Americans briefly recaptured her, but she
grounded
and came under heavy fire. The Americans had to abandon her. The vessel was set afire and burnt.
Description and construction
edit
Shortly after General
Anthony Wayne
took control of
Detroit
in 1796, a ship was ordered for construction by the
United States Army
. Construction of the 125-
tons burthen
vessel at the United States Shipyard on the
River Rouge
(at Baby Creek near what is now Woodmere Cemetery)
[1]
began in 1797. Some accounts of the vessel indicate that the process of salting for preservation of the wood used in the construction was utilized aboard
Adams
. However, the process was done incorrectly and in a refit performed ten years after the brig's construction, it was found that the salt had been packed too tightly and had not dissolved into the wood, and remained hard and dry between the frames. The United States Army intended to use
Adams
as a transport vessel carrying supplies between American outposts on the upper
Great Lakes
including
Fort Mackinac
on
Lake Huron
. The vessel was also used to carry private cargo.
By the beginning of the
War of 1812
,
Adams
was the only American government vessel of any kind on the upper Great Lakes.
Adams
was armed with six 6-pounder (3?kg) cannon and operated out of Detroit.
[a]
On 16 August 1812, General
William Hull
surrendered Detroit
after a siege by British forces.
Adams
, which had been at Detroit, was surrendered too, and was taken into
Provincial Marine
service and renamed
Detroit
. The brig was added to the Provincial Marine's Lake Erie
squadron
. However,
Detroit
'
s British service was short lived.
On 8 October,
Detroit
, with the
North West Company
's brig
Caledonia
, was anchored off
Fort Erie
. Lieutenant
Jesse Elliott
, commander of the
United States Navy
forces on Lake Erie, spotted the vessels and commanded a
cutting out
operation to capture both brigs. The American force of 100 departed Buffalo Creek and approached the British vessels in darkness. Elliott's force successfully captured both vessels and the Americans made for safe harbour at
Black Rock
.
Caledonia
arrived safely, but
Detroit
ran aground
on the southern tip of
Squaw Island
after the wind had died and the vessel became unmanageable, while under fire from British artillery. The British sent a force to retake the ship, but Elliott's crew beat off the attack.
In order to prevent the brig's recapture, Elliott ordered the ship burned.
- ^
Symonds claims
Adams
was armed with 14 guns in American service.