HMS Little Belt (1812) facts for kids
Friends Good Will (Michigan Maritime Museum)
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United States |
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| Name | Friends Good Will |
| Builder | Oliver Williams, River Rouge |
| Laid down | 1811 |
| Launched | 1811 |
| Captured | 17 July 1812 |
| Fate | captured as prize of war |
 United Kingdom |
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| Name | HMS Little Belt |
| Namesake | HMS Little Belt (1807) |
| Acquired | 17 July 1812 (by capture) |
| Captured | 10 September 1813 |
| United States |
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| Name | USS Little Belt |
| Acquired | 10 September 1813 (by capture) |
| Commissioned | 23 October 1813 |
| Fate | Burned by British landing party, 30 December 1813 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Sloop-of-war |
| Tons burthen | 67 25⁄94 (bm)(By calc.). |
| Length | 59 ft 0 in (18.0 m) |
| Beam | 16 ft 0 in (4.9 m) |
| Depth of hold | 7 ft 0 in (2.1 m) |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Sail plan | Bermuda sloop |
| Complement | 18 |
| Armament |
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The ship known as HMS Little Belt started its life as a merchant ship called Friends Good Will. It was a sloop, a type of sailing ship with one mast. Built in 1811, it sailed on the Great Lakes.
During the War of 1812, the British captured Friends Good Will. They renamed it Little Belt and added it to the Royal Navy's fleet on Lake Erie. Later, an American ship captured Little Belt during the Battle of Lake Erie. The Americans then used the ship, keeping its name. However, a storm damaged the ship, and it was later burned by British forces.
Contents
A Ship's Journey: From Merchant to Warship
Friends Good Will was built in 1811 by Oliver Williams near River Rouge. It was used for business, carrying goods across the Great Lakes.
Captured by the British
On July 17, 1812, the ship was sailing from Chicago to Detroit. It stopped at Fort Michilimackinac. Unknown to the crew, the British had already captured the fort that day. The British tricked the American ships by raising the American flag. When the crew of Friends Good Will came ashore, they were captured. The British took Friends Good Will and other American ships as "prizes of war." This meant the ships now belonged to them.
The British renamed Friends Good Will to HMS Little Belt. They added three guns to the ship. Lieutenant John F. Breman was put in charge. The ship then joined Captain James Barclay's group of ships on Lake Erie.
Recaptured by the Americans
On September 10, 1813, a big battle happened on Lake Erie. It was called the Battle of Lake Erie. The American schooner Scorpion, led by Captain Oliver Hazard Perry, captured Little Belt. Little Belt was at the back of the British ships and tried to get away when it was clear the British were losing. But it was caught near Fort Malden. No one on Little Belt was hurt during the battle.
After being repaired, Little Belt joined the U.S. Navy on October 23. It helped carry General William Henry Harrison's army to Buffalo. For the rest of 1813, Little Belt sailed on Lake Erie. It supported American soldiers fighting against the British and Native American forces in western New York.
The End of Little Belt
In October 1813, a strong storm hit. Little Belt was pushed ashore at Black Rock, New York, which is now part of Buffalo, New York. People tried to get the ship back into the water, but they couldn't.
On December 30, 1813, British soldiers attacked the Navy yard at Black Rock during the Battle of Buffalo. They burned Little Belt and several other ships there. This was the end of the ship's journey.
See also
- Friends Good Will, a working American reproduction that the Michigan Maritime Museum maintains and operates.
