HMS Lord Melville (1813) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
 United Kingdom |
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| Name | Lord Melville |
| Builder | Kingston Royal Naval Dockyard, Kingston |
| Launched | 1813 |
| Renamed | Star on 22 January 1814 |
| Honours and awards |
War of 1812 |
| Fate | Sold in 1837 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Schooner, altered to 14-gun brig in 1813 |
| Tons burthen | 186 46⁄94 bm |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 24 ft 8 in (7.5 m) |
| Draught | 9 ft 9 in (3.0 m) |
| Depth of hold | 8 ft 0 in (2.4 m) |
| Complement | 98 |
| Armament |
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HMS Lord Melville was a British warship that sailed on Lake Ontario during the War of 1812. She was first built as a schooner but was changed into a 14-gun brig in 1813. A brig is a type of sailing ship with two masts. She was launched in July 1813 in Kingston, Ontario. In January 1814, her name was changed to HMS Star. She served the Royal Navy until 1815, mostly for carrying supplies. The ship was eventually sold in 1837.
Contents
What Was HMS Lord Melville Like?
HMS Lord Melville was first planned as a schooner. But during construction, her design was changed. She became a brig, which is a larger type of ship. She was built by George Record at the Kingston Royal Naval Dockyard.
Ship's Size and Crew
The ship was about 21.8 meters (71 feet 7 inches) long on her main deck. She was 7.5 meters (24 feet 8 inches) wide. Her crew usually had 98 people. This included 60 officers and sailors, plus 38 Royal Marines.
Ship's Weapons
Lord Melville was armed with powerful guns. She had two 18-pounder long guns. She also carried twelve 32-pounder carronades. Carronades were shorter, lighter cannons used for close-range fighting. Later, her guns were changed a few times. By 1830, she had fourteen 32-pounder carronades.
HMS Lord Melville's Adventures
The ship played an important role in the War of 1812. This was a conflict between the United States and Great Britain. Most of her service was on Lake Ontario.
Early Days as Lord Melville
Lord Melville was launched in July 1813. She joined Commodore Sir James Lucas Yeo's squadron. A squadron is a group of warships. Their goal was to fight the American ships on Lake Ontario.
In August 1813, Lord Melville helped capture two American schooners. These were the USS Julia and USS Growler. Soon after, the ship sprang a leak. She had to return to Kingston for repairs.
Later that month, the squadron sailed again. They faced the American squadron on September 11. Lord Melville and another ship, HMS Royal George, took heavy fire. They had several crew members killed or wounded. But the British ships managed to escape.
On September 28, Lord Melville was in another big fight. The British flagship, HMS Wolfe, was damaged. Lord Melville and HMS Earl of Moira bravely attacked the American ships. They exchanged heavy gunfire. Lord Melville almost got captured by the American flagship. The British ships then retreated to Burlington Bay.
In October, Lord Melville joined a smaller group of ships. They sailed to French Creek. There, they fired cannons at American forces on shore. This is called bombardment. But the American fire was too strong. The British ships had to pull back. Lord Melville made one last trip in December. Then she was put away for the winter.
Renamed as Star
On January 22, 1814, the ship was renamed HMS Star. She was now called a brig-sloop. In May 1814, Star helped transport soldiers. They sailed from Kingston to Fort Oswego.
On May 6, the British attacked Fort Oswego. Star and HMS Charwell (formerly Earl of Moira) helped. They escorted smaller boats carrying soldiers to the shore. The attack was successful, and the fort was captured. The British squadron returned to Kingston.
Star then helped blockade the American naval base. This was at Sackett's Harbor. A blockade means stopping ships from entering or leaving a port. Star also carried troops to different areas.
Later, the British suffered a defeat at Sandy Creek. After this, Commander Alexander Dobbs took command of Star. He led a group of ships to the Niagara River. They helped transport troops for General Gordon Drummond.
In August, Dobbs and his men captured two American schooners. These were the USS Ohio and USS Somers. They had been left behind to help the American army. Dobbs and his men also took part in an attack on Fort Erie. Many men were injured, including Dobbs.
In October, Star helped carry soldiers and supplies. She sailed with the squadron to the Niagara River. They brought reinforcements for Drummond's army. The squadron returned to Kingston on October 24. They made another trip in November. They carried soldiers to Fort George and back.
By 1815, Star was mostly used for transport. She was not fit for fighting anymore. In June 1816, she was put into reserve. This means she was kept but not actively used. HMS Star was finally sold in 1837.
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