Prince Regent (1812 schooner) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
 United Kingdom |
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| Name | Prince Regent |
| Builder | John Dennis, York, Upper Canada |
| Launched | 1812 |
| Renamed |
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| Fate | Broken up for scrap 1830s |
| General characteristics as built | |
| Tons burthen | 14267⁄94 (bm) |
| Length |
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| Beam | 21 ft 2 in (6.5 m) |
| Draught | 9 ft 4 in (2.8 m) |
| Depth of hold | 7 ft 3 in (2.2 m) |
| Sail plan | Schooner-rigged |
| Armament |
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The Prince Regent was a type of sailing ship called a schooner. It was built for the Provincial Marine in Upper Canada to sail on Lake Ontario. This happened just before the War of 1812 began. The ship played a part in an attack on Sackett's Harbor in New York.
In 1813, the Royal Navy took over control of the ships on the Great Lakes. The Prince Regent was then renamed HMS Lord Beresford (or sometimes just Beresford). The British ships on the lake fought against the American navy. They also attacked American places in the Niagara area. The ships helped support the British armies on land.
In 1814, the British ships on Lake Ontario were reorganized. Beresford was changed into a brig (a different type of sailing ship) and renamed HMS Netley. It helped move British soldiers in southern Upper Canada. Netley and five other British ships got stuck in the Niagara River because American ships blocked them. During this time, some of Netley's crew helped in the Siege of Fort Erie. They even captured two American schooners. Sadly, Netley's captain was killed during this mission. After the war, Netley was stored at Kingston, Upper Canada. It was sold in the 1830s and taken apart for scrap.
Contents
Ship Design and Features
The Prince Regent was designed by a shipbuilder named John Dennis. It was a standard schooner for the Provincial Marine to use on the Great Lakes. When it was built, the ship had openings for ten guns. It was about 72 feet (22 meters) long on its main deck. The ship was about 21 feet (6.4 meters) wide.
The Prince Regent could carry different weapons during the War of 1812. In 1812, it had ten 12-pounder carronades and two 6-pounder long guns. Carronades were short, powerful cannons. Long guns could shoot farther. In 1813, its weapons were upgraded. It got ten 18-pounder carronades and two 9-pounder long guns. The next year, the number of 18-pounder carronades was reduced to eight. A large 24-pounder long gun was added on a special spinning mount. This allowed it to fire in many directions.
The Ship's Journey and Battles
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As Prince Regent: Early Years
The Prince Regent was built by John Dennis in York, Upper Canada (which is now Toronto). It was launched in the middle of 1812. People thought it was a "fine despatch boat," meaning it was good for quick messages. The Prince Regent was part of the Provincial Marine's group of ships. This group was based at Kingston and operated on Lake Ontario. Lieutenant William Fish was the ship's first commanding officer.
When the War of 1812 started, Commodore Hugh Earle was in charge of the Provincial Marine. He planned a surprise attack on the American naval base at Sackett's Harbor, New York. On July 19, 1812, the Provincial Marine ships left Kingston for Sackett's Harbor. The group included Royal George, Prince Regent, Earl of Moira, Duke of Gloucester, Governor Simcoe, and Seneca.
They met an American ship, USS Oneida, which tried to get away. The British ships worked together to stop it. However, the wind died down, making the British approach slow. This gave the Americans time to get ready. The British attack by Royal George, Prince Regent, and Earl of Moira did not last long. The Americans fought back strongly, so the British ships went back to Kingston. Only Royal George had much damage.
The Prince Regent did not see much more fighting that year. It was sent to York for the winter. During this time, some of its guns were taken to arm a new ship being built in York. When winter ended, Prince Regent was sent to patrol Kingston Channel. This was lucky because the Americans attacked York on April 27, 1813. They burned the new ship and captured Duke of Gloucester, but they missed Prince Regent.
As Beresford: New Name, New Battles
In May 1813, Commodore James Lucas Yeo arrived at Kingston. He took command of the Lake Ontario ships. Now, the ships were under the control of the Royal Navy. They were renamed and given the prefix HMS. The Prince Regent became Lord Beresford or Beresford. Commander Francis Spilsbury became its new captain.
After the American attack on York, the British planned their own attacks in American territory. They also wanted to help the British Army further south. On May 26, the ships sailed from Kingston with 800 soldiers. These soldiers were from different regiments and included Canadian and Indigenous warriors. Smaller boats and a merchant ship carrying cannons followed. They arrived at Sackett's Harbor too late to attack that day. They tried to land the next day, but it was called off.
Finally, the British landed on May 29. There was not much wind, so only Beresford could help the attack. It was rowed into position to attack Fort Tompkins. As Beresford got close, two American schooners fired at it as they fled up the Black River. The attack was stopped once the American shipyard was set on fire. The British then went back to Kingston.
For most of June and July, the American ships stayed at Sackett's Harbor. They were waiting for new ships to join their fleet. This meant the British had free access to Lake Ontario. Commodore Yeo's ships helped British forces and bothered American supply lines. On June 3, the ships set out to transport soldiers to General John Vincent at Burlington Heights. On June 8, the ships saw a large American camp near Forty Mile Creek. Beresford was pulled into range of the beach and fired at the American positions. With help from Royal George, Beresford was fired upon by the Americans. However, General Morgan Lewis had to leave the camp because of the British ships and land forces.
On July 31, Yeo's ships sailed from Kingston to fight the Americans. On August 7, the two sides almost fought. The American ship USS General Pike fired at the British ships but missed. On August 10, the British ships caught the American ships. They captured the schooners USS Julia and USS Growler. Yeo's ships stopped near York to fix the captured ships and Wolfe's masts. The ships returned to Kingston on August 19. Four days later, they left again to protect a group of three transport ships. These ships were carrying supplies and more soldiers for General Francis de Rottenburg's army.
On September 11, the two groups of ships fought northwest of the Genesee River. General Pike started the fight. The British ships became stuck when the wind stopped. The British ships retreated and returned to Kingston in mid-September. To improve their long-range firepower, Yeo had a 24-pounder gun put on a spinning mount on Beresford. Two 9-pounder guns and two carronades were removed to balance the added weight. The ships left Kingston on September 19. In Burlington Bay, the two groups of ships met on September 28. General Pike gained an advantage over Yeo's main ship, Wolfe. As Wolfe tried to move away, General Pike almost caught Lord Melville and Beresford. The American ships chased the British ships deeper into the bay. However, the British escaped. Lord Melville and Beresford patrolled outside the group to protect the damaged Wolfe and Prince George. The British ships returned to Kingston after the battle.
On October 30, Beresford and Sir Sidney Smith (which used to be Governor Simcoe) were sent to the northeast end of Wolfe Island. They were later joined by Earl of Moira, Lord Melville, and four gunboats on November 1. This group was sent to French Creek to attack an American camp. Because the bay was narrow, Beresford and the gunboats were kept in reserve. However, fire from the shore drove the British ships away. A group of soldiers formed at Kingston by General George Prévost were put on Beresford and Sir Sidney Smith. They sailed with gunboats and smaller boats on November 6 to follow the Americans. By the time they reached Cornwall, the Americans had gone back to New York. Beresford and Sir Sidney Smith returned to Kingston on November 7. Beresford was then sent to patrol the Bay of Quinte and carry supplies for the army.
As Netley: The Final Years
The ship was stored for winter and changed into a brig. In April 1814, Beresford returned to service. It was sent to Niagara to deliver soldiers and supplies. In January 1814, the Royal Navy decided to organize its Lake Ontario ships like a standard British fleet. As part of this, each ship would be renamed. On May 1, 1814, Commodore Yeo reorganized his command. Beresford was renamed Netley, and Lieutenant Charles Radcliffe took command. On May 4, the ships left Kingston with 550 soldiers. They sailed for Fort Oswego, New York. Netley left the group on the way and sailed for Niagara, so it did not take part in the attack.
After the battle, Yeo set up a blockade of Sackett's Harbor. During May, the smaller ships were used to transport soldiers and for patrol duties. However, after a disaster at the Battle of Big Sandy Creek, where Captain Stephen Popham led some of Yeo's ships into an ambush, many sailors were captured. This included Netley's former commander, Francis Spilbury. Yeo had to stop his blockade. He moved crew members from Netley and Magnet (the renamed Sir Sidney Smith) to the larger ships. Netley did not have enough crew to fight anymore. It was used as a transport ship, and the ships returned to Kingston on June 13.
On June 15, the ships left Kingston with more soldiers and supplies for the forces on the Niagara Peninsula. They returned on June 24. Netley was used to keep in touch with the advanced troops on the peninsula. Under the command of Commander Alexander Dobbs, Star (the renamed Lord Melville), Charwell (the renamed Earl of Moira), Netley, Magnet, and Vincent anchored in the Niagara River in July. This allowed quick transport of soldiers and supplies for General Gordon Drummond's army. All the ships under Dobbs' command, except Magnet which was destroyed, were blocked in the Niagara River for two months by American ships starting in August.
Since the ships could not move, Dobbs formed a group from the crew members. They joined Drummond's army near Fort Erie. With Drummond's permission, Dobbs and his men captured two schooners, USS Ohio and USS Somers. These ships had been left with the American army at Fort Erie. During this fight, Netley's captain, Lieutenant Radcliffe, was killed. Dobbs' group then joined Drummond's army for the attack on Fort Erie. This attack went badly, and many sailors and marines were killed, wounded, or went missing. Dobbs himself was injured.
After Yeo's ships broke the blockade in mid-October, Star, Charwell, and Netley came out of the Niagara River. They ferried more soldiers ashore and returned to Kingston with the other ships at the end of October. Netley's next action was on November 28. The brig sailed with Montreal (the renamed Wolfe), Niagara (the renamed Royal George), Star, and Charwell to resupply Drummond. They returned to Kingston on December 9. The ship was stored for the winter. The War of 1812 ended on December 24, 1814. News reached the Great Lakes in February 1815. In early 1815, Yeo was called back to England. He left Lake Ontario aboard Netley on March 23, sailing for Montreal.
After the war, Netley was still in use but with fewer crew members. In 1817, the Rush–Bagot Treaty came into effect. This treaty limited how many warships the British and Americans could have on the Great Lakes. The British began to reduce their operations in Kingston. By 1831, the Royal Navy wanted to close the station completely. Netley was sold in the 1830s and taken apart.
