USS Lady Prevost (1812) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
 United Kingdom |
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| Name | HMS Lady Prevost |
| Builder | Amherstburg Royal Naval Dockyard |
| Completed | 1810 |
| Captured | Surrendered to US forces 11 September 1813 |
 United States |
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| Name | USS Lady Prevost |
| Acquired | 11 September 1813 |
| Fate | Sold at auction in 1815 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | 230 tons |
| Length | 83 ft (25 m) |
| Beam | 21 ft (6.4 m) |
| Draft | 9 ft (2.7 m) |
| Complement | 86 |
| Armament |
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The USS Lady Prevost was a type of sailing ship called a schooner. It was originally a British ship. During the War of 1812, the American navy captured it. They then used it for their own purposes.
The ship was built in 1810 in Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada. It was first named Lady Prevost. It had 13 guns. The ship was named after the wife of General Sir George Prevost. He was a British army leader during the War of 1812. The Lady Prevost sailed from the Navy Island Royal Naval Shipyard.
Contents
British Service: A Training Ship
The British schooner served as a training ship. It helped Canadian sailors learn on Lake Erie in 1812. This was to get ready for a big plan. The plan was to take control of the Great Lakes. After that, they wanted to invade the United States.
Battle of Lake Erie
Under Lieutenant James Buchan, the Lady Prevost joined Captain James Barclay's group of ships. They fought against an American group led by Captain Oliver Hazard Perry. This battle happened near Put-in-Bay on 11 September 1813. It was called the Battle of Lake Erie.
The Lady Prevost first fought against American schooners. These included Somers, Tigress, Porcupine, and the sloop Trippe. As the battle continued, the Lady Prevost then fought Perry's main ship, Niagara.
The Lady Prevost was badly damaged. Its masts and upper parts were hit. Its captain, Lieutenant James Buchan, was badly wounded and later died. The ship's second-in-command, Lieutenant Frédérick Rolette, kept fighting. But he was also hurt in an explosion. The ship had to give up, along with the rest of its group.
American Service: A New Role
After being captured, the schooner was repaired. It then joined the American ships on Lake Erie. It was now called USS Lady Prevost.
Supporting the Army
The Lady Prevost sailed with Niagara, Scorpion, and Trippe. They were led by Captain Jesse D. Elliott. On 29 September, they sailed into Lake St. Clair. Their goal was to cut off supplies for the British Army. The British Army was trying to invade western New York.
For the rest of the War of 1812, the American ships operated on Lakes Erie and Huron. They worked with the Army, which was led by General William Henry Harrison. The Lady Prevost mostly helped American soldiers. These soldiers were fighting the British and their Native American allies in the northwest.
What Happened Next
After the war ended in 1815, the Americans burned and sank the Lady Prevost. This happened at Erie, Pennsylvania. However, the ship was later pulled out of the water that same year. It was then changed into a merchant ship. A merchant ship carries goods for trade. The Lady Prevost was sold at a public auction later in 1815.
