USS Niagara (1813) facts for kids
Niagara near Put-in-Bay, Ohio in June 2009
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Quick facts for kids History |
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  United States |
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| Name | Niagara |
| Owner | Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission |
| Operator | Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission |
| Ordered | 31 December 1812 |
| Launched | June 13, 1813 |
| Sunk: | 1820 |
| Raised: | 6 March 1913 |
| Restored: | 1913, 1931–1943, 1963, 1988 |
| Homeport | Erie, Pennsylvania |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Niagara-class snow-brig |
| Displacement | 297 long tons (302 t) |
| Length | 110 ft 8 in (33.7 m) LBP |
| Beam | 32 ft (9.8 m) |
| Height |
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| Depth | 9 ft (2.7 m) |
| Sail plan | 12,665 sq ft (1,177 m2) on two masts |
| Boats & landing craft carried |
2 cutters, 1 yawl |
| 1813: | |
| Tons burthen | 492 60⁄95 tons |
| Complement | 155 officers and enlisted |
| Armament |
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| 1998: | |
| Tonnage | 162 GT |
| Installed power | 2 × 200 bhp (150 kW) diesel engines |
| Crew | 20 professional, 20 volunteer |
| Armament | 2 × 32-pounder carronades |
| Official name: U.S.S. Niagara' | |
| Designated: | 11 April 1973 |
| Reference #: | 73001628 |
The USS Niagara, often called the Brig Niagara or the Flagship Niagara, is a special wooden ship. It's a type of ship known as a snow-brig. This ship played a very important role in the War of 1812. It was the backup command ship for Oliver Hazard Perry during the famous Battle of Lake Erie.
Today, Niagara is used for sail training and is called SSV Niagara. It is usually docked in Erie, Pennsylvania, next to the Erie Maritime Museum. During the summer, it often sails around the Great Lakes. It acts as an ambassador for Pennsylvania. The ship was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. In 1988, it became the official state ship of Pennsylvania.
Niagara was built between 1812 and 1813. Its job was to protect the American coastline on Lake Erie from British attacks. It was key to winning the battle for the lake. After the war, like many warships, Niagara was sunk in 1820 to preserve it. It was raised in 1913 and rebuilt for the 100-year anniversary of the Battle of Lake Erie. The ship was restored again in the 1930s and 1960s. A big restoration happened in 1988. Because so much of the ship was replaced, some people wonder if it's a new ship or the original one.
Contents
What's in a Name?
In 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt made a rule. All ships in the United States Navy would start with "USS". Before this, ship names were not always consistent. Documents from that time show different ways Niagara was named. Sometimes it was "US Sloop Niagara" or "US Brig Niagara". Other times it was "USS Niagara".
Because of its historical role, the ship is often called the Flagship Niagara. This is because it was the main ship for Oliver Hazard Perry during the Battle of Lake Erie. It is also known as "SSV Niagara". This name comes from its special job as a Sailing School Vessel for the United States Coast Guard.
Building a Warship
In September 1812, a merchant named Daniel Dobbins went to Washington, D.C.. He warned the U.S. government that the Lake Erie coastline was not safe from British attacks. Dobbins had been captured by the British earlier. He convinced President James Madison and Secretary of the Navy Paul Hamilton. They agreed that the safest place to build a fleet was in the bay at Erie, Pennsylvania. This bay was protected by Presque Isle.
On September 15, Dobbins was given permission to build four gunboats. He also received $2,000 for the work. Dobbins, who was a civilian, was made a sailing master in the Navy. Later, Captain Isaac Chauncey told Dobbins to build two larger ships called brigs. Oliver Hazard Perry became the chief naval officer in February 1813. He arrived in Erie on March 26.
A shipbuilder named Noah Brown from New York City oversaw the building. The main beams, called keels, for the two brigs were made from single black oak logs. Because iron was scarce, wooden pins called treenails were used to join the ship's timbers. Instead of normal sealing materials, lead was used to seal the ships. The wood used was still green because there was no time to let it dry.
A total of 65 cannons were sent to Erie for the fleet. Niagara was launched on July 4, 1813.
One advantage of building in Erie was that a sandbar blocked the bay from Lake Erie. British warships could not get in. Niagara and Lawrence were too deep to cross the sandbar. On August 4, Niagara was pulled over the sandbar. Its cannons and ballast were removed to make it lighter. Large barges called "camels" were used to lift the ship over the sandbar. By the next day, Niagara was safely over and rearmed. The British often watched the area but did not notice Perry's actions.
The War of 1812 and the Great Lakes
On August 6, Perry ordered his fleet to sail for practice. The fleet now had ten ships. Lieutenant Daniel Turner was in charge of Niagara for this trip. The fleet did not have enough sailors. On August 10, Jesse Elliott arrived with 89 men and took command of Niagara.
On August 17, Perry's fleet anchored near Sandusky, Ohio. General William Henry Harrison met with Perry. They agreed to meet at Put-in-Bay, Ohio. Harrison provided 100 riflemen to serve as Marines on the ships. The British fleet, led by Commodore Robert Heriot Barclay, was based in Canada. Barclay had built a ship called Detroit to match Niagara and Lawrence. Supplies were running low for the British. Barclay decided to sail as soon as Detroit was ready.
The Big Battle on Lake Erie
On September 10, both fleets began to move. Detroit fired the first shot around noon. Perry arranged his ships in a line. Each large ship had a target. Lawrence was to attack Detroit, and Niagara was to attack Queen Charlotte. Niagara, led by Elliott, fell behind the other ships. No one knows for sure why this happened.
After a few hours, the cannons on Lawrence were damaged. The ship could no longer move. Perry lowered his battle flag, which said "Don't Give Up The Ship." These were the last words of Captain James Lawrence. Perry then moved to the undamaged Niagara in a small rowboat.
Perry took command of Niagara. He sailed it across the front of the British line. This move is called crossing the "T". Queen Charlotte crashed into Detroit while trying to stop Niagara. Niagara fired its cannons from both sides. The right side hit Queen Charlotte and Detroit. The left side hit Lady Prevost. After several shots, Queen Charlotte surrendered. Soon after, Detroit and the rest of the British fleet also gave up.
After the Battle: A Ship's Journey
After the battle, Niagara helped transport Harrison's army. They went to the Detroit River to prepare for an invasion. In April 1814, Arthur Sinclair took command of Niagara. After repairs, the fleet sailed to Detroit. They carried soldiers for a battle at Mackinac Island. This battle was lost, and the soldiers had to retreat.
The Treaty of Ghent ended the war. Most of the ships from the Battle of Lake Erie were gotten rid of in 1815. Queen Charlotte, Detroit, and Lawrence were sunk to preserve them. Niagara stayed afloat and was used as a receiving ship. It was sunk in 1820 when the naval station closed.
In 1825, Benjamin H. Brown bought all four ships. He sold them to George Miles in 1836. Miles raised the ships, hoping to use them for trade. But Lawrence and Niagara were in bad shape. They also did not have enough space inside. So, they were allowed to sink again.
Bringing the Ship Back to Life
For the 100-year anniversary of the Battle of Lake Erie, Niagara was raised in April 1913. Its main beam, the keel, was in good enough condition to rebuild the ship. There were no original plans for Niagara, which made rebuilding hard. The restored Niagara was launched on June 7. It had new parts and cannons.
From July to September, Niagara was towed to different ports on the Great Lakes. These included Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, Buffalo, and Cleveland. The USS Wolverine towed it. In 1917, the City of Erie took ownership of Niagara. The ship stayed docked and slowly wore down.
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In 1929, a group called the "USS Niagara Foundation" was formed. Their goal was to restore the ship and make it the center of a museum. But the Great Depression started, causing money problems. The state of Pennsylvania took over in 1931. Funds were set aside for another restoration. However, the state stopped funding in 1938, leaving the work unfinished.
Niagara was then given to the Pennsylvania Historical Commission. This group hired Howard I. Chapelle to draw new plans. He based them on other ships built around the same time. Chapelle said very little of the original Niagara was left. The ship was launched in October 1943 without its masts or sails. In 1951, it was placed in a concrete support. It was found that the wood was rotting. A full reconstruction would be needed. More funds were given to make Niagara look good for the 150-year anniversary in 1963. Niagara was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Niagara Today: A Sailing Ambassador
In 1981, the Flagship Niagara League was created. They wanted to rebuild Niagara so it could sail again. Melbourne Smith was hired in 1986 to lead the reconstruction. The old Niagara was in such bad shape that it was taken apart. Most of it was destroyed. Some old timbers were saved and used in parts of the new ship. Because so much new wood was used, the current Niagara is often called a replica.
The first Niagara was built very quickly. The new Niagara was built with properly dried and preserved wood. The new Niagara was launched on September 10, 1988. It was finished on July 18, 1990, when its first test sails were held. On April 29, 1988, the state of Pennsylvania named Niagara its official flagship. Its purpose is to be a "sailing ambassador for Pennsylvania." In 2008, the main mast was replaced.
The United States Coast Guard approved Niagara as a Sailing School Vessel in 2005. For safety, Niagara has modern equipment. This includes diesel engines, lifeboats, radar, and radio. In 2009, the Flagship Niagara League took over running the ship day-to-day. This happened after the state cut funding.
In 2013, Niagara took part in a reenactment of the Battle of Lake Erie. This was for the 200-year anniversary. Sixteen other tall ships joined in. As of January 2024, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission is again managing Niagara. There are plans for major work on the ship. The goal is to keep the Brig closer to Erie for the people of Pennsylvania and for tourists.
See also
- List of Pennsylvania state symbols
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Erie County, Pennsylvania
