The 1814 Naval Race on the Lakes: HMS Prince Regent and Princess Charlotte

The timeline for April 1814 clearly shows that a big naval arms race was on along the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain during the early part of 1814.

Needing more heavily armed vessels to challenge American Commodore Chauncey for control of Lake Ontario, Sir James Lucas Yeo's British squadron was reinforcedby the HMS Prince Regent (56 guns) and HMS Princess Charlotte (42 guns) on April 14, 1814. This gave Yeo the advantage.

On May 6, 1814, these two and other vessels conveyed part of a 550 soldier force in an amphibious attack on Oswego, New York. Then they covered the landing and bombarded the fort.

Other ships added to the forces in the first part of April 1814: British: HMS Linnert. American: USS Jefferson, Saratoga and Jones.

 --Brock-Perry