Jesse Elliott, USN-- Part 4: Service in Lake Ontario and Back to Lake Erie

Jesse Elliott was then transferred to Lake Ontario where he served under Commodore Isaac Chauncey as captain on the flagship, the USS Madison,  and took part in the Battle of York on 27 April 1813 and the Battle of Fort George on 27 May.

He was promoted to master commandant in July and reassigned to the Lake Erie Squadron, to serve as Perry's second in command.  He felt Perry had insufficient combat experience and was particularly outspoken Perry's decision to use Presque Isle for his shipyard.   

The two me were on collision course at thus time.  No doubt Elliott was still smarting over being replaced in Lake Erie by Perry to begin the problems.

BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE

Then came the famous battle.

During the Battle of Lake Erie against a British squadron under Captain Robert Barclay on 10 September 1813, Elliott commanded the USS Niagara.  Perry commanded the Niagara's sister ship, the USS Lawrence.

--Brock-Perry

Standing Tall on Lake Erie-- Part 4: 'Don't Give Up the Ship'

At 7:00 am, Perry ordered his two largest ships, the USS Niagara and the USS Lawrence, to set full sail and proceed directly toward the British line.  But the Great  Lakes' notorious winds put up a long resistance.  Despite Perry's wishes, the wind wouldn't back his ships.  

Nonetheless, at 10:00, just as he was readying to steer his ships away, the tricky wind suddenly shifted, situating itself directly behind the Americans.

Commanding the British vessels was Commander Robert Heriot Barclay, an experienced Royal Navy officer from Scotland, who ordered his ships to go with the wind, taking the British vessels into battle.

The British ship HMS Detroit crippled the American flagship USS Lawrence, forcing Perry to transfer his men to the USS Niagara.  He made sure to bring his battle flag --  emblazoned with the words "Don't Give Up the Ship," the dying words of his friend James Lawrence, who had been killed earlier in the war.

--Brock-Perry

Amherstburg Royal Navy Dockyard-- Part 5: Abandoned After the Battle of Lake Erie

Commander Robert Barclay's fleet met Oliver Hazard Perry's American fleet 10 September 1813 at the Battle of Lake Erie and the result was the capture of the entire British fleet.  With American control over Lake Erie and supplies cut off British land forces were forced to retreat to to Burlington Heights for supplies.

The yard was burned and abandoned in September 1813.  In 1814, a new Royal Navy Yard was established at Penetanguishene on Lake Huron.

The site of the Amherstburg Royal Naval Dockyard  was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1928.    The site has a four-sided monument featuring four brass  plaques detailing the site's historic significance and is located in a 10-5 acre park.

--Brock-Perry

Amherstburg Royal Naval Dockyard-- Part 5: Royal Navy Takes Control and A Plan

During the War of 1812, the dockyard was first the base of operations for the Provincial Marine's operations on Lake Erie and Lake Huron and later the Royal Navy's.

However, due to the yards location at the far end of Lake Erie, supplies for it had to be shipped across the lake from Fort George and overland from Niagara Falls or shipped to York and Burlington Heights, transported overland to Long Point before being transported on the lake again to the yard.

In May 1813, the Royal Navy took control of all of the Provincial Marine forces and establishments on Lake Erie.  With the construction of superior American ships in 1813, , Commander Robert Heriot Barclay, the commander of the Royal Navy's Lake Erie Squadron and sought to defeat the Americans before they could cut his supply lines.

--Brock-Perry

Miller Worsley, Royal Navy-- Part 1: At Trafalgar, Transferred to Canada

From Wikipedia.

8 July 1791 to 2 May 1835

Volunteered for the Royal Navy in 1803, became midshipman in 1805.  He was at the Battle of Trafalgar serving aboard the HMS Swiftsure (See next post)

Drafted to serve in Canada along with Robert Heriot Barclay (Battle of Lake Erie) and Daniel Pring.  Evidently many British officers, both Army and Navy, regarded service in Canada as not too promising for their careers.  Much more action and advancement opportunity against the French in Europe.

Promoted to lieutenant 12 July 1813 and in 1814 was 1st lt. on frigate HMS Princess Charlotte on Lake Ontario and participated in the Raid on Fort Oswego.

--Brock-Perry