From the October 15, 2015, Welland (Canada) Tribune by Greg Furmingen.
Ken Cassavoy unearthed the ship from the sands of Saugeen Shores ten years ago. He now wants to elevate its prominence. The marine architect was in his 30s, now 60s, and had just moved to Welland three months and wants the wreck of the HMS General Hunter designated a National Historic Site.
He always knew there were wrecks around Southampton, but he and a friend literally stumbled upon the General Hunter while walking on Southampton Beach. He tripped over a blackened timber poking though the sand.
Preliminary digs yielded a ship and he became project head of an excavation in 2004 which had as many as 200 volunteers at times for a nine-weeks. This was his first one done above ground. The wreck soon could be identified as the General Hunter.
--Brock-Perry
2012 marks the 200th anniversary of America's "Forgotten War," the War of 1812 that took place over three years, 1812 to 1815.
Battle of New Orleans.
Showing posts with label Southampton Ontario. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Southampton Ontario. Show all posts
Monday, January 18, 2016
Monday, April 6, 2015
Nearly Life-Size Replica of the HMS General Hunter Being Built-- Part 2
Recovery efforts have been led by Ken Cassavoy.
Bruce County has set aside $100,000 over a three-year period to help cover the HMS General Hunter exhibit and gun deck.
Visitors will be able to walk on the ship's deck and get a sense of history. When finished, the deck will be forty feet long, sixteen feet short of the original 56 feet,
--Brock-Perry
Bruce County has set aside $100,000 over a three-year period to help cover the HMS General Hunter exhibit and gun deck.
Visitors will be able to walk on the ship's deck and get a sense of history. When finished, the deck will be forty feet long, sixteen feet short of the original 56 feet,
--Brock-Perry
Nearly Life-Size Replica of HMS General Hunter Being Built-- Part 1
From the January 15, 2012, Owen Sound (Canada) Suntimes "HMS General Hunter" by Willy Watertown.
A nearly life-size replica of the ship is being built at Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre in Southampton to mark the 200th anniversary of the ship and the War of 1812. It is expected to take 24 volunteers six months to complete the brig's battle-ready deck, complete with a towering mainmast.
The museum also has a General Hunter and War of 1812 exhibit scheduled to open June 19th.
The General Hunter was built in 1806 at Amherstburg and was used as a provincial marine transport and took part in several War of 1812 actions. It was wrecked during a storm on the Southampton Beach in August 1816, while an American ship.
--Brock-Perry
A nearly life-size replica of the ship is being built at Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre in Southampton to mark the 200th anniversary of the ship and the War of 1812. It is expected to take 24 volunteers six months to complete the brig's battle-ready deck, complete with a towering mainmast.
The museum also has a General Hunter and War of 1812 exhibit scheduled to open June 19th.
The General Hunter was built in 1806 at Amherstburg and was used as a provincial marine transport and took part in several War of 1812 actions. It was wrecked during a storm on the Southampton Beach in August 1816, while an American ship.
--Brock-Perry
Saturday, April 4, 2015
War of 1812's HMS General Hunter-- Part 5
In an 1816 letter from a U.S. general said that two boats were sent to salvage whatever they could and then set fire to whatever remained.
What was left after that was eventually covered by sand and forgotten.
The oak hull is in good shape.
--Brock-Perry
What was left after that was eventually covered by sand and forgotten.
The oak hull is in good shape.
--Brock-Perry
War of 1812's HMS General Hunter-- Part 4
At the Battle of Lake Erie, six British ships, including the General Hunter, engaged nine American ones and all were captured.
While in American hands, it is unclear if the General Hunter ever saw action again, but it did serve as a transport and the name was shortened to just Hunter.
Further research has shown that in 1816, the Hunter sailed from Michilimackinac to Detroit when it encountered a violent storm on Lake Huron and was thrown off course. Its crew of eight, fearing for their lives "put the helm hard a weather and run her in head foremost: onto Southampton Beach.
Everyone aboard, including two passengers, survived.
--Brock-Perry
While in American hands, it is unclear if the General Hunter ever saw action again, but it did serve as a transport and the name was shortened to just Hunter.
Further research has shown that in 1816, the Hunter sailed from Michilimackinac to Detroit when it encountered a violent storm on Lake Huron and was thrown off course. Its crew of eight, fearing for their lives "put the helm hard a weather and run her in head foremost: onto Southampton Beach.
Everyone aboard, including two passengers, survived.
--Brock-Perry
Friday, April 3, 2015
War of 1812's HMS General Hunter-- Part 3
Part of a musket was found, a bayonet, an officer's walking stick, a wooden deadeye used in the ship's rigging and pieces of a shoe. Also 194 ceramic shards from plates, cups, saucers, soup bowls and a tankard.
They eventually determine the ship wreck to be that of the HMS General Hunter.
--Brock-Perry
They eventually determine the ship wreck to be that of the HMS General Hunter.
--Brock-Perry
War of 1812's HMS General Hunter-- Part 2
There was confusion as to what ship's remains had been found. At first it was thought the shipwreck found on shore might be that of the merchant schooner Wenzell lost in 1798.
Preliminary examination of the remains in 2001 and 2002 revealed a mast step, a bracket to secure a mast to the bottom of the boat. Also, 472 stones, weighing 10,246 pounds used a s ballast were found.
There was a full excavation in 2004. because of its proximity to the water, a berm was built, but it collapsed and a second stronger one managed to hold Lake Huron's waters back. Two hundred volunteers spearheaded by the Southampton Marine Heritage Society worked on the remains.
They found it to have been built of oak, 54 feet long at the keel and 18-foot wide with two masts.
In addition, they found a small cannon, 4 cannon balls that would have been used by larger pieces and military buttons from the Royal Newfoundland regiment.
More to Come. --Brock-Perry
Preliminary examination of the remains in 2001 and 2002 revealed a mast step, a bracket to secure a mast to the bottom of the boat. Also, 472 stones, weighing 10,246 pounds used a s ballast were found.
There was a full excavation in 2004. because of its proximity to the water, a berm was built, but it collapsed and a second stronger one managed to hold Lake Huron's waters back. Two hundred volunteers spearheaded by the Southampton Marine Heritage Society worked on the remains.
They found it to have been built of oak, 54 feet long at the keel and 18-foot wide with two masts.
In addition, they found a small cannon, 4 cannon balls that would have been used by larger pieces and military buttons from the Royal Newfoundland regiment.
More to Come. --Brock-Perry
Thursday, April 2, 2015
War of 1812's HMS General Hunter-- Part 1
From the Jan. 20, 2012, The Star (Canada) "War of 1812 fighting vessel HMS General Hunter came to rest in Southampton, Ontario" by Kenneth Kidd.
There is a threadbare flag of red, white and blue of the British Red Ensign with the Union Jack at top and in the left-hand corner and surrounded by a sea of red is on loan from the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis. And, it is no small flag either. It is 8-foot by 10-foot, but was shortened at some point by four feet when a linen backing was put on it.
It was a war trophy, captured by Oliver Hazard Perry's fleet at the Battle of Lake Erie. It was the flag flying on the HMS General Hunter that day. Three years later, the ship was run ashore near Southampton's downtown in the midst of a bad storm.
In 2001, low water on Lake Huron and retreating ice exposed the tips of the General Hunter (also referred to as the Hunter).
At first, no one was sure what ship it was as there are some fifty other shipwreck sites in the area.
--Brock-Perry
There is a threadbare flag of red, white and blue of the British Red Ensign with the Union Jack at top and in the left-hand corner and surrounded by a sea of red is on loan from the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis. And, it is no small flag either. It is 8-foot by 10-foot, but was shortened at some point by four feet when a linen backing was put on it.
It was a war trophy, captured by Oliver Hazard Perry's fleet at the Battle of Lake Erie. It was the flag flying on the HMS General Hunter that day. Three years later, the ship was run ashore near Southampton's downtown in the midst of a bad storm.
In 2001, low water on Lake Huron and retreating ice exposed the tips of the General Hunter (also referred to as the Hunter).
At first, no one was sure what ship it was as there are some fifty other shipwreck sites in the area.
--Brock-Perry
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Remains of HMS General Hunter Might Become Canadian National Historic Site
From the March 29, 2015, Bayshore Broadcasting (Canada)
Ship Site may Become Historic."
The site of the wreck of the HMS General Hunter in Southampton, Ontario, could soon become a Canadian National Historic Site. It is located between Morpeth and Palmington Streets.
Ken Cassoway has led this effort and says he now needs permission from the province which owns the crown land, the town and the Saugeen First Nation in order to proceed.
The wreck site was discovered in 2001 and since then the site was excavated before being returned to the sand in order to preserve the remains.
The General Hunter was a Royal Navy ship that ended up as a U.S. Army transport ship after the War of 1812. It is expected that it will cost millions of dollars to remove the ship and find a suitable location to prevent further deterioration.
There is an interpretive sign at the site.
Always Like Preservation. --Brock-Perry
Ship Site may Become Historic."
The site of the wreck of the HMS General Hunter in Southampton, Ontario, could soon become a Canadian National Historic Site. It is located between Morpeth and Palmington Streets.
Ken Cassoway has led this effort and says he now needs permission from the province which owns the crown land, the town and the Saugeen First Nation in order to proceed.
The wreck site was discovered in 2001 and since then the site was excavated before being returned to the sand in order to preserve the remains.
The General Hunter was a Royal Navy ship that ended up as a U.S. Army transport ship after the War of 1812. It is expected that it will cost millions of dollars to remove the ship and find a suitable location to prevent further deterioration.
There is an interpretive sign at the site.
Always Like Preservation. --Brock-Perry
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