Henry Eckford-- Part 3: Moves Operations to Sackets Harbor

Henry Eckford suspended his New York City operations, gathered his apprentices and best workers and moved to Sackets Harbor, New York.

His first ship was the USS Madison, a 42-gun frigate.  Construction of the ship was further complicated because Eckford was not only building it, but also building his shipyard, buildings and quarters.  Sackets Harbor went from being a small, sleepy village to a bustling town as one of the Navy's main bases during the war.

By April 1813, Eckford had 200 carpenters and workers there.  By the following year, it was 400 and 800 by 1815.  Part of this increase was due to the shipbuilding race between the British and Americans on the Great Lakes.

--Brock-Perry

Background to the War-- Part 3: The Naval War on the Great Lakes

A crucial fact of the war was the 1,500 mile distance between Quebec City and Detroit, during an age of nonexistent roads.  Control of the Great Lakes was an absolute necessity for the British.  Their fortunes had a major setback in September 1813 when the American fleet under Commodore Perry defeated the British one at the Battle of Lake Erie.

This meant that British ships could no longer go through that Lake.

Then, control of Lake Ontario was deadlocked because of a naval shipbuilding race in which neither commander dared risk it all.

Then, in September 1814, a British attack on Plattsburgh, New York, by the largest army they ever fielded on the continent was thwarted when the British Navy which was supposed to guard its flank was defeated by Macdonough's American fleet.

--Brock-Perry

HMS Confiance: Lake Champlain's Largest-Ever Warship-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

Was the largest warship ever to sail on Lake Champlain. It was 147-feet long, 831 tons and mounted thirty 24-pdrs, six 32-pdr. carronades and one 24-pdr. on pivot. Built very quickly, using green wood which proved to be a weakness.

Launched at Ile aux Noix on August 25, 1814, and gave the British Navy superiority on Lake Champlain. Served as Captain George Downie's flagship at the Battle of Plattsburgh on September 11, 1814. (As you can see, the Confiance did not have but a three-week trial period.)

The Confiance was built in response to Master Commandant Macdonough's high-powered shipbuilding program and was part of the naval race on the Great Lakes between Britain and the U.S.. 

More to Come. --Brock-Perry