The Bizarre Afterlife (s) of HMS Detroit

The modern sailing training ship Oliver Hazard Perry, formerly the reconstructed Detroit.

The ship sloop Detroit was the most powerful ship on the Upper Great Lakes when she was launched at the Amherstburg Naval Dockyard in July of 1813, and fitted out on the Detroit river in August. However, from the beginning she had a jinxed life. Built to counter the Americans new 18-gun brigs then being built at Erie, Pennsylvania, she was to mount 20 24-pounder carronades and 4 12-pounder long guns. Because Amherstburg was on the end of a long string of British outposts, some of which were attacked and captured while the Detroit was under construction, getting the vessel fitted out and armed was a major struggle. After her carronades were captured when the capital of Upper Canada, York (modern day Toronto) fell to an American attack, the British had to scrape together a mixed armament of 24-pounders and 12-pounders and other odd long guns, including an 18-pounder on a pivot mount. This still made her a formidable ship but she was captured along with the rest of the British squadron--not before being nearly shot to pieces and losing most of her crew and officers. The damage was so severe that although she was taken into American service as the USS Detroit, the vessel spent the winter of 1813 at Put-in-Bay before being repaired enough, along with her sister Queen Charlotte, to limp back to Erie, Pennsylvania. At the end of the War of 1812 both ships were sunk along with the American brigs to preserve the hulls. If another war with England came, they could be raised and fitted out again.

The Navy sold the submerged hulks off, and in 1836 an Erie merchant raised the Detroit to use as a merchant ship. She again sailed the lakes until 1841, when according to most sources she was bought by a group of Niagara area merchants who planned to send her over the Niagara Falls as a stunt. The vessel grounded somewhere in the rapids above the Falls, and broke up. Probably, there are fittings and timbers scattered through the rapids in the area that belong to the ill-fated Detroit. Ironically, the first HMS Detroit, the US Army Brig Adams captured from the Americans in 1812, then recaptured by Jesse Elliot, ran aground and burned in the Niagara, a few miles upriver of her namesake.

That's not the end of the story, however. In 1998 an Ontario group raised funds to build a steel-hulled replica of the Detroit to be based at Amherstburg, Ontario. They finished the hull, apparently, but after spending 3 million dollars, they had run out of money before they could fit it out and operate it. From 2003 to 2015 the project was stillborn, but at last a group of Rhode Islanders swept in and purchased the hull, had it towed to Oliver Hazard Perry's hometown of Newport, and fitted out as a sail training vessel. In an ironic twist, it was renamed the SSV Oliver Hazard Perry.

"The Ships of War are Coming In." -- To the immense number of vessels navigation Lake Erie, is about to be added a class rendered famous, in former days and the sight of which, engaged in commerce, will be calculated to awaken the patriotic feelings of every American beholder. The vessels composing a part of the glorious fleet of the victor Perry, with a number of the prizes taken from the enemy in the ever memorable battle of the 10th of Sept., 1813, which have since the close of the late war, sunk in this harbor, have lately become the property of Messrs. Miles and Leach of this place, are to be fitted up for Lake trade. The QUEEN CHARLOTTE, (a prize) was raised on Monday last. Her timbers were found to be perfectly sound. She is to be repaired and rigged for a brig this season. The LAWRENCE, (American) and the DETROIT (prize) are to be raised immediately -- the former intended to be converted to a steam boat. ---- Erie Observer 

      Cleveland Weekly Advertiser 

      Thursday, January 20, 1835; 3; 1. 

      PERRY'S FLEET. - Two more of the vessels engaged in the ever memorable action of the 10th. Sept. 1813----the LAWRENCE and the DETROIT---have been raised from their watery bed in this harbor, for the purpose of being brought again into action, not for the destruction of human life as formerly but to be used in the more peaceful and profitable pursuits of commerce. The timbers, like those of the QUEEN CHARLOTTE are found to be perfectly sound, and there is no doubt they will richly reward their present proprietors for their enterprise in bringing them once more to the surface of that water on which they were once so distinguished, and placing them again in a state for public usefulness. 

      The LAWRENCE, which was the flag ship of Commodore Perry, was raised during the firing of a national salute, on the 10th. inst. the anniversary of the action in which her commander was so successfully victorious, just twenty-two years before. - Erie Observer 

      Buffalo Daily Star 

      Thursday, September 17, 1835 

The ship DETROIT, flagship of the British squadron on Lake Erie in 1813, has arrived at Detroit. She was raised by the exertions of Capt. Miles from the basin at Erie, where she has lain sunk since 1814. Her timbers, decks, &c., are perfectly sound. About twenty 32 pound balls were taken from her timbers, during the repairs, and a great number of smaller, from twelves to grape shot. Some are yet remaining in her wales. She is 260 tons burthen, has a gentleman's cabin with 16 berths, ladies' cabin, 8 berths, steerage, 18 berths, and 3 state rooms, sufficient each to accommodate a family. 

      Cleveland Weekly Advertiser 

      Thursday, August 25, 1836 

The British Barge DETROIT - This vessel which was sunk during the last war at Erie, and raised by Capt. Miles, is now lying at the wharf in this city. Very little alteration has been made, her hull, cabins, &c., remain as they were. There is still to be seen on board of this vessel, an eighteen-pound ball, lodged in her starboard side, just under the deck and opposite the foremast, which attracts a good deal of attention. - Cleveland Adv. 

      Detroit Democratic Free Press 

      June 28, 1837 

The barque DETROIT, once a British vessel of war, is now in port. She belonged to the fleet captured by the brave Perry, and was sunk for preservation many years ago, at Presque Isle. She was raised last season and has been fitted up for the trade of the uper (sic) lakes. - Buf. Star. 

      Detroit Democratic Free Press July 13, 1837