Document généré le 25 sept. 2021 01:10 Ontario History The Navies on Lake Ontario in the War of 1812 Notes from the Papers of a Naval Officer Then Serving on His Majesty’s Ships Barlow Cumberland Special Issue: The War of 1812 Volume 104, numéro 1, spring 2012 URI : https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/1065391ar DOI : https://doi.org/10.7202/1065391ar Aller au sommaire du numéro Éditeur(s) The Ontario Historical Society ISSN 0030-2953 (imprimé) 2371-4654 (numérique) Découvrir la revue Citer cet article Cumberland, B. (2012). The Navies on Lake Ontario in the War of 1812: Notes from the Papers of a Naval Officer Then Serving on His Majesty’s Ships. Ontario History, 104(1), 123–139. https://doi.org/10.7202/1065391ar Copyright © The Ontario Historical Society, 2012 Ce document est protégé par la loi sur le droit d’auteur. L’utilisation des services d’Érudit (y compris la reproduction) est assujettie à sa politique d’utilisation que vous pouvez consulter en ligne. https://apropos.erudit.org/fr/usagers/politique-dutilisation/ Cet article est diffusé et préservé par Érudit. Érudit est un consortium interuniversitaire sans but lucratif composé de l’Université de Montréal, l’Université Laval et l’Université du Québec à Montréal. Il a pour mission la promotion et la valorisation de la recherche. https://www.erudit.org/fr/ 2 This faithful sketch, recognized of late years by many old residents, was from the pencil of Cadet Bayfleld, R.N., afterwards Admiral Bayfield. It came into possession of Major-General Cameron, R.M.C., and was reproduced by Prof. Forshaw Day for the Whig and afterwards engraved as above. The village, for it did not attain the dignity of a town until 1838, is seen to skirt the harbor for about ten blocks, with fringe of trees reaching down to the summit of the hill that now marks the centre of the city. The time honored Cataraqui bridge was yet undreamt of, but Navy Bay had a pontoon bridge, to connect the military and naval settlements. At the dockyard several frigates, active In the War of 1812, are shown in permanent quarters out of commission, housed in under wooden roofs. One was the Princess Charlotte, 42 guns. The fortification shown is the first Fort Henry, built in 1818 by the Royal Engineers on the site of the present costly stone pile, erected in 1832. In 1820 barracks were added to the old fort, which led to its enlargement and to its more formidable appearance. The two trees on the right of the foreground can be seen still on Barrlefield Heights, sturdy trunks truly. The Navies on Lake Ontario in the War of 1812 Notes from the Papers of a Naval Officer Then Serving on His Majesty’s Ships by Barlow Cumberland M.A. (Read at the Annual Meeting of the O. H. S. at Kingston, July 19th, 1907) heltered on one side by the of massive chains, and munitions ramparts of Fort Henry and of war, the strokes of hammer and Sunder the lee of Point Fred­ calking irons, and cheers rose eric, now occupied by the build­ exultant as ship after ship was ings and establishment of the Roy­ launched upon the waters to add al Military College, Kingston, lies a strength to the defence and carry little bay, reposeful and placid, as defiance to the opposing foe. indeed befits its present service, Upon the Point had been erect­ for it is the graveyard of His Maj­ ed the Royal Naval Dockyards, esty’s fleet of the War of 1812. for the construction and repair Once the shores were busy of the British Navy upon the In­ with the hauling of huge oaken tim­ land Lakes. The ranges of bar­ bers and resounded to the clank racks, some of which still remain, Ontario History / Volume CIV, No. 1 / Spring 2012 2 ONTARIO HISTORY were erected for the artificers and There were some local shipyards on workmen. The large stone building the shores when war was announced, alongside the anchorage, now oc­ but they were of no magnitude, nor cupied by the cadets of the college, were they provided with the neces­ formed the shored quarters for the sary naval supplies for construction sailors, and from then upper three or equipment. The bases for obtain­ floors being left open for the full ing these were at the ocean and far length like the decks of a ship and removed by tedious and expensive fitted with hammocks, was known communication—on the Canadian as the “Stone Frigate.” side by bateaux from Montreal, Upon this adjacent bay, known slowly surmounting the dangers as “Navy Bay,” the warships then of the St. Lawrence; and on the lay at their moorings in all the American side from Albany, by the bravery of their rigging and colors; mixed transport of road and river now all that is left of them is bur­ along the courses of the Mohawk ied deep in the dark waters and and the Oneida Valleys. remembered only in tradition. There were then no canals by We are so accustomed to see­ which vessels already construct­ ing great steamers in active pas­ ed could be introduced, no naval sage between the ocean and the stores, except such as were to be far Upper Lakes, and fast express brought from the seaboard; no in­ trains speeding by on our rail­ land depots of seamen trained for ways, that it is difficult for us to gunnery or for discipline on war­ comprehend the conditions of land ships in active service. Then na­ and water transport as it existed vies for the lakes had to be con­ nigh 100 years ago. Still more so structed and created. the character of the armaments The garrisons and impor­ which then sailed the lakes when tant centres of population of the the first war navies made their belligerents on Lake Ontario were appearance upon them. A slight far divided and situated at the far excursion into some contempora­ ends of the lakes—on the Ameri­ neous records may not be without can side, Sackett’s Harbor and interest. Ogdensburg on the east, Lewiston War between the United States and Fort Niagara to the west; on and Great Britain had been de­ the Canadian side, Kingston on clared at Washington on 19th the east and Fort George (Newark) June, 1812, and under the then and York (Toronto) to the west. slow­going methods of communi­ On both sides of the lake single cation the news only reached Sir roads of primitive and bush­me­ Geo. Prevost at Kingston on the 27th. andering character followed the Both sides, the American and the shores, forming slow and difficult British, were equally unprepared for means of communication, partic­ naval operations on the Inland Lakes. ularly for the transport of heavy the navies on lake ontario 2 supplies and war material. Gazette says: “We are happy to The command of Lake Ontario announce the arrival at this place was, therefore, of supreme import­ of several distinguished naval of­ ance to whoever could obtain and ficers, together with 400 to 500 hold it. seamen, as fine looking fellows as The local coasting shipping were ever beheld.” was immediately brought into ser­ These were the men of the Royal vice with such crews and material Navy who had been sent through as were to hand, some of the small overland from Halifax to man the sloops and schooners being fitted warships on the lakes, which it to carry guns. was expected would be ready for In the winter of 1812­13 stren­ them on their arrival. uous activity reigned along the In the race for the supremacy lines of communication from the by the building of new ships the sea and in the United States dock­ Americans in this winter sur­ yards at Sackett’s Harbor, and the passed the British. Sir George Royal Naval Dockyard at Kingston Prevost, the Governor­General and Point Frederic. of Canada and “Commander­in­ An item in the Kingston Ga- Chief of the Forces,” was in head­ zette of December 19th, 1812, quarters at Kingston. Of courte­ evidences these activities and re­ ous and conciliating disposition, cords: “We are happy to announce his lack of boldness and decision that 120 ship carpenters have ar­ much hampered, and in some in­ rived at this place; more are ex­ stances afterwards destroyed, the pected.” In the same issue quota­ more ardent action of his subor­ tion is made from a private letter dinate commanders. It had been from the American side, dated arranged that there should be two Sackett’s Harbor, October 10th, new 24­gun warships built during 1812, stating, this winter on the Canadian side; Every exertion is being made by one of these it had been arranged the Government to get command should be built at Kingston, the of the lake. We have a fine ship on other at York. From a naval point of the stocks, which will be finished view the separation was indefensi­ in the last of November, which ble—Kingston was amply fortified will mount thirty­six 32­pound­ ers, with the Brig Oneida, mount­ and garrisoned, while York was ing twenty 32­pounders and five short of guns and naval stores, merchant vessels, which are to be weakly garrisoned and without converted into gunboats. Another any reasonable defences, and, yet ship, afterwards named the Pike, worse for expeditious construc­ was also being laid down. tion, was farther from the base of On the Canadian side prepa­ naval supplies.