Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.
NavSource Online: "Old Navy" Ship Photo Archive
USS Sylph (I)
Schooner:
Laid down, 26 July 1813, at Sacket's Harbor, N.Y., by Henry Eckford
Launched, 18 August 1813.
On 21 August USS Sylph joined COMO. Chauncey's fleet on Lake Ontario
On 11 September she participated in the three and one-half running battle off the mouth of the Genessee River, damaging a British brig before escaping into
Amherst Bay with the rest of the British squadron
On 28 September Sylph was present when the two fleets met in York Bay, but since she was towing a slower schooner throughout the engagement she was unable to get close to the fleeing British ships
On 2 October, the British fleet was able to evade the Americans and escaped from York Bay
On 5 October Chauncy located seven British ships, capturing five, with one burned by her crew to prevent capture and one managing to escape
Thereafter, the British fleet remained in Kingston, Ontario, where they were blockaded until the end of November when cold weather closed navigation on the lake for
the winter
During the off-season Sylph was rerigged as a brig, and her armament was changed to two 9-pounders and six 24-pounder carronades
On 5 May 1814, the British squadron captured the American base at Oswego; and then proceeded to Sackett's Harbor which they blockaded until 6 June
Sylph got underway with the rest of the American fleet, 31 July and sailed up to the head of the lake
Chauncy intercepted British brig Magnet there and ordered Sylph to sail into shoal water to destroy the brig, but before she could reach the British vessel her crew ran her aground and burned her
Chauncy then took his squadron including Sylph to Kingston where he blockaded the British fleet until winter ended navigation
The signing of The Treaty of Ghent ended further naval operations on the Great Lakes
Sylph was laid up at Sackett's Harbor until 1823 when she was reported sunk and decayed
Final Disposition, her hulk was sold before 1825
Specifications:
Displacement 300 t.
Length unknown
Beam unknown
Draft unknown
Depth of Hold unknown
Speed unknown
Complement 70
Armament
four long 32 pdrs.
twelve long 6 pdrs.
Propulsion sail
Click On Image
For Full Size Image |
Size |
Image Description |
Contributed
By |
| There are no images of USS Sylph (I) available at NavSource |
USS Sylph (I)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
|
Last Updated 18 August 2017