The Nancy and the War of 1812

The Nancy was a schooner built in 1789 at the then-British port of Detroit, by a Montréal shipbuilding company under the supervision of John Richardson (whose daughter's and wife's names were Nancy). Richardson lavished care on the vessel, intending it to be "a perfect masterpiece of workmanship and beauty." The schooner was built for the fur trade, to carry goods including food, clothing, rum, meat, powder, blankets, tools, weapons and ammunition to the trading posts of SAULT STE MARIE and FORT MICHILIMACKINAC.

See a re-enactment of the sinking of the Nancy during the War of 1812. From YouTube.

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During the WAR OF 1812, the British pressed the Nancy into service as a supply ship. The schooner was deemed "capable of mounting six 4-pound carriage guns and six swivel guns." While in this service, the schooner was destroyed by American forces in the Nottawasaga River on 14 August 1814.

The sunken hull of the Nancy formed an obstruction in the river and an island formed of silt and sand, which is now the NANCY ISLAND HISTORIC SITE. The hull's remains rest in a museum on the island to mark the site of her demise.

See also WAR ON THE LAKES IN THE WAR OF 1812; CAPTURE OF THE TIGRESS AND SCORPION, WAR OF 1812.

Author JAMES MARSH

Links to Other Sites
War of 1812 Bicentennial
An informative online guide to major events and heritage sites in the Southern Georgian Bay area related to bicentennial commemoration of the War of 1812. Features articles and videos that explain the lasting impact of the war on this picturesque region of Ontario.

The Epic Saga of His Majesty’s Schooner Nancy and the Struggle for the Control of the Upper Great Lakes
An illustrated article about the memorable role of the schooner HMS Nancy in the War of 1812. From the War of 1812 Magazine at napoleon-series.org.

The War Of 1812 and the HMS Nancy
Click on the image for a larger view of the HMS Nancy, a British supply ship that served on Lake Erie during the War of 1812. From the website for the Friends of Nancy Island and Wasaga Beach Park.

Fighting Sail On Lake Huron And Georgian Bay
A review of Barry Gough's book "Fighting Sail On Lake Huron And Georgian Bay: The War Of 1812 And Its Aftermath." From the Canadian Military Journal.

The schooner HMS Nancy
A painting that depicts the HMS Nancy sailing on open water. From davidgeister.com.

Miller Worsley
A biography of naval officer Miller Worsley. From the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online.

Capture of the USS Tigress and Scorpion
A brief account of the capture of the USS Tigress and USS Scorpion by British forces in 1814 (during the War of 1812). From the website for the Southern Georgian Bay War of 1812 Bicentennial Committee.