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.
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, American forces destroyed the schooner in the Nottawasaga River.
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.
Author: James Marsh
War of 1812 Overview
The war of 1812 was a military conflict between the United States and Great Britain. As a colony of Great Britain, Canada was swept up in the War of 1812 and was invaded a number of times by the Americans.
Nancy Island National Historic Site of Canada
Nancy Island Historic Site is situated about 2 km from the mouth of where the Nottawasaga River flows into southern Georgian Bay, Ont.
Ships of the War of 1812
The war on the water was an essential, if not the most important, aspect of the War of 1812.
War on the Lakes in the War of 1812
The North American heartland, linked by rivers running from the north, west, and south and flowing eastwards via the St Lawrence River, saw intense fighting during the War of 1812.
