Tall Ship Niagara visits Bay City
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Bay City's historic riverfront, once home to so many great ships, is becoming a regular stop for many well known tall ships. For the July 4th, 2002 weekend, the Brig Niagara was in port and open for public tours.
Literature supplied bythe Niagara crew says:"The Flagship Niagara served as Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry's relief flagship when Amreican forces won the Battle of Lake Erie on September 10, 1813. With his own ship battered by two hours of cannon fire, Commodore Perry transferred command and his "Don't Give Up the Ship" battle flag to Niagara. He and his crew then sailed the vessel to a stunning victory over the British fleet - immortalized by Perry's words, 'We have met the enemy and they are ours.' The battle gave control of the Upper Greal Lakes to the United States during the War of 1812 and secured further American expansion into the Old Northwest."
Today's Niagara is a reconstruction of the original ship. She was launched on September 10, 1988 in ceremonies marking the 175th anniversary of the Battle of Lake Erie. From her home port at the Erie Maritime Museum in Erie, Pennsylvania, the Niagara sails actively as a living history exhibit. The original Niagara was built in 1813 as one of six ships in a fleet commissioned by President Madison.
In August 1813, the squadron of new ships sailed into Put-in-Bay, Ohio, training the crew and watching the British at Fort Malden, Ontario. Just weeks later, on September 10, 1813, six British vessels under Britain's Commodore Robert Barclay fought the American Fleet at Put-in-Bay.
During the battle, Perry's flagship Lawrence suffered great damage and loss of life. Perry transferred to the Niagara with his "Don't Give Up the Ship" battle flag and defeated the British. At the end of the battle Perry dispatched his vistory message "We have met the enemy and they are ours" to Major General William Henry Harrison.Following the battle, Niagara was stationed in Erie where it served as a headquarters ship with offices, supplies and a sick bay.
In 1820, Niagara and Lawrence were both deliberately sunk in Misery Bay at Erie, which preserved them for future use. The Lawrence was raised in 1870 to participate in the centennial of the United States, but was later destroyed in a fire. Niagara was raised and rebuilt in 1913 for centennial celebration of the great battle. She was rebuilt again in 1933 and displayed on land near the lakefront in Erie.
By the mid 1980's, the old ship had deteriorated to the point where she had to be closed to the public. In 1988, ship builder Melbourne Smith constructed the fourth and current Niagara. Today's ship incorporates some of the original timber in non-structural areas.
The Niagara has a sparred length of 198 feet and displaces 297 long tons. The foremast is 113 feet tall and the mainmast is 120 feet. The original ship carried 18 32-pound carronades and two 12-pound long guns. Today's ship is outfitted with working armament of four 32-pounders and two 12-pound long guns. The cannons are regularly fired as salutes and ocassionally are fired with actual cannon balls.
Today the ship sails with a crew 40 officers and sailers. The original ship had a crew of 155 officers and men and boys.
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Stephen Kent |
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