Original page can be found at the Naval Historical Center homepage
USS Ontario
The smallest of the Great Lakes.
II
(Slp: t. 509; l. 117’11” lbp.;
b. 31’6”; dr. 16’; cpl. 150; a. 18 32–pdr. car., 2 18–pdr.; cl. Argus)
The second Ontario, a 16 gun rated
sloop of war, was built by Thomas Kemp, Baltimore, Md., in 1813; blockaded in
Chesapeake Bay through the War of 1812; and sailed from New York for the
Mediterranean 20 May 1815, Master Comdt. Jesse D. Elliott in command.
Part of Commodore Stephen Decatur’s ten
ship squadron sent to put a stop to the piracy of the Barbary
states
of Tripoli
and Algiers,
Ontario
arrived Gibraltar
15 June 1815
and two days later, in company with frigates Constellation and Guerrierre and
sloop Epervier, captured the Algerian frigate Mashouda off the coast of Spain
after a chase and short battle. She then commenced blockade off Algiers,
continuing until the end of June when the Dey of Algiers agreed to sign a peace
with Decatur.
The sloop visited Tripoli
and Tunis
with the squadron to demand indemnities for pirated prizes and operated
inprotection of American Mediterranean commerce until sailing for home,
arriving New York
in early 1817.
Ontario
next stood out 4 October under Captain James Biddle on a pioneer mission to the
Pacific. Touching at Rio de Janiero, to deliver dispatches, the sloop rounded Cape
Horn and proceeded to Valparaiso,
Chile,
in early Spring 1818. The Chilean war for independence
was raging and a Spanish blockade of Valparaiso
had been declared, American merchantmen being seized. By means of diplomatic
negotiations with authorities at that port, Captain Biddle succeeded in
achieving the release of captured U.S.
ships, and then stood north, arriving off Cape
Disappointment on the Columbia
River 19 August. There the ship claimed both
sides of the river for the United
States and next sailed
south, touching at Monterey,
Cal.,
for supplies, becoming the first American naval vessel to visit the three future Pacific coast states. Ontario
sailed for home that fall, stopping at Valparaiso
enroute in time to witness the start of Lord Cochrane’s campaign at sea against
Spain,
and stood into Chesapeake Bay
finally 23 April
1819.
The sloop of war put out from New
York 18 January 1821
on her next voyage, sailing for the Mediterranean
via the West Indies.
She arrived Gibraltar,
joining Commodore William Bainbridge’s squadron 27 April and stayed in those
waters protecting commerce for over two and one-half years. The ship returned
to New York
25 January 1824,
and following a six months refit sailed for a second extended deployment with
the Mediterranean Squadron 24 July. Ontario
returned home 20
February 1828 and then made two more trips to the Mediterranean
from August 1829 to May 1832 and November 1833 to June 1836. She next sailed
for the West Indies
19 August 1837
and operated on station there through the spring of 1840. The warship spent
most of her time protecting U.S.
commerce from pirate attacks, showing the flag in Caribbean
ports, and operating out of Havana
and Pensacola
protecting American neutrality during French intervention in Mexico
until returning to New York
2 June.
The sloop of war began her last distant
station cruise 22 February 1842, operating out of New Orleans and in the Gulf
of Mexico, protecting American interests until proceeding to Norfolk and
finally Baltimore 30 July 1843. At that port, Ontario
began duty as a Navy Yard receiving ship and remained there
in service until June 1856. The veteran warship that had served the nation so
well and long showing the flag abroad was sold at public auction 15 July.
(ScFr: dp. 3,953; lbp. 312’6”; b. 47’;
a. 21 guns)
Ontario,
a screw frigate laid down at the New York Navy Yard in 1863,
was never launched. Work on the ship was suspended 27 November 1865,
and her name was changed to New
York 15 May 1869.
The ship was sold while still on the stocks 12 May 1888.
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Submissions, corrections or
suggestions kindly
received by the editor at
kaighin@iname.com
Copyright 2004, 2005, Gregory D.
Kaighin, All rights reserved
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