Scourge (Schooner)

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The Scourge was an American warship converted from a confiscated merchant schooner. She foundered along with the American warship Hamilton during a squall on Lake Ontario on August 7, 1813, during the War of 1812.

The Scourge began its career as the Lord Nelson, which was built at Niagara in Upper Canada for merchant James Crooks. The Lord Nelson found its way into American naval service after it was stopped and searched by the American warship Oneida under the command of Lt. Melancthon T. Woosley in June of 1812. The Lord Nelson was confiscated under the Embargo Act of 1807 and taken to Sackets Harbor, where it was armed with four 6-pound cannons, four 4-pound cannons and fitted with bulwarks. The ship was placed in Captain Isaac Chauncey's squadron and patrolled Lake Ontario during the War of 1812.

The Scourge and the Hamilton sank during a sudden squall off Fourteen Mile Creek near present-day Hamilton, Ontario around 2:00 am on August 7, 1813. The sinkings took more than 80 men to their death. The "Scourge" was under command of a sailing Master Osgood. According to a Letter of August 1813 after both ships were lost sixteen survived. {see external Link #2 below}. A survivor of the Scourge was Ned Myers who told his story to James Fenimore Cooper. See Link # 3 below. According to Myers account only about 6-besides himself-were saved-although apparently the total saved was 8; according to Myers the total of the Scourge lost was 42.