IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION

Vessel Names: Ontario

Location: Near Oswego, Lake Ontario, New York, USA

Date of Engagement: 1756

GPS Coordinates: Not available due to the historical nature of the engagement.

VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION

The Ontario was an armed Schooner serving the British Navy during the French and Indian War. Built in 1756 at Oswego, New York, the Schooner was part of Britain’s efforts to secure control over Lake Ontario, a critical strategic point in the Great Lakes region. Specific design and dimensional details of the vessel are sparse, typical of records from this period, but it was intended for patrol and combat duties.

HISTORY

The Ontario played a role in the broader conflict of the French and Indian War (1754–1763), where the British and French vied for control of North America’s interior waterways. In 1756, Lake Ontario became a focal point for these clashes. The British Navy, recognizing the strategic importance of the lake, built vessels like the MOHAWK and Ontario to challenge French dominance in the region.

In the summer of 1756, a pivotal engagement occurred near Oswego, New York. British forces, including several vessels such as the Ontario, MOHAWK, and others, faced the French fleet under General Montcalm’s command. Montcalm’s forces not only overwhelmed the British naval fleet but also captured key fortifications in Oswego, marking a major blow to British efforts in the region.

After capturing the Ontario and MOHAWK, the French destroyed both vessels by fire, ensuring they could not be reclaimed or reused by British forces. This tactic significantly reduced British naval capabilities on Lake Ontario, giving the French a strategic advantage in the Great Lakes theater of the war.

FINAL DISPOSITION

•Date of Loss: 1756

•Cause of Loss: Burned and destroyed after capture by French forces during the naval engagement near Oswego.

•Casualties: Casualty details are undocumented, though significant losses were recorded in the overall Oswego campaign.

NOTMARs & ADVISORIES

•Current Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs): None applicable due to the historical nature of the wrecks.

•Advisories: The area near Oswego, New York, is of historical significance but is not marked as a wreck site due to the destruction of the vessels.

LOCATED BY & DATE

The remains of the Ontario and other vessels from this engagement have not been located, and it is unlikely they will be due to their destruction and the passage of time.

CURRENT CONDITION & ACCESSIBILITY

The Ontario, like its companion vessels, was burned by the French and has left no known identifiable remnants. Given the lack of physical remains and the historical timeframe, the exact location is inaccessible for diving or exploration.

RESOURCES & LINKS

•Maritime History of the Great Lakes

•David Swayze Shipwreck File

•Bowling Green State University Historic Vessels Index

•Great Lakes Ships

CONCLUSION

The Ontario’s loss in 1756 near Oswego serves as a vivid reminder of the intense struggles for control over North America’s interior waterways during the French and Indian War. Though its physical remains are lost to time, the vessel’s story is an integral part of Lake Ontario’s maritime history and highlights the strategic significance of naval power in shaping the region’s colonial conflicts.

Keywords: Ontario, MOHAWK, Oswego naval engagement, Lake Ontario shipwrecks, French and Indian War, Montcalm, British Navy, Great Lakes maritime history.