Frigate New Orleans and Its Shiphouse at Sackets Harbor

Identification & Site Information

• Name: USS New Orleans
• Former Names: None
• Type: Frigate (74-gun ship-of-the-line, later designated as a frigate)
• Built at: Sackets Harbor, New York
• Date Keel Laid: 1814
• Completion Status: Never completed, Abandoned in 1815
• Final Disposition: Scrapped in 1883
• Location: Sackets Harbor, Lake Ontario

Vessel Type

The USS New Orleans was intended to be a massive 74-gun warship, originally a ship-of-the-line, but later reclassified as a frigate. It was one of the largest ships ever planned for the Great Lakes.

Designed for naval superiority over British forces during the War of 1812, it was meant to be the most powerful warship on the Great Lakes. However, the war ended before it could be completed.

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Construction and History

The War of 1812 saw an intense shipbuilding race between American and British forces on the Great Lakes. In 1814, with the British constructing large warships at Kingston, Ontario, the U.S. Navy began work on the USS New Orleans at Sackets Harbor, New York.

Key Features of the USS New Orleans

• Designed to be the largest American warship on the Great Lakes
• Length: Estimated 190–200 feet (58–61 meters)
• Beam: Approximately 50 feet (15 meters)
• Armament: Planned 74 cannons, making it a ship-of-the-line
• Timber Used: White oak and pine, locally sourced from upstate New York
• Shiphouse Built Over It: A massive wooden structure was erected to protect the unfinished ship from the elements

The ship was never launched, and by the end of 1814, only the Hull had been completed.

Why It Was Never Completed

• Treaty of Ghent (1815): The war ended before the ship could be finished, making it unnecessary.
• Rush-Bagot Agreement (1817): This treaty limited naval forces on the Great Lakes, preventing further shipbuilding.
• Gradual Decay: The USS New Orleans remained in its shiphouse for decades, slowly deteriorating.
• Scrapped in 1883: After nearly 70 years of inactivity, the Hull was finally dismantled.

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Final Disposition

• The USS New Orleans was never launched and remained in its shiphouse at Sackets Harbor for nearly seven decades.
• In 1883, the remains were dismantled and sold for scrap.
• The shiphouse stood until the 1880s, when it was also taken down.

Historical Significance

Located By & Date Found

Nil return. Since USS New Orleans was never launched and later scrapped, there are no wreck remains to be found.

NOTMARs & Advisories

Nil return. No navigational hazards remain from the USS New Orleans, as the site was cleared after the ship’s dismantling.

Resources & Links

• Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site – Preserves the War of 1812 naval history at Sackets Harbor
• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Naval History and Heritage Command
• U.S. Navy War of 1812 Records
• New York State Archives (Albany, NY)
• National Archives – Rush-Bagot Agreement and War of 1812 naval correspondence

Conclusion

The USS New Orleans remains one of the most fascinating “ghost ships” of the Great Lakes, a massive warship that was never completed, never launched, and never fought a battle.

Despite its lack of service, it stands as a symbol of the U.S.-British naval arms race on the Great Lakes and a reminder of how quickly war plans can become obsolete.