Identification & Site Information

• Vessel Name: Eliza
• Other Names: None recorded
• Vessel Type: Schooner (Transport)
• Date Built: Unknown (likely circa 1800-1810)
• Builder: Unknown — likely built in Upper Canada or possibly acquired from private ownership for military service
• Place Built: Unknown — probable Lake Erie or Upper Lakes shipyard
• Dimensions: Estimated based on contemporary transports:
• Length: 50-60 feet (15-18 metres)
• Beam: 15-18 feet (4.5-5.5 metres)
• Tonnage: Estimated 30-40 tons
• Registry Number: None recorded — no formal registration for impressed military vessels
• Date Lost: October 1813
• Final Location: Thames River, Upper Canada (modern-day Ontario)
• Coordinates: Exact location unknown, estimated near Chatham-Kent, along the retreat route. Approximate vicinity: 42°24’N, 82°11’W
• Depth at Wreck Site: Unknown — presumed shallow water typical of the Thames River.

Vessel Type

Schooner (Transport)

The Eliza was a small cargo Schooner, likely pressed into British military service in early 1813 for the planned assault on Fort Meigs, a key American stronghold along the Maumee River in Ohio. These small schooners were vital for moving troops, supplies, and artillery across the lakes and into the shallow rivers supporting frontier campaigns. Lightly armed (if at all), they were built for capacity, not combat.

History

The Eliza entered British military service in early 1813, conscripted or purchased from the commercial shipping pool in Upper Canada. She carried military supplies, provisions, and possibly small artillery pieces during Major General Henry Procter’s campaign against Fort Meigs in the western Lake Erie theatre.

Following the failure to capture Fort Meigs and the wider collapse of British fortunes in the western frontier, Procter’s forces began a rushed retreat up the Thames River in October 1813, pursued closely by American forces under General William Henry Harrison.

With the Americans rapidly closing the distance, Procter ordered the destruction of military stores and transports that could not be moved further inland. The Eliza was among the vessels burned along the Thames, denying her valuable supplies and transport capacity to the Americans.

Final Disposition

• Cause of Loss: Deliberately burned by retreating British forces during Procter’s retreat.
• Date Lost: October 1813.
• Final Resting Place: Somewhere along the Thames River, likely in the vicinity of Chatham-Kent, Ontario.
• Status: Completely destroyed, with no known archaeological discovery.

Site Description

⚠️ No confirmed archaeological discovery of Eliza exists.

If any remnants survive, they would likely include:

• Charred timbers buried in riverbank sediment.
• Scattered metal fastenings, hardware, or artillery-related artifacts.
• Possibly small items associated with military stores (e.g., musket balls, tools, or personal effects).
• Any remains are likely heavily dispersed, buried, or destroyed due to river action, modern development, and agricultural runoff.

Experience Rating

⚠️ Not a recreational dive site — Historical Archive Listing Only

This is a historical record entry, not a known or accessible dive site.

NOTMARs & Advisories

• No current NOTMARs apply to Eliza.
• Any future discovery would fall under the jurisdiction of:
• Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport under the Ontario Heritage Act.
• Possibly Parks Canada if the wreck were deemed of national historic significance as part of War of 1812 heritage.

Located By & Date Found

• Never officially located.
• Historical accounts place her destruction during Procter’s retreat, after the defeat at the Battle of the Thames in October 1813.

Current Condition & Accessibility

• Depth: Likely 1-3 metres (3-10 feet), consistent with the shallow reaches of the Thames River.
• Bottom Composition: Soft mud, clay, and silt, typical of the Thames near Chatham-Kent.
• Visibility: Typically very poor (<1 metre / 3 feet) due to suspended sediment.
• Condition: Presumed completely destroyed, with only subsurface or scattered remnants potentially surviving.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• David Swayze Great Lakes Shipwreck File
• Library and Archives Canada
• Historical Collections of the Great Lakes – Bowling Green
• War of 1812 Official Records – Library of Congress

Conclusion

The loss of Eliza reflects the desperate circumstances faced by Procter’s retreating forces, illustrating how even the smallest vessels played vital logistical roles during the War of 1812. Though her physical remains have long disappeared, her fate is part of the larger story of British defeat in the western theatre, where control of rivers and lakes determined the outcome of campaigns.

Her destruction on the Thames is also a reminder of how closely maritime and land campaigns were linked in the struggle for control of Upper Canada.

Keywords & Categories

Eliza, Schooner, Transport, War of 1812, Thames River, Battle of the Thames, Procter’s Retreat, Upper Canada, Henry Procter, William Henry Harrison, British Army Logistics, Great Lakes Naval History, Historical Shipwrecks, Burned Vessels, Canadian Maritime Heritage