Other Names #
- HMS ELIZABETH
- USS ASP
The schooner known as ASP, originally built as ELIZABETH in 1808 in Mississauga, Ontario, had a diverse history. Initially, it served as an armed British schooner during the War of 1812. However, it was captured by the American vessel GROWLER in 1812 and subsequently became a U.S. naval vessel. Renamed ASP, it participated in various military actions on Lake Ontario, including attacks on York (now Toronto) and Fort George.
After the war, in 1815, the ASP was sold for commercial use and owned out of Niagara. It operated as a schooner, primarily engaged in transporting goods such as lumber and staves. However, tragedy struck on October 9, 1820, when the ASP encountered a violent storm near Long Point on Lake Ontario. The vessel sprang a leak, became waterlogged, and eventually capsized. Of the eleven people on board, only two survived, a lady and a gentleman. The captain, identified as Capt. Prosser, was washed overboard and drowned.
The wreck of the ASP occurred off Salmon River in Mexico Bay, near Oswego, New York. It was a devastating event, resulting in the loss of nine lives. Alongside the ASP, several other American vessels were stranded during the same storm, although without any fatalities.
The ASP’s history highlights its transformation from a British armed schooner to a U.S. naval vessel during the War of 1812. Following the war, it transitioned to civilian use, operating as a commercial schooner until its tragic demise in 1820.
