Legacy Notes & Full Historical Record

This section preserves the original unedited Shotline content for this wreck so that no historical detail is lost as we transition to the new logbook format.

Naval Sloop Trippe (1802–1813)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Original Name: Contractor (merchant sloop)
• Renamed: USS Trippe (1812)
• Official Number: None (pre-dates U.S. registry)
• Vessel Type at Loss: Naval sloop, single-masted, armed with one long gun (24–32‑pounder)
• Builder: Porter, Barton & Co., Black Rock/Buffalo, New York
• Year Built & Launched: 1802–1803
• Tonnage: 60–64 tons (Old Measurement)
• Dimensions: Single-deck, shallow draft, single-masted fore‑and‑aft rig
• Date of Loss: 30 December 1813
• Location of Loss: Buffalo, New York, Lake Erie
• Cause of Loss: Burned by British forces during the Raid on Buffalo
• Loss of Life: None reported
• Cargo at Time of Loss: None noted (laid up for winter)

Vessel Type & Description

• Hull: Wooden, shallow draft for harbor and coastal lake navigation
• Rigging: Single-masted sloop, fore‑and‑aft rig
• Armament: One long cannon (sources differ: 24‑pounder vs. 32‑pounder)
• Propulsion: Sail only; no auxiliary propulsion
• Crew: Approx. 35 officers and men
• Role: Patrol, supply, and light combat in support of larger brigs and gunboats

The vessel was valued for maneuverability and shallow draft, allowing access to harbors and shoal areas where larger brigs and schooners could not operate.

Operational History

1802–1812 – Contractor operated as a commercial sloop on the Niagara frontier, owned by Porter, Barton & Co. of Black Rock, NY.

1812 (May–June) – Purchased by the U.S. Navy for the War of 1812; refitted as a naval sloop and renamed USS Trippe in honor of Lt. John Trippe (1785–1810), a naval officer of Tripoli War fame. Command was given to Acting-Lieutenant Thomas Holdup Stevens.

1813 (Sept 10) – Participated in the Battle of Lake Erie as part of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s squadron at Put‑in‑Bay.

• Engaged in long‑range exchanges with British schooners.
• Contributed to the American victory securing Lake Erie.

Post‑Battle – Used for transport and patrol, ferrying supplies to U.S. positions along Lake Erie.

1813 (November–December) –

• Trippe went ashore near Buffalo and was laid up for winter repairs.
• 30 December 1813 – British forces raided Buffalo, burning the town and several U.S. vessels, including Trippe. No crew fatalities recorded.
• Vessel declared total constructive loss; struck from service.

Final Disposition

• Destroyed by fire during British raid on Buffalo (30 Dec 1813).
• No salvage undertaken; no physical wreck remains have been conclusively identified.
• If fragments remain, they are likely buried along the Buffalo waterfront near former Black Rock harbor.

Notmars & Advisories

• No navigational warnings exist; the site is terrestrial and non-navigational.
• Historically significant as part of the Buffalo Shipyard burnings during the War of 1812.

Legacy & Replica

• Buffalo Maritime Center constructed a replica of USS Trippe, launched May 2025 at Canalside, Buffalo.
• The replica serves as a floating War of 1812 educational platform, interpreting early Great Lakes naval warfare.

Resources & Archival Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Naval History and Heritage Command – War of 1812
• Great Lakes Ships Database
• David Swayze Shipwreck File
• Discover 1812 – Blog
• Wikipedia: USS Trippe (1812)
• Buffalo Rising – Replica Project

Conclusion

The USS Trippe represents a critical yet vulnerable component of the U.S. Lake Erie Squadron during the War of 1812.

• Though small and lightly armed, she aided Perry’s victory at the Battle of Lake Erie.
• Her destruction at Buffalo highlights the vulnerability of early Great Lakes fleets to winter harbor raids.
• Today, no confirmed wreck survives, but the Buffalo-built replica preserves her legacy and educates the public on early naval history in the Great Lakes.

Keywords / Categories

War of 1812 • Lake Erie • Buffalo Raid • Battle of Lake Erie • Perry’s Squadron • Sloop-of-War • Naval Conversion • Early U.S. Navy • Great Lakes Shipwrecks

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