Captain Miller Worsley and the Revenge of HMS Nancy

Captain Miller Worsley and the Revenge of HMS Nancy

A Strategic Feat of Naval Warfare during the War of 1812

Will Kieffer

Port2Port - 2024

British ships have been wiped out across Lake Huron; the American forces are prevailing, and all that remain is the British H.M. Schooner Nancy, simply known as Nancy; illustrated in Figure 1.¹ Captain Miller Worsley and his crew of 52 members were cornered upriver of the Nottawasaga, where the American Tigress, Niagara, and Scorpion had them trapped. It was at this moment, Captain Worsley acted. Deciding that the Nancy should never enter the control of the Americans, he planned to set the schooner ablaze, however, an unexpected shot from the Tigress lit the ship and allowed for Worsley and his men to retreat inland.² Although the Nancy was sunk, Captain Worsley never lost hope, and after rowing for 360 miles from Nottawasaga to Fort Mackinac, passing the rival ships on their voyage, it was time to avenge Nancy.³

Figure 1: HM Schooner Nancy

In one of the bravest feats of the naval war of 1812, Captain Worsley gained permission from Lieutenant-Colonel Robert McDouall to attempt to capture the American Schooners, with a total force of 92 military men and several canoes of Indigenous recruits, they embarked on the Tigress in the darkness of night.⁴ The men were able to board with ease and took the ship with little fight, sending any prisoners to shore. Just three days later, the Scorpion was spotted and captured at daybreak with little resistance.⁵ This resulted in British control over Lake Huron, where both ships would serve the British Naval Militia for several years after.

As a historian, the effort, planning, and execution from Captain Worsley in conquering the Tigress and Scorpion is astonishing regarding early 19^th^ century naval warfare. Which altered the naval war to British favour while controlling the Upper lakes until the end of the war.⁶ One key aspect of Captain Worsley and his crew's success was Worsley's use of the 'cutting out expedition,' which is the use of several small boats to capture a larger ship while anchored.⁷ This also led to the capture of the Scorpion, which too was quite the strategic feat in 19^th^ century naval warfare. Through the staging of the American flag upon the mast of the Tigress, and the concealment of all British colours, Captain Worsley and his crew sailed directly up to the Scorpion, before firing the swivel gun into its side before boarding and taking the Scorpion.⁸

The strategic exploitation of the darkness and element of surprise by Captain Worsley allowed the British to take over Lake Huron once again.⁹ Captain Worsley turned the tide of the battle of Lake Huron, by taking the two American Schooners. Without his strategic plan of attack, the Americans would have dominated across Lake Huron, as there were no remaining British ships readily on the Upper Great Lakes. The Americans could have effectively taken Fort Michilimackinac, which was well positioned and difficult to conquer, even with ships. In regard to the War of 1812 on Lake Huron, Captain Worsley created the turning point, wherein the British had naval control and the Americans scrambled across the Upper Great Lakes region. Although the only praise Captain Worsley received was from his superiors Lieutenant-Colonel McDouall, Lieutenant-General Gordon Drummond, and Commodore Sir James Lucas Yeo, who had promoted him to Commander. In 1963, 10 medallions were presented to commemorate the War of 1812, one of which was presented to the H.M. Schooner Nancy; a testament to Captain Worsley's strategic feat during the War of 1812.¹⁰