USS President (1812)

USS President was a 12-gun sloop and the second United States Navy ship to carry the name. Her dimensions and builder are unknown, but she was originally purchased by the War Department on Lake Champlain and turned over to the Navy late in 1812. President, together with other suitable craft that had been purchased and built, temporarily gave Americans dominance on Lake Champlain. She served simultaneously but separate from President during the War of 1812.

The British squadron came down the lake to aid a British army that was attempting to invade New York along the very route John Burgoyne had chosen during the American Revolutionary War. This British squadron was defeated at Plattsburg New York on 11 September 1814, all ships being captured except for several gunboats.

Sloop President did not take part in the American victory, as she had been captured by the British earlier in the year and taken into the Royal Navy as Icicle.

References

• "President II". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History & Heritage Command. http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/p11/president-ii.htm. Retrieved August 9, 2009. 
• "President I". DANFS. http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/p11/president-i.htm. Retrieved August 9, 2009. 

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.