Legend of the Lake: The 22-gun Brig-sloop Ontario, 1780

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Quarry Press, 1997 - History - 159 pages
An untold chapter of maritime and military history during the Revolutionary War.

On Halloween 1780 near Fort Niagara, the worst wreck in the history of Lake Ontario occurred. Legend of the Lake is the story of the building, launching, and foundering of Ontario during 1779-80, reconstructed from archival documents, including British Admiralty plans for the ship, upon which renowned maritime architect John W. McKay has based his scale-model drawings of Ontario. The book also features full-color paintings of the Ontario and her sister ships Haldimand and Seneca. Of special interest to maritime historians is a full description of the techniques used in building the ship. For the military historian, the book provides a description of Ontario's armaments and the raids conducted from the ship into up-state New York. And for all readers, Legend of the Lake is a captivating tale of high adventure and mystery.

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About the author (1997)

Arthur Britton Smith is a graduate of Royal Military College and Osgoode Hall Law School, who served as an artillery officer in World War II and received the Military Cross. His interest in local history led him to compile the anthology Kingston Oh! Kingston.