USS Oneida ( 1809 ) The first USS " Oneida " was a brig of war in the United States Navy during the War of 1812 . Oneida was built at Oswego , New York 1808 – 1809 , under contract awarded by her first commanding officer , Lieutenant M . T . Woolsey , to Henry Eckford and Christian Bergh . Although her displacement was 243 tons by carpenter ' s measurement , her draft could compare with a sloop of 80 tons . This enabled her to enter the rivers feeding Lake Ontario without fear of grounding . She was delivered by the contractors in the spring of 1809 , but was not equipped and sent upon the lake until the fall of 1810 . War of 1812 . " Oneida " operated principally from Sackets Harbor , New York , not far from the commencement of the $ 3 , while the British port of Kingston lay nearly opposite in Canada . First Battle of Sacket ' s Harbor . On 5 June 1812 , " Oneida " captured the British schooner " Lord Nelson " , while enforcing the Embargo Law . On 19 July , the British squadron sailed on Sackets Harbor where " Oneida " and her prize were anchored . After failing to gain the open lake , " Oneida " anchored again near a bank in a position to rake the harbor entrance . She mounted the guns from her off side ashore and presented a full battery . After an exchange of cannonade , of two hours duration , the British squadron broke off the engagement and sailed for Kingston , Canada . USS Oneida vs HMS George . On 8 November , " Oneida " , flying the broad pennant of Commodore Isaac Chauncey , sailed from Sackets Harbor to intercept British ships conveying supplies to the Army at Kingston . The sloop was sighted and chased into the Bay of Quinte and lost sight of during the night . Sighted again the following morning , the chase was resumed . " Oneida " brought up the rear of the squadron to allow the heavy guns of her schooners to open way for a close attack . " Royal George " cut her mooring cables and attempted to make further headway up the channel , finally making fast to a wharf under the protection of troop muskets . " Royal George " suffered extensive damage , and " Oneida " had some damage aloft with one seaman killed and three wounded , but a gale ended the engagement and the Americans returned to Sackets Harbor . Battle of York . On 25 April 1813 , along with other ships of the American squadron , " Oneida " set sail from Sackets Harbor and arrived off York , Canada ( now Toronto ) on 27 April with troops under General Zebulon Pike embarked . Boats were hoisted out and within two hours the brigade was ashore , soon capturing York despite the loss of General Pike . On the night of 26 May she again embarked troops and artillery and set sail with the squadron for Fort George , Canada . A landing was made about 9 a . m . on 27 May , and by noon the town and fort were taken . " Oneida " made a second unopposed landing at York on 27 July liberating prisoners and seizing provisions . On 31 July 1814 , " Oneida " made for the Niagara River to blockade British ships anchored there . She was assisted by the brig and the schooner , while the remainder of the American Squadron blockaded Kingston . The blockade was lifted in September 1814 , and " Oneida " returned to Sackets Harbor . Ice closed the lake in November , and peace was declared the following month . Post War . " Oneida " was sold 15 May 1815 , but afterwards was repurchased by the Navy , laid up at Sackets Harbor , and finally sold in 1825 to a timber company in the village of Clayton , New York . " Oneida " worked as a timber ship for several years before sinking in French Creek Bay near Clayton sometime in the 1830s . One of the ship ' s cannons is currently in Clayton ' s Memorial Park , while one of its anchors is in the possession of French Creek Bay Marina .