Porcupine I (Sch)
Any of various relatively large rodents having stiff sharp erectile bristles mingled with the hair.
I
The first Porcupine, a gunboat schooner, was built by Adam and Noah Brown at Presque Isle, Pa. and commissioned in the spring of 1813 as part of Commodore Oliver H. Perry's Lake Erie Fleet.
Under command of Acting Master George Tenant, she took part in the Battle of Lake Erie 10 September 1813. She was subsequently utilized as a hospital ship for captured wounded seamen.
While lying at anchor with Ohio and Somers at the head of the Niagara River 12 August 1814, she was attacked by six or eight boats manned by English seamen and Canadian militia. Ohio and Somers were captured, but Porcupine escaped.
Porcupine was then laid up at Erie until 1819, when she refitted and was turned over to the Collector of Revenue at
Detroit 2 June. She returned to the Navy 2 August 1821, remaining inactive until sold 8 August 1825.
She was used as a cargo vessel on the Great Lakes until 1873 when, being unseaworthy, she was beached on the sands of Spring Lake, near Grand Haven, Mich.
