The first USS Ohio was a merchant schooner

Schooner

A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....

 purchased by the Navy in 1812; converted to a warship by Henry Eckford

Henry Eckford (shipbuilder)

Henry Eckford was a Scottish-born shipbuilder, naval architect, industrial engineer, and entrepreneur who worked for the United States Navy and the navy of the Ottoman Empire in the early 19th century.-Early life:...

; and commissioned prior to June 13, 1813, with Sailing Master Daniel Dobbins

Daniel Dobbins

Daniel Dobbins was a sailing master in the United States Navy and captain in the United States Revenue Cutter Service...

 in command.

Ohio served on Lake Erie

Lake Erie

Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...

 in the squadron commanded by Captain Oliver Hazard Perry

Oliver Hazard Perry

United States Navy Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry was born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island , the son of USN Captain Christopher Raymond Perry and Sarah Wallace Alexander, a direct descendant of William Wallace...

 during the War of 1812

War of 1812

The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...

. The squadron's mission was to wrest control of the lake from the British. With four other purchased ships, Ohio lay at Black Rock below the Falls in the Niagara River

Niagara River

The Niagara River flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the Province of Ontario in Canada and New York State in the United States. There are differing theories as to the origin of the name of the river...

, prevented by British blockade from entering Lake Erie

Lake Erie

Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...

. Finally, in a combined operation with the Army, Perry was able to bring the ships out to join the remainder of the squadron in Presque Isle Bay

Presque Isle Bay

Presque Isle Bay is a natural bay located off the coast of Erie, Pennsylvania, United States. Its embayment is about in length, about across at its widest point, and an average depth of about . The bay is bounded on the north and west by a recurved peninsula that makes up Presque Isle State Park...

 at Erie, Pennsylvania

Erie, Pennsylvania

Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...

. Ohio arrived at Erie on July 8, 1813.

After searching for the British, the squadron anchored at Sandusky on August 17. Ohio returned to Erie for provisions and stores for the squadron, rejoining her sister ships on September 3. The same day she set sail for Erie again, and thus was not with the squadron when it won the memorable victory over the British at Put-in Bay on September 10. Three days later Ohio reached Put-in Bay with sorely needed fresh vegetables and meat.

As soon as the ice cleared in early 1814, Ohio began patrolling between Long Point and Erie to intercept any British movement by water. In May she assisted in fitting out prizes the and the at Put-in Bay, and convoyed them to Erie. On August 12, 1814, she was captured with the by the British within pistol shot of Fort Erie

Fort Erie

Fort Erie was the first British fort to be constructed as part of a network developed after the Seven Years' War was concluded by the Treaty of Paris at which time all of New France had been ceded to Great Britain...

.