HMS Detroit was a 20-gun sloop of the Royal Navy, launched in July 1813 and serving on Lake Erie during the War of 1812.

Postwar, Detroit was sunk for preservation at Misery Bay off Presque Isle until 1833, when she was refloated and converted for commercial service.

In 1841, Detroit was reduced to a hulk at Buffalo, New York, where she was purchased with the intent of sending her over Niagara Falls.

[7] No design drawings remain, though from contemporary art, Detroit was seen to have a flush, corvette-style upper deck, pierced for 20 guns.

However, due to the inability of the British to resupply Amherstburg during the War of 1812, the sloop of was armed with a mix of guns taken from other ships in the Lake Erie squadron and from Fort Malden.

However, this was soon interrupted when Brigadier General Henry Procter ordered the shipwrights to concentrate their efforts on the construction of gunboats for the army.

In June and July, Barclay and the Lake Erie squadron made several voyages to Long Point to await reinforcements and stores meant for Detroit.

Barclay's American counterpart, Oliver Hazard Perry was also constructing newer, more powerful ships at Put-in-Bay and these were completed before Detroit became operational.

The two forces met on 10 September, and Detroit which was second in Barclay's line of battle, squared up with Perry's flagship Lawrence.

After Perry had shifted to Niagara, he moved the vessel up the American battle line, and closer to Detroit in order to engage the British flagship.

Queen Charlotte, to this point unable to engage Niagara, attempted to get into a position to attack the American vessel.

[16] In May 1814 Ohio assisted in fitting out prizes Detroit and Queen Charlotte at Put-in Bay, and convoyed them to Erie in November.

[19] On 8 August 1825 the US government closed the Lake Erie station and sold the submerged Detroit and other vessels to the merchant Benjamin H. Brown of Rochester, New York.