After HMS Nancy was blocked in by an American fleet near the mouth of the Nottawasaga River, her crew set her on fire on 14 August 1814 to prevent the capture of the ship and the cargo she carried.

The following spring, she made her maiden voyage to Fort Erie, under the command of Captain William Mills, and in June 1790, went to Grand Portage at Sault Ste.

On 30 July 1812, Nancy sailed to Fort Erie in convoy with the new Provincial Marine schooner Lady Prevost, returning with military supplies and 60 men of the 41st Regiment who then participated in the Siege of Detroit.

[10] The following spring, on 23 April 1813 Nancy joined a small squadron in moving Major General Henry Procter's division from Amherstburg to Miami Bay, positioning them for what would be an unsuccessful Siege of Fort Meigs.

Although two American armed schooners and a gunboat were lying in wait for him further down the river, Nancy was damaged only by musket fire from the shore.

By recapturing Detroit, the Americans had cut the principal route by which the British at Fort Mackinac and other posts in the North West were supplied.

McDouall was accompanied by Lieutenant Newdigate Poyntz of the Royal Navy, who took charge of the naval establishment on Lake Huron, which essentially was Nancy only.

During one of the ship's supply trips to the Nottawasaga, in July 1814, an American force left Detroit, intending to recover Fort Mackinac.

At the Nottawasaga, Lieutenant Miller Worsley of the Royal Navy had succeeded Poyntz and taken command of Nancy, which was about to sail to Mackinac with 300 barrels of flour, bacon and other rations.

He was warned of the American presence and had Nancy towed 2 miles (3.2 km) up the river, where he hastily built a blockhouse armed with two 24-pounder carronades and a 6-pounder gun (presumably dismounted from the schooner).

The next day, three companies of American regular infantry, supported by a 5.5-inch (140 mm) mortar and the guns of Sinclair's ships, attacked Worsley's position.

After the action, the gunboats Scorpion and Tigress were left to guard the river to prevent canoes and bateaux from getting supplies to Fort Mackinac.

Eventually the river mouth was blocked with felled trees, and the two gunboats proceeded along the north shore in the hope of intercepting fur-laden canoes on the lake.

Worsley and his men removed the obstructions and reached Mackinac in a large canoe on 31 August after paddling and rowing for 360 miles (580 km).

Reinforced by soldiers from the garrison of Mackinac and native warriors led by Chief Assiginack (Black Bird), Worsley subsequently surprised and captured both American gunboats in the Engagement on Lake Huron.

Nancy's figurehead, ship's cutlery and numerous personal artifacts were recovered from both the bottom and the banks of the Nottawasaga River.

Dr. Macklin and C. W. Jefferys persuaded the Government of Canada to provide a World War I-style metal military storage building for the museum.

[12] The Detroit River incident of 5 October 1813 was the basis for the song "The Nancy" by Canadian singer/songwriter Stan Rogers on his From Fresh Water album.