In 1814, the British detachment on Lake Ontario was re-organised and Beresford was re-rigged as a brig and renamed HMS Netley.

During this time, members of the vessel's crew took part in the Siege of Fort Erie, participating in the capture of two American schooners.

Prince Regent was designed by the shipwright John Dennis as a standard topsail schooner for use by the Provincial Marine on the Great Lakes.

[4][2][note 1] Considered "a fine despatch boat",[2] Prince Regent was part of the Provincial Marine squadron of Upper Canada based at Kingston for service on Lake Ontario.

However, while doing so, the wind died and the British approach on Sackett's Harbor slowed allowing the American defences to prepared.

During the layup, guns were taken from Prince Regent to arm the vessel under construction at York, Sir Isaac Brock.

[7] This proved fortuitous as the Americans, learning of the construction of Sir Isaac Brock and Prince Regent's layup at York, chose to attack the town on 27 April 1813.

In May 1813, Commodore James Lucas Yeo arrived at Kingston to take command of Lake Ontario squadron.

On 26 May, the squadron sailed from Kingston with 800 troops embarked from the 1st, 8th, 100th and 104th Regiments of Foot, the Glengarry Light Infantry and the Voltigeurs and parties of Mississauga and Mohawk warriors.

Small bateaux, gunboats and the merchant vessel Lady Murray (which was carrying the artillery pieces) followed the squadron.

[10] For most of June and July the American squadron remained at Sackett's Harbor while they awaited newly constructed ships to augment their force and the British had unimpeded access to Lake Ontario.

On 7 August, the two forces came close to fighting, with USS General Pike firing upon and missing the British vessels.

They departed four days later to escort a convoy of three transports carrying supplies and reinforcements for General Francis de Rottenburg's army.

However, the British escaped and Lord Melville and Beresford patrolled outward of the squadron to protect the damaged Wolfe and Prince George.

[14] On 30 October, Beresford and Sir Sidney Smith (the renamed Governor Simcoe) were sent to the northeast end of Wolfe Island and were later joined by Earl of Moira, Lord Melville and four gunboats on 1 November.

However, following the disaster at the Battle of Big Sandy Creek, where Captain Stephen Popham had led elements of Yeo's squadron into an ambush and decimated the ranks of the detachment with the majority being captured including Netley's former commander Francis Spilbury.

Yeo was forced to lift his blockade and re-crew the larger vessels with personnel from Netley and Magnet (the renamed Sir Sidney Smith).

Under the command of Commander Alexander Dobbs, Star (the renamed Lord Melville), Charwell (the renamed Earl of Moira), Netley, Magnet and Vincent moored in the Niagara River in July to allow the quick transportation of troops and supplies from York to Niagara for General Gordon Drummond's army.

With the exception of Magnet which had been destroyed, all of the ships of Dobbs' command were blockaded in the Niagara River for two months by the American squadron beginning in August.

[20] With the vessels unable to move, Dobbs' formed a detachment from the personnel and travelled to join Drummond's army near Fort Erie.

Dobbs' detachment then joined Drummond's army for the assault on Fort Erie, where disaster struck and four dozen sailors and marines were killed, wounded or missing.