 After the outbreak of the war, the British Governor General of Canada, Lieutenant General Sir George Prevost ordered the construction of warships for the Provincial Marine on 14 December 1812 to match American ships being built at Sackett's Harbor, New York.One was to be constructed at Kingston, Upper Canada, the other at York.Designed by Thomas Plucknett, the construction of the vessel was handed over to James Morrison of Montreal who had been hired as master shipwright at Kingston.