[Sidenote: =A Rhode Islander=]
=124. A Young Man Who Captured a British Fleet.= Perry was born in
Rhode Island in 1785. He went to the best schools, and learned the
science of navigation. At fourteen years of age he was a midshipman on
his father's vessel, and before he was twenty-one he had served in a
war against the Barbary pirates.
[Sidenote: =Perry bitter toward the British=]
[Sidenote: =Ready for battle=]
When young Perry returned to his home the British were seizing American
ships, claiming the right to search them for British sailors. Perry
was very bitter toward the British for these insults to his country,
and when war was declared he was eager to fight. A fleet of vessels
was being built on Lake Erie, and Perry was sent as commandant to take
charge of their construction. He promptly set to work, and in a few
weeks the ships were ready for battle.
He immediately set sail for Put-In-Bay, where the British fleet was
stationed. There he arranged his ships for battle and raised a banner
containing the last words of Captain Lawrence, who had been killed
earlier in the war while bravely fighting. "Don't give up the ship!"
were the words the flag showed as it was unfurled to the breeze.
[Illustration: OLIVER HAZARD PERRY
_After an engraving by Edwin made in 1813 from the Waldo picture_]
[Sidenote: =Drives the "Lawrence" into the British fleet=]
Driving his flagship, the _Lawrence_, right in among the enemy's ships,
Perry made them turn all their cannon against it. The loss of life was
dreadful, but Perry kept cool. When the last gun of the _Lawrence_
could no longer be fired, he ordered a boat to be lowered and with some
brave men rowed through a storm of shot and shell to the _Niagara_,
another of Perry's large ships. Then he drove this ship into the midst
of the fight. In fifteen minutes the two largest British ships struck
their colors. The remainder of the fleet then surrendered.
[Sidenote: =Broke British power in the West=]
This victory broke the British power in the West. Congress voted
resolutions in praise of Perry and ordered a gold medal struck in his
honor. Wherever he went the people paid him great attention, and at his
home he was given a royal welcome.