The naval campaigns of the War of 1812 were fought on the Great Lakes as
well as in the Atlantic. Because British troops were based in Canada,
the northern border of the United States inevitably became a battle
line. Commodore Perry won another important sea victory a year after the
_Constitution_ defeated the _Guerrière_ when his squadron defeated and
captured a British squadron on Lake Erie. This was the battle which
Perry reported to General William Henry Harrison in his famous remark:
“We have met the enemy, and they are ours.” In the two dispatches that
follow, Perry gives a full account of the action to the Secretary of the
Navy.
Sir,
It has pleased the Almighty to give to the arms of the United States a
signal victory over their enemies on this lake. The British squadron,
consisting of two ships, two brigs, one schooner, and one sloop, have
this moment surrendered to the force under my command, after a sharp
conflict.
Sir,
In my last I informed you that we had captured the enemy’s fleet on
this lake. I have now the honour to give you the most important
particulars of the action. On the morning of the 10th instant, at
sunrise, they were discovered from Put-In-Bay, when I lay at anchor
with the squadron under my command. We got under weigh, the wind light
at south-west, and stood for them. At 10 A.M. the wind hauled to
south-east and brought us to windward; formed the line and bore up. At
15 minutes before 12, the enemy commenced firing; at 5 minutes before
12, the action commenced on our part.
Finding their fire very destructive owing to their long guns, and its
being mostly directed at the _Lawrence_, I made sail, and directed the
other vessels to follow, for the purpose of closing with the enemy.
Every brace and bowline being soon shot away, she became unmanageable,
notwithstanding the great exertions of the sailing master. In this
situation, she sustained the action upwards of two hours within
canister distance, until every gun was rendered useless, and the
greater part of her crew either killed or wounded. Finding she could
no longer annoy the enemy, I left her in charge of Lieutenant Yarnall,
who, I was convinced, from the bravery already displayed by him, would
do what would comport with the honour of the flag.
At half past two, the wind springing up, Captain Elliot was enabled to
bring his vessel, the _Niagara_, gallantly into close action. I
immediately went on board of her, when he anticipated my wish by
volunteering to bring the schooner which had been kept astern by the
lightness of the wind, into close action. It was with unspeakable pain
that I saw, soon after I got on board the _Niagara_, the flag of the
_Lawrence_ come down, although I was perfectly sensible that she had
been defended to the last, and that to have continued to make a show
of resistance would have been a wanton sacrifice of the remains of her
brave crew. But the enemy was not able to take possession of her, and
circumstances soon permitted her flag again to be hoisted.
At 45 minutes past 2, the signal was made for “close action.” The
_Niagara_ being very little injured, I determined to pass through the
enemy’s line, bore up and passed ahead of their two ships and a brig,
giving a raking fire to them from the starboard guns, and to a large
schooner and sloop, from the larboard side, at half pistol shot
distance. The smaller vessels at this time having got within grape and
canister distance, under the direction of Captain Elliot, and keeping
up a well-directed fire, the two ships, a brig, and a schooner
surrendered, a schooner and sloop making a vain attempt to escape.