Oliver Hazard Perry, a distinguished American naval officer, was born
at Newport, Rhode Island, in August, 1785. His father was an officer
in the United States navy, and he was early destined to follow his
father’s profession. In 1798, he entered the service as a midshipman
on board the sloop of war General Greene, then commanded by his
father; and, when that vessel went out of commission, he was
transferred to a squadron destined to the Mediterranean. He served
during the Tripolitan war, and, though debarred, by his extreme youth,
from an opportunity of distinguishing himself, he acquired, by his
conduct, the regard and favor of his superior officers, and the
friendship and esteem of his associates. Continuing sedulously
attentive to his profession, he rose with sure and regular steps. In
1810, he was attached, as lieutenant-commandant, to the squadron of
commodore Rodgers, at New London, and employed in cruising in the
sound, to enforce the embargo act. In the following spring, he had the
misfortune to be wrecked on Watch Hill reef, opposite Stonington, in
consequence of having become enveloped in a thick mist, which
prevented all possibility of ascertaining his course. By his
intrepidity and coolness, however, he succeeded, in a great measure,
in saving the guns and property, and got off all his crew. He was
examined before a court of inquiry, at his own request, in relation to
the loss, and not merely acquitted of all blame, but highly applauded
for his conduct. He also received a very complimentary letter, on the
occasion, from the secretary of the navy, Mr. Hamilton. Soon after
this event, he returned to Newport, where he married the daughter of
doctor Mason.
In the beginning of 1812, he was promoted to the rank of master and
commander, and ordered to the command of the flotilla of gun-boats
stationed at the harbor of New York. After remaining there a year, he
grew tired of the irksome and inglorious nature of this service, and
solicited to be removed to another of a more active kind. His request
was complied with; and, as he had mentioned the lakes, he was ordered
to repair to Sacket’s Harbor, lake Ontario, with a body of mariners,
to reinforce commodore Chauncey. Such was his popularity amongst the
sailors under his command, that, as soon as the order was known,
almost all of them volunteered to accompany him. The rivers being
completely frozen at the time, he was obliged, at the head of a large
number of chosen seamen, to perform the journey by land, which he
safely accomplished. Not long after his arrival at Sacket’s Harbor,
commodore Chauncey detached him to take command of the squadron on
lake Erie, and superintend the building of additional vessels. He
immediately applied to increase his armament, and, with extraordinary
exertions, two brigs, of twenty guns each were soon launched at Erie,
the American port on the lake. When he found himself in a condition to
cope with the British force on the same waters, although the latter
were still superior in men and guns, he sought the contest, and, on
the morning of the 10th of September, 1813, he achieved the victory
which has given his name a permanent place in the history of his
country. The details of this famous action, the manner in which it was
brought to a fortunate issue by the intrepidity of the commander, in
exposing himself in a small boat, for the purpose of shifting his flag
from a vessel no longer tenable to one in which he could continue the
fight, and in which he did continue it until the enemy’s pennant was
lowered, are matters of history familiar to all. The merit of Perry is
greatly enhanced by the reflection, that, whilst no victory was ever
more decidedly the result of the skill and valor of the commander,
this was the first action of any kind he had ever seen. The moderation
and courtesy which he displayed towards the enemy, after the
termination of the contest, were worthy of the gallantry by which it
was gained, and caused the British commander, who had lost the battle
by no fault of his, to say that ‘the conduct of Perry towards the
captive officers and men, was sufficient of itself to immortalize
him.’ In testimony of his merit, Perry was promoted to the rank of
captain, received the thanks of congress and a medal, and the like
marks of honor from the senate of Pennsylvania.
After the evacuation of Malden by the enemy, Perry acted as a
volunteer aid to general Harrison, in his pursuit of the British, and
was present at the battle of Moraviantown, October 5. At the time of
the invasion of Maryland and Virginia, he commanded a body of seamen
and mariners on the Potomac. He was afterwards appointed to command
the Java frigate, built at Baltimore, and, on the conclusion of peace
with England, sailed, in 1815, in the squadron under commodore
Decatur, despatched to the Mediterranean to settle affairs between the
United States and Algiers. While in that sea, some difference arose
between him and Mr. Heath, commandant of marines on board his ship.
This produced a courtmartial, by which both were subjected to a
private reprimand from commodore Chauncey; but the affair did not
terminate until a hostile meeting had taken place. The duel was fought
in New Jersey, opposite to New York, in the summer of 1818. Neither
party was injured, Heath having missed his aim, and Perry having fired
in the air. In June, 1819, commodore Perry sailed from Chesapeake in
the United States ship John Adams, for the West Indies and a cruise,
with sealed orders, and was subsequently joined by other vessels, the
whole under his command. His term of service, however, was near its
end. In August, 1820, he was attacked by the yellow fever, and, after
a few days’ illness, expired on the twenty-third of the same month,
just as the vessel in which he was entered Port Spain, Trinidad. He
was buried the next day with due honor; and in his own country every
tribute of respect was paid to his memory. Congress made a liberal
provision for the maintenance and education of his family.