USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > The history of Erie County, Pennsylvania > Part 21
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enemy's movements. They had also much sickness aboard. Captain Perry had been attacked with bilious-remittent fever; but owing to his strength of constitution it had not assumed a malignant form. His surgeon, clerk, and brother were also seriously ill. Dr. U. Parsons, the assistant sur- geon, though himself out of health, was obliged to pre- scribe for the sick of the Lawrence as well as the small vessels. In the commodore's case strong remedial measures were successfully applied. "On the twenty-eighth of August Dr. Parsons himself became affected with the prevailing fever, and though unable to walk, with a humane self-devo- tion he continued at the bedside of the sick, to which he was carried; this was not only in the Lawrence, but the small vessels, being lifted on board of them in a chair, and the sick brought on deck for his prescription." By the first of September, Captain Perry was able again to be on deck ; in the mean time the British had rigged and equipped their new vessel, the Detroit, and he was compelled to abandon all hopes of meeting the enemy on an equal footing.
Captain Perry received two letters at this time from the Secretary of the Navy, one begging him to retain the com- mand on Lake Erie, (which he had resigned in consequence of some misunderstanding,) with many soothing and com- plimentary expressions; the other full of fault-finding and
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bitterness, which was wholly unmerited. In Captain Perry's reply, he vindicated himself in a mild and respectful manner from all charges.
On the sixth of September the Ohio, under command of Sailing-master Dobbins, was dispatched to Erie for stores and ammunition, (where she had been the twenty-second of August on the same errand,) and was enjoined to make every exertion to return with all practicable speed. Some citizens of Malden, as well as the family of Captain Bre- voort, who resided in Detroit, informed Captain Perry as to the force of the enemy, and also that they were short of provisions and must engage our squadron to open the way to Long Point. Their force consisted of the new, strongly built ship Detroit, 19 guns, 298 tons; the Queen Charlotte, 17 guns, 260 tons; the Lady Prevost, 13 guns, 96 tons; the brig Hunter, 10 guns, 71 tons; sloop Little Belt, 3 guns, 60 ton's; schooner Chippewa, 1 gun, 35 tons,-mak- ing an aggregate of sixty-three guns, thirty-five of which were long. The squadron was commanded by Captain Robert Herriot Barclay, a skillful and experienced seaman, who had served with Nelson at Trafalgar; the second in command was Captain Finnis, also a brave officer. The
whole British force numbered thirty-two officers, and four hundred and seventy seamen; in all five hundred and two. Of the American vessels, the Lawrence and Niagara were each 260 tons, with 20 guns-Captain Perry commanded the Lawrence, and Captain Elliot the Niagara; the Cale- donia, 3 guns, 85 tons, Lieutenant Turner; the Ariel, 4 guns, Lieutenant Packet; the Scorpion, 2 guns, Sailing- master Champlin; the Somers, 2 guns, 65 tons, Sailing- master Almy; the Trippe, 1 gun, Lieutenant Holdup, (Stevens ;) the Tigress, 1 gun, Lieutenant Conklin ; the Porcupine, 1 gun, Midshipman, Smith,-in all nine vessels, with fifty-four guns. The whole force of officers and men, four hundred and ninety ; of these, one hundred and sixteen were on the sick list, seventy-eight being cases of bilious
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fever. The Somers, Trippe, Tigress, and Porcupine were dull sailers. The officers of the squadron were mostly young men from Rhode Island, and the sailing-masters were fellow-townsmen of Captain Perry, taken from the mer- chant service. The superiority of the enemy in physical force must have brought to mind an admonition of Com- . modore Chauncey to Commodore Perry, "never despise your enemy ;" yet he thoroughly understood himself, and felt armed in having a just cause.
On the sixth Perry sailed for Malden, and finding the British still at their moorings, returned to Put-in-Bay. He then signaled all the commanders to the Lawrence, and furnished them with corrected instructions for their govern- ment during the battle. The battle-flag, which had been privately prepared by Mr. Hambleton before leaving Erie, with the last words of the lamented Lawrence, "Don't give up the ship," in white letters on a blue ground, was pro- duced, and its hoisting at the main-royal mast of the Law- rence was to be the signal for action. Captain Perry stated to them his intention to bring the enemy from the first to close quarters, in order to get the benefit of his carronades. His last injunction to them was, in case of difficulty, to follow the advice of Lord Nelson : "If you lay your enemy close alongside, you cannot be out of your place." The men had now become familiar with their weapons, and every preparation seemed complete. The sickness continued, and on the eighth, the other medical officers ceased to perform duty, leaving Dr. Parsons, though but half recovered, in sole charge of the sick of the whole squadron.
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CHAPTER XVI.
British Vessels appear-Commodore Perry Remodels his Line, and other Preparations-A brief Description of the Battle of Tenth of September by Dr. Parsons-The Vessels return to Erie with the wounded Prisoners - Captain Perry promoted - His Reception at Erie-A Remark of Mckenzie-President Madison-Congress-Prizes.
AT sunrise of the tenth of September, from the mast-head of the Lawrence the British fleet was discovered on the northwestern board, standing for Put-in-Bay. The fact was immediately reported by the officer of the deck, who ordered the signal made, "Enemy in sight," "Under way to get." Soon the whole squadron was moving out of the bay with a light southwest breeze. The wind was very unsteady, and at ten o'clock, having made little progress, Captain Perry addressed his sailing-master, Mr. Taylor, as to the time in his opinion it would require to weather the islands. Mr. Taylor's reply caused Captain Perry to order the master to run to leeward of the islands. Mr. T. replied, "they would then have to engage the enemy from the leeward." Captain Perry said, "to windward or leeward they shall fight to-day." The signal was made accordingly; but before it could be executed they were relieved by the wind shifting to the southeast, which enabled them to engage the enemy to wind- ward, as they much preferred. The newly-painted British vessels, with their unfolding banners in the morning sun, made a very gallant appearance.
Commodore Perry remodeled his line, as he found Com- modore Barclay had placed the Chippeway in the van ; second in the line, the Detroit; the Hunter third; Queen Charlotte fourth ; Lady Prevost fifth; and Little Belt sixth. Captain Perry placed the Lawrence so as to encounter the Detroit, with the Scorpion ahead, and the Ariel on his
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weather bow. The Caledonia came next, to encounter the Hunter; the Niagara next, to be opposite the Queen; the Somers, Porcupine, Tigress, and Trippe in the rear, to en- counter the Lady Prevost and Little Belt. It was now ten o'clock, and they were distant five or six miles from the enemy, with a light wind from the southeast, so that the . advance was at the rate of three knots; and Captain Perry having called the crew about him elevated the burgée, ex- claiming, "My brave lads, this flag contains the last words of Captain Lawrence ! Shall I hoist it ?" " Ay, ay, ay, sir !" resounded from every voice on the ship, and the flag was swayed to the main-royal masthead. As the flag unfurled and became visible to the other crews, hearty and enthusiastic cheers responded throughout the line. A lunch- eon was now served, and Perry carefully examined his bat- tery, gun by gun, to see that all was in order, exchanging a pleasant or encouraging word with all. Seeing some of the Constitution's, he said to them, "Well, boys, are you ready ?" " All ready, your honor !" was the brief reply, with a general touch of the hat or handkerchief, which some had substituted. To another group, "But I need not say anything to you; you know how to beat those fellows." Again, with a smile of recognition, " Ah ! here are the New- port boys ! They will do their duty, I warrant !"
A silence of an hour and a half succeeded, during which the squadron was slowly nearing the enemy; this was spent in various ways, as the cares and consciences of the men about to engage in deadly combat might dictate. In the event of his death, Captain Perry gave Mr. Hambleton directions how to act with regard to his private affairs, and a leaded package to Dr. Parsons, with instructions from Government and letters from Mrs. Perry, to be thrown over- board.
At length a bugle was heard to sound from the Detroit, a mile and a half distant, and loud cheers followed throughout the British squadron. Soon after, at a quarter before twelve, 23*
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a single shot was fired from the enemy's flag-ship at the Lawrence, which did not take effect. Signal was now made for each vessel to engage her opponent as previously desig- nated. The dull sailers among the small vessels were a little out of their stations astern, so that our line overspread that of the enemy one thousand feet; besides this, the inferior size of our vessels gave the enemy a greater superiority than even his nominal one. A brief description of the battle, by Dr. Parsons, an eye-witness of high character and intel- ligence, is as follows : "Perry made more sail, and coming within canister distance, opened a rapid and destructive fire upon the Detroit. The Caledonia, Lieutenant Turner, fol- lowed the Lawrence in gallant style, and the Ariel, Lieu- tenant Packet, and the Scorpion, Mr. Champlin, fought nobly and effectively.
" The Niagara failing to grapple with the Queen, the latter vessel shot ahead to fire upon the Lawrence, and with the Detroit aimed their broadsides exclusively upon her, hoping and intending to sink her. At last they made her a com- plete wreck, but, fortunately, the Commodore escaped with- out injury, and stepping into a boat with his fighting flag thrown over his shoulder,* he pushed off for the Niagara, amid a shower of cannon and musket balls, and reached that vessel unscathed. He found her a fresh vessel, with only two, or, at most, three persons injured, and immediately sent her commander to hasten up the small vessels. Perry
* In a letter dated Providence, June 28th, 1861, Dr. Parsons says: "I yesterday visited the naval school, in Newport, on board the Con- stitution, and was delighted to see once more the identical flag, 'Don't give up the Ship,' which Perry hoisted on board the Lawrence on going into action, and took with him to the Niagara when he had fought his own ship to the last. The flag was immediately sent to Washington by Lieutenant Forest, and has ever since been pre- served-of late years in the naval school-and is exhibited only on particular occasions. The sight of it created such emotions and reminiscences of the past that I could not refrain from shedding tears over it."
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boarded the Niagara when she was abreast of the Lawrence, and further from her than the Detroit was on her right. The Lawrence now dropped astern and hauled down her flag. Perry turned the Niagara's course toward the enemy, and crossing the bows of the Lawrence, bore down, head foremost, to the enemy's line, determined to break through it and take a raking position. The Detroit attempted to turn so as to keep her broadside to the Niagara and avoid being raked, but in doing this she fell against the Queen, and got entangled in her rigging, which left the enemy no alternative but to strike both ships. Perry now shot farther ahead, near the Lady Prevost, which, from being crippled in her rudder, had drifted out of her place to the leeward, and was pressing forward toward the head of the British line to support the two ships. One broadside from the Niagara silenced her battery. The Hunter next struck, and the two smaller vessels, in attempting to escape, were overhauled by the Scorpion, Mr. Champlin, and Trippe, Lieutenant Hold- up, and thus ended the action after three o'clock.
"Let us now advert for a moment to the scenes exhibited in the flag-ship Lawrence, of which I can speak as an eye- witness. The wounded began to come down before she opened her battery, and for one, I felt impatient at the delay. In proper time, however, as it proved, the dogs of war were let loose from their leash, and it seemed as though heaven and earth were at loggerheads. For more than two hours little could be heard but the deafening thunder of our broad- sides, the crash of balls dashing through our timbers, and shrieks of the wounded. These were brought down faster than I could attend to them, further than to stay the bleed- ing or support a shattered limb with splints and pass them forward upon the berth deck. When the battle had raged an hour and a half, I heard a call for me at the small sky- light, and stepping toward it I saw the Commodore, whose countenance was as calm and as placid as if in ordinary duty. 'Doctor,' said he, 'send me one of your men'- meaning
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one of the six stationed with me to assist in moving the wounded. In five minutes the call was repeated and obeyed, and at the seventh call I told him he had all of my men. He asked if there were any sick or wounded who could pull a rope, when two or three crawled upon deck to lend a feeble hand in pulling at the last gun.
"The hard fighting terminated about three o'clock. As the smoke cleared away the two fleets were found mingled together, the small vessels having come up to the others. The shattered Lawrence lying to the windward was once more able to hoist her flag, which was cheered by a few feeble voices on board, making a melancholy sound com- pared with the boisterous cheers that preceded the battle.
"The proud, the painful duty of taking possession of the conquered ships was now performed. The Detroit was nearly dismantled, and the destruction and carnage had been dreadful. The Queen was in a condition little better-every commander and second in command, says Barclay, in his official report, was either killed or wounded. The whole number killed in the British fleet was forty-one, and of wounded ninety-four. In the American fleet, twenty-seven killed and ninety-six wounded. Of the twenty-seven killed, twenty-two were on board the Lawrence; of the ninety-six wounded, sixty-one were on board the same ship, making eighty-three killed and wounded out of one hundred and one reported fit for duty in the Lawrence on the morning of the battle. On board the Niagara were two killed and twenty- three wounded, making twenty-five; and of these, twenty-two were killed or wounded after Perry took command of her.
" About four o'clock a boat was discovered approaching the Lawrence. Soon the Commodore was recognized in her, who was returning to resume the command of his tat- tered ship, determined that the remnant of her crew should have the privilege of witnessing the formal surrender of the British officers. It was a time of conflicting emotions when he stepped upon the deck. The battle was won and he was
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safe, but the deck was slippery with blood, and strewed with the bodies of twenty officers and men, some of whom sat at table with us at our last meal, and the ship resounded with the groans of the wounded. Those of us who were spared and able to walk met him at the gangway, to welcome him on board, but the salutation was a silent one on both sides- not a word could find utterance .*
" And now the British officers arrived, one from each ves- sel, to tender their submission, and with it their swords. When they approached, picking their way among the wreck and carnage of the deck, with their hilts toward Perry, they tendered them to his acceptance. With a dignified and solemn air, and with a low tone of voice, he requested them to retain their side arms; inquired with deep concern for Commodore Barclay and the wounded officers, tendering to them every comfort his ship afforded, and expressing his regret that he had not a spare medical officer to send them, that he only had one on duty for the fleet, and that one had his hands full.
"Among the ninety-six wounded, there occurred three deaths: a result so favorable was attributable to the plenti- ful supply of fresh provision sent off to us from the Ohio shore ; to fresh air-the wounded being ranged under an
* In Dr. Parson's address at Cleveland, on the 10th September, 1860, is the following interesting item: "Perry walked aft, when his first remark was addressed to his intimate friend Hambleton, then lying wounded on the deck: 'The prayers of my wife,' said he, ' have prevailed in saving me.' Then, casting his eyes about, he inquired, 'where is my brother ?' This brother was a young mid- shipman of thirteen years. He had, during the battle, acted as aid in running with orders to different parts of the ship-for you must know that in the din and uproar of battle, orders can hardly be heard at three feet distance. We made a general stir to look him up, not without fears that he had been knocked overboard; but he was soon found in his berth asleep, exhausted by the exercise and excitement of the day."
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awning on the deck until we arrived at Erie, ten days after the action, and also to the devoted attention of Commodore Perry to every want.
" Those who were killed in the battle were that evening committed to the deep, and over them was read the impres- sive Episcopal service.
" On the following morning the two fleets sailed into Put- in-Bay, where the slain officers of both were buried in an appropriate and affecting manner. They consisted of three Americans-Lieutenant Brooks, and Midshipmen Laub and Clark ; and three British officers - Captain Finnis, and Lieutenant Stokes, of the Queen, and Lieutenant Garland, of the Detroit. Equal respect was paid to the slain of both nations, and the crews of both fleets united in the ceremony. The procession of boats, with two bands of music ; the slow and regular motion of the oars, striking in exact time with the notes of the solemn dirge; the mourn- ful waving of flags and sound of minute-guns from the ships, presented a striking contrast to the scene exhibited two days before, when both the living and the dead, now forming in this solemn and fraternal train, were engaged in fierce and bloody strife, hurling at each other the thunder- bolts of war."
On the eighth day after the action, the Lawrence, with the wounded on board, was dispatched to Erie, where they were cordially welcomed and most kindly cared for. Soon after the British prisoners arrived in the Detroit and Queen Charlotte, and after the wounded of their number had been carefully attended, they were removed to Pittsburg for greater security from desertion. Immediately after the battle, Captain Perry joined General Harrison as a volun- teer. The remainder of the vessels conveyed the army to Malden ; here the enemy, under General Proctor, had made a hasty retreat, but were pursued and captured.
Captain Perry was promoted to the rank of post-captain, and leave granted him, according to his request, to return
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to his family ; he was to resume also the command of the Newport station until a suitable ship should be provided for him. As the British were checked in the Northwest, General Harrison received orders to repair with a part of his army to Fort George, and embarked with Captain Perry on the Ariel; Commodore Barclay, who was on parole, and on his return homeward as far as Buffalo, made another of his company.
On the morning of the twenty-second of October, the Ariel was descried by the citizens of Erie, and preparations were immediately set on foot for an appropriate and enthu- siastic reception of the hero, the magnitude of whose ser- vices they could better appreciate than others. Though Commodore Perry expected to land unobserved, a large concourse of citizens with joyful acclamations met him at the beach at the foot of French Street, and two field pieces fired a national salute. The party, consisting of Commo- dore Perry, Commodore Barclay, with his surgeon, and General Harrison, with Colonel Gaines, came on foot up the steep hill to Duncan's (which is still standing, though in ruins) on the corner of Third and French Streets. In the evening the town was illuminated and a torch-light procession marched through the streets, bearing a trans- parency with the following devices : "Commodore Perry, 10th Sept. 1813 ;" on another, "Gen. Harrison, 5th of October, 1813 ;" on a third, " Free trade and sailors' rights ;" on a fourth, "Erie;" cannon in the mean time being discharged at intervals of three minutes. During the afternoon, the Niagara arrived; and the next day the Ariel with its dis- tinguished party left for Buffalo, the command at Erie de- volving on Captain Elliot. Captain Perry's journey to the East was one succession of enthusiastic demonstrations, and the cities vied with one another in expressions of joy and gratitude for one who had restored tranquillity to the fron- tier, and whose modesty or bravery they knew not which
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most to admire. * It has been said, "Nelson triumphed over Frenchmen and Spaniards; Perry was called upon to meet the conquerors of these, led, moreover, by a veteran formed in the school of Nelson, and bearing upon his person the marks of Nelson's greatest victory. The battle. of Trafal- gar was won by the whole British fleet over a part of that of the allies; the battle of Lake Erie was over the whole British squadron by only a part of ours."
President Madison, in his message, calls it a victory never surpassed in luster, however much it may have been in mag- nitude.
Congress passed a vote of thanks to be presented to Cap- tain Perry, and all the officers and men of the squadron, for the decisive and glorious victory over a British squadron of superior force. The President of the United States also presented gold medals to Captain Perry and Captain Elliot, bearing an emblematical device of the action between the two squadrons; and a silver medal to each commis- sioned officer either of the army or navy service on board; a sword to each of the sailing-masters and midshipmen; and also a medal to the nearest male relative of Lieutenant John Brooks ; and a sword to the nearest male relative of Midship- men Henry Laub, John Clark, and Tho. Claxton, Jr., with the expression of the deep regret of Congress for the loss of these -
* An hour after the battle, Commodore Perry forwarded by ex- press two letters, one to General Harrison, the other to the Secre- tary of the Navy, as follows :-
"U. S. BRIG NIAGARA, off the Western Sister, l " Head of Lake Erie, Sept. 10th, 1813, 4 P.M.
"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.
"I have the honor to be, sir, "Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
"O. H. PERRY.
"The Hon. WILLIAM JONES, Secretary of the Navy."
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gallant men. Three months pay, exclusive of the common allowance, was voted to all the petty officers, seamen, marines, and infantry, who supported the honor of the American flag under the orders of their gallant commander on that signal occasion.
The British vessels were prized by a board of officers from Lake Ontario, assisted by naval constructor, Henry Eckford, and purchased for $255,000. Of this, Commo- dore Chauncey was entitled to one-twentieth of the whole, being $12,750; Captains Perry and Elliot, each drew $7140. As no portion of prize money could be awarded to Captain Perry for his general command, Congress made a special grant to him of $5000; $2295 was the portion of each commander of a gunboat, lieutenant, sailing-master, and captain of marines ; $811 for a midshipman; $447 a petty officer; and $209 for each marine and sailor.
CHAPTER XVII.
Block-houses built in 1813-14-State of Society-Buffalo burned-Alarms at Erie-Captain Sinclair arrives-Bird and Rankin shot, and Davis hung-Peace-Disposition made of Government Vessels-List of Com- manding Officers at Erie from 1813 to 1825-Topography of Presqu'ile Bay and the Peninsula-Misery Bay-General Bernard and Major Totten's Survey-Appropriations made by the State and United States -Changes made by Time and Art since 1813-Rise and Fall of Water in Lake Erie-A Singular Phenomenon.
FOR the better defense of Erie, in the winter of 1813 and 1814, a block-house was built on Garrison Hill, and another on the point of the peninsula. (The one on the shore was burned in 1853, an occurrence much regretted by the inhab- itants.) Ten vessels, with their complements of men, were stationed in the harbor, and a large body of militia quar- tered upon the town. The winter is remembered by the old inhabitants as one of unusual excitement and dissipation.
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