Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1814-04-07

Ot INJURY al iis own request, anu ne was
not merely acquitted of all blame, but highly
applauded for the judgment, intrepdity al d
perseverance he had displayed The Sc.
cretary of the Navy, Mr. Hamilton, also
wrote him a very complimentary letter ON
the occasion.
Shortly after this event he returned to
Newport, being peculiarly attracted thith-
er by a tender attachment for Miss Ma.
son, daughter of DR.. Mason, and niece OF
the Hon. Christopher Chaplin of the Uni
ted States Senate a lovely and interesting
young lady, whom he soon after married.
AT the beginning of 1912 he was promo
ted to the rank of master and comman-
der. and ordered TO the command OF tho
fiotiia OF gun boats stationed al the bar.
Dor OF New York. He remained on this sta
tion about a year; during which time he
employed himself diligently in dsciplning
his crew to serve either as landsmen or
mariners and brought his fotilia into an
admirable state of preparation for active
operation.
The gun boat service, however, is at best
but an irksome employ. Nothing can be
more disperiting for ardent and daring
minds than to be obliged to skulk about
harbors and rivers, cramped up in these
diminutive vessels, without the hope of ex-
plot to atone for present Inconvenience.
Perry soon grew tired of this inglorious
service, and applied to the Secretary of
the navy to be ordered to more active
station, and mentioned the lakes as the
one he should prefer. His request was
Immediately complied with, and he receiv-
ed orders to repair to Sacket's Harbor.
Lake Ontario, with a body of mariners to
reinforce the squadron under Commodore
Chauncey. So popular was he among the
honest tars under his command, that no
sooner was the order known than nearly
the whole of his crews volunteered to &C.
company him
| In few days he was ready to depart,
and tearing himself from the comforts Of
| home, and the endearmcnts of young and
beautiful wife and blooming child, be set
off at the Lead of large number of cho-
sen seamen, ON his expedition to the will
derness. The rivers being completely fro
zen over, they were obliged to perform the
Journey by land, in the depth OF winter
The greatest order and good humour pre-
vailed throughout the little band of adven-
turers, to whom the whole expedition
seemed kind of frolic, and who were de-
| lighted with what they termed land cruise.
| Not long after the arrival of Perry at
] Sackets Harbour, Commodore Chauncey,
who entertained proper opinion Of his
] merits detached him to Lake Erie, to
| take command Of the squadron on that
station, and to superintend the building Of
additional vessels The American force al
| that time on the Lake consisted but of Sc
| veral small vessels; two of the best of
which had recently been captured from the
enemy in a gallant style by Capt. Elliott,
from under the very batteries of Maiden.
The British force was greatly superior.
| and commanded by Commodore Barclay.
an able and well tried officer. Commodore
Perry Immediately applied himself to in.
| crease his armament, and having ship car
pen,ers from the atlantic coast, and using
extraordinary eyertions, two briggs Of TWEEN
| ty guns each were soon launched at Erie.
the American port on the Lake.
While the vessels were constructing, the
British squadron lowered off the harbour,
but offered no molestation. AT length, his
vessels being equipped and manned, on the
fourth of August, Commodore Perry sue
ceeded in getting bis squadron over the
bar at the mouth of the harbour. Tho
water on the bar was but five feet deep.
and the large vessels had to be bouyed
over this was accomplished il the face of
the British. who fortunately did not think
proper to make an attack. The next day
he sailed in pursuit of the enemy but res
turned on the 9Th, without having encoun-
tered him. Being reinforced by the arri-
val OF the brave Elliott, accompanied by
several officers and eighty-nine sailors, lie
was enabled completely to man his squad
ron, and again ret sail on the 18th in
quest Of the enemy. On the 18th he ar.
rived at Sandusky Bay, where the Anne.
rican army under general Harrison lay en-.
eamped. From, thence he cruised of Maj
den, where the British squadron remainedr
at at, anchor, under the guns Of tae fort.