Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1839-07-04
(WHoLE No. 474.
From the n. Y. Commercial Advertiser.
COOPER's NAVAL HisTORY.
(Concludcd.) !

HlhIIueh tHV cco' P'"", e''S' w. ">'S
account with Capt. Stevens, as to tho
distarce at which The enemy cOmmcn-
ced firing, and as 10 the time when the
signal was made for closing. lie then
proceeds 1.-THE situation Of the Nj
agara should have been abreast OF the
Queen Charlotte, and vi course as near
as she could get-as previous to tho
action, ] had always understood from
Commodore Perry that il was his in,en-
ton to bring the enemy's fleet 10 close
nction in case Of conflict. The Law
renee wen, into close action in The most
gallant style, followed by the Caledonia,
which kept her station agreeable to s'g-
nails. The Queen Charlotte made sail
and closed up with the Detroit shortly
alier the action commenced, and direct
ed her fire at the Lawrence. Tie Nj
agara still coniinued 10 remain long
way asiern, and firing at long shots
n short time before Com. Perry's going
Oh board of her, she ranged ahead al
the Lawrence and to windward OF her,
bringing the commodore's ship between
her and The enemy, rhcn he m'ghi hare
passed 10 hcrdrd and relieved the Law
renee from their destructive fire. The
wind being at that time ). T.. and the
American squadron steering la'ge, with
the exception OF the Lawrence, the Gale
dona took and maintained her station III
the line, during the whole of the action.
"ll was the opinion Of the officers and
men OF the squadron, that Capt EIi"tI
did not do his duty, and that, had h's
conduct been that Of II brave man, :here
is no possible reason that can be gwen
why his vessel should Tot have been
brought into close action with the British
squadron, before Commodore Perry went
on board of her. Great indignation was
expressed by the officers in general, at
the base conduct Of Captain Elliott IN
ncglecting to support the Lawrence as
he ought to have done but understand
ing that the commodore wished to screen
him, they Corebore to make any remarks
publicly upon his conduct. The volun-
tecrs, however, expressed their feelings
without any reserve whatever" Mr..
Champlin farther states, that Son or
about the lst of October, while cont
manding the Scorpion, on Lake 81.
Clair, Captuin Elliott came on board
In the course ot conversation, the battle
of Lake Erie being Introduced, he oh
served, that the officers and men Of the
Lawrence, including Capt. Perry, were
by no means entitled TO prize money /;
and still farther, that the other officers
and men Of the squadron were even en-
titled TO prizc-money for her, she being
a rc-capturcd vessel. He also observed
that in the action, he was so far from
the enemy, that he only fired his twelve
Founders during two hours and hall
The reason he assigned was, that he had
no signal from tie Commodore TO change
his s,uaiion-c complained much Of Com.
Pcrry's injustice toward him, and said
he onh, regretted that he had not sacrifccd
The fleet, irhen II mas IN his po,rer 10 hare
done so, on that account"
/ Thomas Breeze, Esq, purser in the
navy, who was stationed in the action on
the quarter deck of the Lawrence, after
giving the same statement with regard
TO the CONNIE nc ment Of the action, the
signal that was made for each vessel 10
engage her antagonist, md the previous
understanding as 70 the intention Of tho
commodore to bring the enemy to close
action as soon az possible-nnd descrIb-
ing the closing OF The Lawrence with
her Antagonist, the Detroit, followed by
TIE Caledonia, Scorpion and Ariel, and
the Queen Chariottc's passing ahead OF
the opponent of the Caledonia, and open
Ing her fire upon the Lawrence, states
that 'thc Niagara, from some mysieri-
Gus cause, remained in the position she
held at the commencement OF the action.
The conduct" he says, "of Capt. Elliott
in thus keeping his vessel out Of close
action, was evidently the cause OF the
great length of time the action lasted,
and made the result for a time doubtful.
When The Niagara passed to wiadward
OF the Lawrence, she appeared TO have
sustained little or no injury. After the
action closed, the censure on the behn-
vior of Capt. Elliott was general and
severe, not only by the officers Of the
Lawrence, but those of the small YES
sels--so much SO that the officers did
nOt Ucslutc w sh1 'ldt '"T'd'n i'''"b
must have been actuated by cowardly
or malicious motives until ii was made
known through Lieut.. Turner that II
was the wish of Com Perry TO suppress
any reports prejudicial TO Capt. Elliott.
In conversation some Of the British 9th.
GERS, some time after the action, ] heard
them say that the reason for the Queen
/ Cbarlotte's changing her position and
firing upon the Lawrence, was, the Nj
agara being at so great distance that
the short guns OF their vessels could not
be used To effect"
O.. Cart. Thomas Brownoll, who was sail
inc master of the Ariel, after agreeing
IN all the preliminary statements Of the
officers, states that "iho Niagara, Ivy
backing her main-topsail and brailing
up her jib, was enabled to fire but at
long shots wllh her bow guns for long
time during the action. "A few minutes
before Commodore Perry went on bonrd
pf her, she ranged ahead Of the Law
renee and to wiudward Of her, bringin ing
the commodore's ship between her and
the enemy, when il was in Captain Elli-
OTIS power 10 have passed TO Ieewnrd,