The Sierra citizen., 1854-04-22
Bottle of Lake Erie,


The battle of Lake Erie is one of the
most celebrated feats in our naval history.
The story has often been told, but may be
told again, especially as we have now the
fullest details of the action that we can
ever expect.
Perry having prepared his squadron at
Prssque Isle, (now Erie,) set sail for the
west end of the lake August Is, 1873
His men consisted of all sorts OF charac-
ters-seamen and landsmen, regulars,
militia and volunteers-but brave and
determined fellows, who, like their COM
mander, did not know how to be whipped.
They urged their way directly up to the
end of the lake, and, cruising off the mouth
of the river that leads to Detroit, were
ready to challenge out the enemy, who lay
within that stream. While there. Perry
was attacked with bilious fever. The
squadron put back some miles, and took
shelter among the beautiful isles in what
is called "Put-in-Bay.' My compagnon du
uoyage pointed out, with Jealous particu-
larity, the very place. 1t is uninhabited,
quiet, beautiful. Ifa squadron Of Milton's
fighting angels had taken shelter there
they would have supposed themselves back
again in heaven.
Sick with disease, which, perhaps
more than any other, drives brave thoughts
out of mans head, Perry was neverthe-
less determined to fight; and, while lying
in this retreat he planned boat attack
on the enemy, and was having his men
trained with muffled oars, when, at the
dawn of the 10th of September, a man at
the masthead discovered the enemy in the
distance. He lay to the northwest. A
sensation spread throughthe Yankee squad
ron The signal was Immediately given to
go forth and fight and in short time every
sail was spread, and every heart beating
with expectation. The wind was from
the southwest and was light. 1t was i'm
possible for the Americans to get the
weather-gauge of the enemy, without i'm
minent disadvantage; but fortunately the
wind soon veered to the southeast, and the
desired position was secured At about
10 o'clock, A. NJ, when the hostile powers
were nine miles apart, the English hove
to and formed their line. It is described
as exceedingly gallant and imposing
The vessels were new, their sails white,
their ensigns spread, their adjustment in
the line complete and formidable. Thus
arrayed, they lay with their bows pointed
southwark, toward the coming Yankees.
The English commander, Captain
Barclay, had formed his line with the
Chippelra, Mr.. Campbell, armed with one
gun on pivot, in the van; the Detroit,
his own vessel, next; and the Hunter,
Lieutenant Bignall; Queen Charlotte, Cap
tain Finnis; Lady Provost, Lieutenant
Commandant Buchan; and Little Belt
astern, in the order named. To oppose
this line, the Ariel, of four long twelves,
was stationed by Perry in the van, and
the Scorpion, of one long and one short
gun on circles, next her. The Laurence,
Captain Perry, came next; the two schoo-
ners just mentioned keeping on her weather
bow, having no quarters. The Caledonia,
Lieutenant Turner, was the next astern,
and the Niagara, Captain Elliott, was
placed next to the Caledonia. These YES
sells were all up at the time, but the other
light craft were more or less distant, each
endeavoring to get into her berth. The
order Of battle for the remaining vessels
directed the 1igress to fall astern OF the
Niagara, the S0mers next, and the Porcu-
g.ne and Trippe in the order named
When thnsarrayed, the wind unfortunately
slackened, and the American lighter crafts
were slow IN coming into position. This,
u iact, IS the main ground Of unfavorable
erihctm on Psnys management Of the