The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-09-22
THE BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE.
From Brackcnridge's History Of the last w;
with Great Brit aiu

From Brackcnridge's History Of the last Wal
with Great Briiain.l
Soon after this affair. (the defense Of
Fort Stephenson by Major Crog' a }
Tecumeh, having raised the siege OF
Fort Mcigs, followed Proctor to Detroit;
and all hope was given up by the enemy
of reducing the American forts, until
they could gain the ascendeucy on the
luke.
The utmost exertions had been made,
in the meanwhile, by Captain Perry, to
complete the naval armament on Lake
Erie. BY the I'd of August, the feet
was equipped, but some time was lost III
getting several of the vessels over the
bar at the mouth of the haibor Of Erie.
On the All, be sailed in quest Of the
enemy but not eetipg him, he return
ed on the Sth After receiving rein
forcement of s,ilors brought by Captain
Elliot, he again sailed on the 18th, and
on the 18th anchored in the bay of San
d7sky. Here he took in about twenty
volunteer marines, and again went in
search cf tho enemy; and after cruising
off Maiden, retired to Putin Bay, a
distance Of thirty miles. His feet con
sisted of the brig Lawrence, his flag
vessel, of twenty guns; the Niagara,
Captain Elliot, of twenty the Gale
donia, Lieut.. Turner, Of three; the
schooner Ariel, Of four; the Scorpion
of two; The Somers, of two guns and
two swirels; the sloop Trippe, and the
schoouers Tigress and Porcupine, of one
gun each amounting in all to niue ves-
sells, fifty four guns and two swivels =
On the morning of the 10Th of Sep'em-
ber, the enemy was discovered bearing g
down on the American squadron which
Immediately got under weigh, and stood
out to meet him. The Americans had
three vessels more than the British ; but
this advantage wastully counterbalanced
by the size and number of guns of those
of the enemy. The feet of the latter
consisted of the Detroit, Commodore
Barclay, of nineteen guns aud two how
itzers; the Queen Charlotte, CAPTAIN
Finnis, of seventeen guns; the schooner
Lady Provost, Lieut. Buchan, of thir-
teen guus and two howl zers: the brig
Hunter, of ten guns the sloop Little
Belt, of three guns, and the schooner
Chippewa, of one gun aud two swivels
in all, six vessels, sixty three guns. four
howitzers and two swiyels.
When the Americans stood, the Brit
tish fleet had the weather gage but the
wind soon after changed, and brought
the American feet to wirdward. The
line of battle was formed at eleven and
at fifteen miuut, before twelve, the en-
emy's flag ship, and the Queen Charlotte
opened their fire upon the Lawrence,
which she sustained for ten minutes be-
fore she was near enough for her guns,
which were caronadcs, to return 1t. She
continued to bear up, making signals for
the other vessel to hasten to her support;
and at five minutes before twelve, brought
her guns to bear upon the enemy. Un-
fortunately, the wind being light, the
smaller vessel of the squadron could
not come up to her assistance, aud she
was compelled to contend for two hours,
with two ships each nearly equal to her
in force The contest was, uotwithsiand
ing, maintained by her with unsh AIKEN
courage, and with "a GOODNESS which de
serves the highest admiration. BY this
time the Lawrence had become entirely
unmanageable. Every gun in the brig
being dismouuted, and with the excep
tion of four or five, her whole crew
either killed or wounded; Perry de, er
mined to leave her With a presence
of mind which drew forth the praise OF
the gallant officer to whom he was op'
posed, he sprang into his boat, and hero
ically waving his sword, passed unhur'
to the Niagara, carrying his flag with
him. At the moment he reached t"'
| Niagara, the flag of the Lawrence came
down. She was utterly unable to make
further resistance aud it would have
been a wanton waste of the remaining
lives, to continue the contest. Captain
Elliot now left The Niagara, with th'
view of bringing up the rest of the fleet
while Perry again bore down among th'
enemy in a ship which ha as yet taket
no share in the action. AS he passed
ahead of the Detroit, Queen Charlotte
and Lady Provost, he poured into eacl
a broadside, from his starboaEd side
aud from his larbored fred into tn
Chippewa and Little Belt. To one o
the vessels-the Lady Provost, which h
so approached within half pistol shot
the fire was SO dest. uctive, that her mel
we're compelled to run below. At thi
moment the wind fresheniug, the Gal
adonia came up, and opened her hre
and several others of the squadron wer
enabled soon after to do the same. Flo
time. this novel aud important comba
ragged with great violence aud fury -
Tho result OF campaign, the conlmau
of sea, the G ory and renown OF tw
rival nations matched for the first tim
in squadron, were at i-sue. The oontes
was not long doubtful. The Qnee
Charlotte, having lost her captain an
all her principal officers, By some mil
chance ran foul of the D-troit. BY til