The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1875-10-14
Com. Perry's Flagship.

The Cleveland Piaindealer says:
After the Lawrence had become dis
abled in the battle Of Lake Erie. IL
will be remembered tina, Perry left
her during the engagement and made
the Niagara his flagship until the
close Of the fight. The Lawrence,
with great difficulty, was gotten int,
the port OF Ere, re port at which
she was built, and after rounding
the peninsula floated up Misery BAY
unmanageable. The next year, 1914,
she was rcfitted and sen, against the.
forts al Mackinac. Proving unsea-
worthy from he terrible drubblng Of
the English the year previous, she
was brought back to Eie and sunk
in Misery Bay, and has lain there
ever since, doing duty as "a house for
the numberless black bass which
could always be caught among her
imbers, and point Of interest to be
visited by curiosity hunters. Enough
"Flsgship Lawrence Canes" have
been sold to build four such vessels,
besides the real canes, etc, that have
been made from her tlmbers. The
vessel was built by Daniel nJbbins,
whose widow now lives, or did live,
q few years ago in Erie and who,
while her husband was getting out
,imbers, etc., far the fleet, boarded
Commodore Perry aud his staff.
When the writer of this saw her last,
in 1871, she was smart old lady, 81
years old, and bids fair to live to
hundred. We quote from the Erie
Dispatch, which, we are sorry to say,
does not give as full details as de-
sirable, because all would like to
know the names Of the proprietor>,
etc, of the hull; and in this counec-
ton we suggest that our Historical
Society secure some portion of the
Lawrence as relics. The Dispath
says:
"The glory Of one OF the chief
points of interest in the harbor of
Erie-,hat which hung around the
place hallowed by the remnants OF
Pcrry's victorious flagship, he Law
rence-has departed. Hr remains
have been lifted from their quiet
resting place under the waters of
Misery Bay and carried shoreward to
the edge Of the peninsula. bringing o
view the historic relic"
The removal is looked upon with
disfavor by the majority of our CHI
gems, and it is not TO be wondered at,
as the Lawrence has been living
there so long that she was accounted
public property, and in the summer
lime was visited by hosts Of stran-
gers-the framework on one side be-
ing visible-to whom. as well as to
our own citizens, it was an object of
great interest.
The remains are queer looking
mass. The port side has been cut
down nearly to the keel, plapking
having been torn off and ribs sawed
off by those who thought it was no
harm to steal II piece Of wood off he
Lawrence, and this has been kept up
until at least third of her bottom
has gone. The Lawrence lay on her
starboard side, aud that side is tol.
erably whole to the deck beams
upper works all gone wears ago),
and the timber, in general, sound aud
in good condition, but is purple
black--the result of the action of the
water.
Of the twenty seven killed in that
naval engagement twenty-five were
killed in the Lawrence, on board of
which was the intrepid Perry, whose
monument ornaments our public
square. The Lawrence was 100 feet
long, % feet beam, and 9 feet depth
Of hold. In her time she was model
war vessel, but in these days of iron
clads, monitor rams, and heavy arma-
ment she would not last as log in an
engagement as yawl boat in hur-
ricane. She fulfilled her mission,
however, and gave our English cou-
sins cause to remember her contem-
porary with Perry's famous victory.