The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-09-29
PERRY.S OLD FLAGSHIP.
Raising Of the Lawrence" From
Lake Eric.

Raising OF The SIaWrehce
Lake Eric.
The harbtr of the city of Erie, IA.
was .he scene of conslderabeinterest ana
excitement on Tuesday, the l4th, the oc-
casion being The raising OF the hulk oil the
Laurence, the flagship OF Commodore
Perry in his memorable battle OF Lake
Erie. fought September 10th, 1873. Inc
vessel was built, together with the Nag
ara. her sister ship-at the mouth OF q
ravine called the Cascades near where
the water-works now are, her keel beng
laid bv Mr.. Dobbins, and the work being
conducted under Perry's own supervision.
After she was launched, she was towed
over to "Misery Bay" where her masts
put in and her rigging set, and whence
she started to meet the foe and cover her
self with glory. She went into the night
on that September morning tlying nag
with Lawrence's dying words, "Don I
give up the ship!' emblazoncd thereon,
aud after sustaining the combined attack
Of the enemys fleet for hours, drlited out
OF the line helpless wreck her scuppers
running blood. and her deck covered
with the debris OF her spars and rigging
and the dead and wounded bodies oil
eishty-two of her gallant crew.
On the peck OF the LlloreMce STOOD the
gallant Perry when he led his little navy
Of nine vessels into the fight on the
morning of September the 10Th, lol"' II
was his flagship, and, with the exception
of the Niagara, the only regular vessel
of-war in the fleet, the others haYinS been
built for trading. Perry had been laying
IN Putin bay, near SaEdusky when ne
discovered the British squadron IN the
otiing. Although the undertaking was Il
hazardous one, he promptly went out to
meet the enemy. The naval supremacy
on the lakes was matter OF much mo-
ment, and the gallant young commander
eagerly seized the opportunity OF the test
of battle. The British fleet consist OF SIX
vcssels-two ships, OneSchooner, one OriS
and two smaller veSsels-carryinS DO
guns and 502 officers and men. Perry
had two brigs and seven small VESSELS,
with "a guns and $50 officers and men.
The English guns were Of longer range
than those of the Americans, and as soon
Ms the fight commenced, the enemy con-
centratcd the fi:e of the greater number
of their guns upon the laurence, ana by
half. past two o'clock, out Of lOl officers
and men on board, only - were not DIS
ablcd, and all her guns were rendered III
effective.
When the vessel was no longer hablta-
BILE, Perry left the laurence ana carried
his FLAG to the NiagarG, which lay halt a
mile TO windwurd, crossing in his boat
under heavy fire. The combat, which
lasted about three hours, resulted in n
glorious victory for Perry, and complete
ly established the American supremacy
on the lakes. The dispatch to General
Harrison, which Perry wrote on the back
of an old letter, resting 1t on his navy
captive have met the enemy, and they
are ours"-has become us celebrated an
epigrammatic sentence IA anything ever
spoken by Bonaparte or Nelson.
After the battle the LaCrcHrc was tow
ed back to her birthplace, and anchored
i'm the bay whence she had so recently set
out, and here she remained, a. noble mont ..
ment ofthat celebrated victory, until 1873,
when she sunk ut her anchors.
Some years ago an attempt was made
to raise her for the purpose of equipping
her for the merchant service bu. having
originally been calked with tow instead
of uakum, her seams leaked so badly that
1t was found impossible to make her
available tor the purpose, and she was
allowed to sink again to her resting place
on the sands Of Misery Bay. More re-
Gently company Of gentlemen organized
themselves INTO an association, purchased
the old ship, and on Tuesday the llth INST,
she was raised again 10 the surface amidst
the plaudts of crowds who had repaired
to the spot 20 greet the heroic old craft
which had so nobly carried the old flag,
and whose decks had witnessed such acts
of hcroism and bravery. She WAS found
living on her starbrard side, and with her
t,lnbrrs in sound condition, although
much OF her port side had been carried
away by rel;c.huntcrs who had sawed on
her planking and knees on that side rs
she lay under water.
The operation of raising her was not a
very difficult one as she lay Just beneath
the surface of the water. Four scows
were stationed, two on each side of her
frame, and with the usual appliances of
cranes, levers, etc. she WIS brought to the
surface and bearhcd, where she will re-
man until arrangements can be made to
float her through the canals to PhlladeI-
phin. whore it Is proposed to exhibit her
ut the Centennial.