Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-01-05
MEYER GIVE UP THE .sHlpr
THE STORY OF COMMODORE PERRY's FLAG
SHIP AND MS FAMOUS VICTORY.

THE STORY OF COMMODORE PERRY's FLAG
SHIP AND MS FAMOUS VICTORY.
a correspondent of the Cincinnati
Enquirer has interviewed Mr. John
Norris, the only survivor of Commo.
dore Perry's famous victory on Lake
Erie in his flag ship Lawrence, which
was lately raised, it will be remembered,
at Misery Bay, Erie Ilarbor, and will
probably be exhibited at the Centen-
nial. Mr.. Norris is now in his slth
year, and resides at Petersburg, Ken
lucky, where he recitcd to his newspa-
per visitor the following interesting
narrative:
enlisted from Mason county, Ken
tucky, in May, 1918, and was soon at
ter mustered at the old barracks in
Newport in company of cavalry.
Captain John Puyne, of Augusta, com
mander The company was made up
of men from Mason, Braelen, Lewis,
Lemon and Fayette counties, and was
mustered in for six months. We were
assigned to Colonel Johnson's three
monthsreglment--nearly all the mem
bers of which were also from Kentucy
-and we then began securing the In
dian country towards Northern Ohio.
We stopped in Fort Meigs and in Camp
Seneca, on the SapduslSy river, then
in command of General Harrison, and
then we joined Colonel Balls forces
from Maryland and proceeded down
towards Lower Sandusky. We were
armed with swords and pistols. On
the way down our advanced guard was
ambusncd by party of Indians. num-
bering only thirteen. This provoked
an attack from our whole army, and
the Indians were all slain. Ailcr the
skirmish, as each man came filing back
into line, over fifty men individually
claimed to have "bloodiedn their swords
in the heart of live Indian. Each of
fifty men had killed n savage when
there were only thirteen savagcs to
kill. | didn't bloody my sword.
About this place and Seneca we skir.
mished tho most of the summer, car.
rying on a sort of predatory warfare
Toward the latter part Of the season
Commodore Perry sent word down to
General Harrison that he wanted a
company Of fghtingmen, and General
Harrison dispatched a messenger over
to our company asking for volunteers.
rho s,onaral hnd ficllnd tha mid. of
us kentuckians by saying we did not
know when we were whipped, and when
he sent his messenger he sent him with
instructions to ask for volunteers only.
The messenger came to our company.
i had been eager TO see some good
fighting before my six months term
expired As ! heard the message de-
livercd, therefore, j jumped at . tho
chance and was the first to cxclaim,
"l am one to go" "l am second al
am third, etc, in quick succession il
passed down the line until twenty men
from our company had volunteered
their services. We were taken down
the Sandusky the next day to Perry's
fleet, which was lying at Portage, near
what is now called Sandusky City, and
were placed on board the Caledonia,
commanded by Captain Turner. This
was toward the latter part Of August;
| don't just remember the day. The
Commodore had made several incilcct-
ual efforts to induce the British com.
mander TO come out from his strong.
hold in Maiden and engage him, but
the willy old Britisher did not respond. |
Hemaintained hisdignity and strength.
cned himself by building and manning
another vessel called the Detroit and
by cruising about on his own side of