Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-15
PERRY'S BATTLE SHIP.
The Niagara Rests Upon the Bottom OF
Lake Erie-It VIII Be Raised and Sent
to the Columbian Exposition With Its

The Niagara Rests Upon the Bottom oil
Lake Erie-It VIII Be Raised and Sent
to the Columbian Exposition With Its
Old Armament.
If the spirit OF old Commodore oliver
Perry could materialize and spend the-next
few months at Erie, Pa, it would De very
popular spook. The memory of the noble
old hero is soon to be revived there and In
manner that is interesting to every patriotic
American.
vessel has been partly visible in Misery Bay
about ~ miles from the harbor at Err . savs
oHe he nid Enquirer 1t is all that remains
nor+ant Niagara which played so Inn
fponrbt bet Dart in the great marine battle
ies io navi the American and British
a. "a in september 10, 1913. the hulk
~ nom ho IN aDoue 10 feet of water and is sald
iitt ~ ne III. GOOD state of preservation. But
i iiteie now remains above water as it mas
peen carried away by piecemeal by relic
h4nters ior the last half century.
nat mas recently brought it into notice Is
Ine Pian OF Captain ID. p Dobbins, of the
Llie-Saving Service of this city, to raise the
eI olu Rnnk W and have it placed on exhibition at
Chicago in the naval exhibition of Jackson
fark Captain Dobbins owns the hulk and
VIII Degln the work of raising it as soon as
ne returns from trip to California. The
Stlll In existence, and will be in position on
her decks when she is placed on exhibition.
Ihose who are familiar with the history of
tne Dattie will remember that the niagara
anu the Lawrence were the principal Amer
lean vessels Both of them sunk soon after
the battle. The Lawrence was raised in 1915
and taken to the Centennial Exposition at
fh1ladelphia and put on exhibition the year
following.
1t Is Still in Good Repair.
T1,aI I,,,11- Al
good state of preservation that many were
disposed to regard it as fraud. They could
not believe that so crude vessel ever with
stood the terrible fire from Captain Bar
clay's ships for SO long a time. After the
Centennial was over the hulk of the Law
renee was sold at Sheriff's sale where it
stood, and was cut up into canes and relics
and carried by peacemeal to all parts of the
world.
According to history the Niagara played
the more important part in the engagement.
The terrible fight had been going on for sew
eral hours. Commodore Perry was still on
board the Lawrence, but the terrible broad
sides from the Detroit and Queen Charlotte,
commanded by Captain Barclay, had rem
dered her almost defenseless. Much of her
rigging had been torn away, several of her
guns were dismantled, and her decks were
red with blood and strewn with the bodies
OF the dead and dying. Only II men who
had escaped death or severe wounds were
left on board. 1t was terrible moment for
the brave commander. Above him still
hoated the flag having in blue and white let
ters the dying words of Commodore Law
rence-"Don't give up the ship" But it was
only a matter of another hour when the
sturdy old ship must be given up and the
life or at least the liberty of the soldiers on
board.
But a glorious moment of deliverance was
at hand. A short distance away Commodore
cided to leave the Lawrence and take the
ola nag to the other ship. 1t was perilous
undertaking, but with the inspiration, 'if a
victory Is to be gained III gain it, he carried
ing his guns upon the British vessels soon
had them entangled and so badly riddled
that a few broadsides forced Captain Bar
clay to surrender. 1t was then that the
proud Perry sent out the message: eve have
met the enemy and they are ours. 1t is
said that when Perry left the Lawrence to
go to the Niagara, even the oars in the row.
boat were torn to splinters by musket balls
fired from the British ships But Perry even
stood erect in the boat most of the time,
and with the glorious old flag wrapped
about him made target for the British
soldiers.
He Remembers the Battle.
There is yet an old gentleman in Erie who
will be one of the most famous men at the
Worlds Fair if he is only able to be there.
His name is Osborn, and he distinctly re-
the day of the terrible battle. A
few years since the writer visited him in the
interest of a Chicago paper, and at that time
he talked of the big fight as though 1t was
only matter of week ago
II remember well" said he, chow we all
stood along the lake shore that day and
listened to the terrible thunder of the can
mons away out on the water and watched
for the little clouds of smoke that we could
sometimes see after a heavy broadside. 1
remember wondering why I couldn't hear
the men cry if they were hurt and why some
of them didn't come in with small boats. At
length when the firing ceased for time
our hearts all sank for we feared the scalp
ing knife and tomahawk If the British car
ried the day. In fact, all the settlers had
made arrangements to fly to Pittsburg as
rapidly as possible if the Americans were
"But what happy time it was when our
own victorious soldiers began to come
ashore after the battle was over. 1 can re-
member how clung to their legs and cried
with joy. For years dreamed of that awful
battle and great victory"
So great was the old gentleman's ardor
that he composed a "boys poem" on the
event soon after, which he preserves among
the most choice of his relics. The opening
Of the poem is as follows:
On September 10 Perry's fleet
Met Barclay on Lake Erie's deep;
And with the Brig Niagara alone,
Made Britain for her wrongs atone,
He with the Brig niagara broke
The British lines and CALLING yoke.
And in one quarter of an hour
Took all their fleet and naval power.