The morning times., 1896-04-26
Commodore Perry.

Victory" 1t is on the east wall, near
the senate cmamuer, anu cost Szo,vvU. II
Was panied III oIS
Consultations were held with parents
anu teachers. Mr. SpOIIoru was dlI at
once Dcsieged with Duys Tor books on
Perry anu the BatIIe OF Lake Erie
Debates were held as 10 the victory. The
question beng, Did rerry gam the victory
with the Lawrence or the Nlagara?'
1ur young peopIe must uecide. In
brlef, this is the historian LosSings story
ef IIIc COMMANDER, ana Tie great batJle
OF 1913. The messages ana IeIters from
Commodore Perry are nom the originals,
as We read and copied them from oIu
letter books in the Navy department,
Washington. The handwriting is bod
and handsome.
In the summer of 1872, Capt. Oliver
Hazard Perry twenty seven years old,
q jealous naval officer, in command of the
flotilla OF gunboats on Newport Station, K.
l., grew very impatient ''for broader ac-
tion on Ia Ike or ocean, Again 4 nj a ga in ne
asked for exchange. February 1st, Com
mander Chauncey wrote him: You are
the very person l want for particular serv-
ice for yourself, and honor for your coun-
try" This was Perry's command on Lake
Erie. His JOY was complete. Hehad just
been promoted from lieutenant, after having
February % he left his young wife and
home, took with him his youngest thirteen
year-old brother, James Alexander, and
in a heavy rain storm started for the
Northern Lakes. His nine vessels were
built from the forest trees OF that country,
The frames of white and black oak and
chestnut. Outside planking of oak, with
decks Of pine. The brigs were 141 feet
long. They were launched on the 24th of
May, and ready for service on the 10th of
July, but had only men enough TO officer
and man one brig. Perry was compelled
TO lie in harbor, exposed to the insolence of
the British so long, that in despair, he
wrote for more men. His officers and
sailors were i'll of lake fevers. Perry him
selfhad an Intermittent fever. For Gods
sake, send me men. l will take the enc
my in day or two, he wrote in July. BY
order Of the Secretary the flagship chosen
was named for Lawrence, the brave cap
tain Of the Chesapeake. Not until Sep
tember 10 was Perry's little squadron
of nine vessels made ready for the attack
Commodore Robert Barblay was in COM
mandofthe British. He wasanexperienced
officer under Nelson, had lost an arm in
the service and was tEirty-Seven years old.
He had thirty-five long guns, TO Perry's
fifteen
Al 10 in the morning the Amer rican YES
sells stood out to sea. Perry called his
men around him. He showed them the
large blue flag, made by Samuel Hamil-
ton, bearing in letters a foot high, made
Of white muslin, the words of Lawrence,
Don't give up the Ship
MY brave lads. shall hoist it?'' asked
Perry. 'Ay-ay, SIR and with cheers and
shouts the bunting was run up to tie
main royal masthead. To each vessel its
antagonist was assigned. To each officer
Perry said Engage in close action: on
the line at half cable length from the ves-
sci of our squadron in front OF you Do as
Nelson said. If you lay your enemy close
alongside, you cannot be out Of yourplace"
The wind changed, and an officer shouted:
''shall we engage The enemy 10 the lee
ward?''
Perry answered 'I don't care. To
wlndward, 10 leeward; they shall fight to-
day. Fifteen minutes of IL a bugle
sounded on board the British flagship De-
trolt. Perry was yet weak from illness, |
but the cry, Sail hor' was a tonic With