Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-09-10

engaged on about equal terms. But the
Lawrence had received such damage as to
make the odds against Perry. On each
side almost the whole fire was directed
against the opposing large vessels; in
consequence the Queen Charlotte was al.
most disabled and the Detroit was also
feartullY shattered, her fret lieuten-
ant general being mortally wounded ind
Captain Barclay, the British commander
80 severely injured that he was obliged
to quit the deck, leaving his ship in the
command of Lieutenant George lnglis.
But on board Perry's flagship the Law
renee matter. had gone even worse, the
combined fire of her adyersaries having
made the grimmest carnage on her decks.
OF the l0S men who we're fit for duty
when she began the action, S3 or over
four tifths we're killed or wounded. The
vessel was shallow and the ward room
used rs cockpit, to which the wounded
were taken, was almost wholly above
water, and the shot crashed through it
continually, killing and wounding many
men in the hands of the surgeon. First
Lieutenant Yarnall WAS three times
wounded, but kept the deck through all;
the only other lieutenant, Brooks of the
marines, was mortally wounded. Every
brace and bowline was shot away, and
the brig was almost completely disman-
tied; her hull was shattered to pieces,
many shot going through it, and the
guns ON the engaged side were dis
mounted.
But the undaunted Perry kept up the
fight with splendid courage. As his crew
fell one by one the commodore called
down through the skylight for one of the
surgeons assistants, and this call was
repeated and obeyed until none we're left,
and then he asked, "can any of the wound
ed pull roper" And three or four of
these gallant fellows in spite of wounds
and pain erawled on deck to lend feeble
hand in placing the last guns. Perry
fired the last gun assisted only by the
purser and chaplain. A man who did
not possess his indomitable spirit would
then have struck. Instead of that, how
ever, Perry merely determined to win by
new methods, and remodeled his line ac-
cordingly. Mr.. Turner, in the Caledonia
when ordered to close, ha0 put his helm
up, run down on the opposing line, and
engaged at very short range though the
brig was absolutely without quarters.
The Niagara had thus become the next in
line astern of the Lawrence. The Mia
CARA now steered for the head of the
British line passing over quarter OF a
mile to windward of the Lawrence. Now
took place an act of daring with which
every American boy and girl is familiar;
1t forms the subj ect of one of the great
eat pictures which adorns the walls of
the nations capitol. Perry hauled down
his broad pennon, and with his brother
and four seamen leaped into n yawl aud
was rowed across that quarter of n mile,
almost every inch of which was cut and
torn by shot and shell, reached the
Niagara, hoisted his flag again and began
the fight anew. AT 245, says Roose-
welt, his schooners having closed up,
Perry in his fresh vessel bore up to
break the English line" which he did in
splendid style firing his port guns into
the Ohlppeway, Little Belt and Lady
Provost and the starboard ones into the
Detroit, Queen Charlotte and Hunter,
raking on both sides. On the other side
the British were raked by the Caledonia
and the sehooners 40 closely that the
enemy's flag was struck; the English were
beaten and their entire fleet surrendered;
the lakes were delivered at once and for
ever from the British enemy, and as
Perry truly and graphically said: eve
had met the enemy and they are ours
~@..-.--.