The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-09
PERRY,S GREAT VICTORY,
The story of the Battle of Lake Eric
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From the Chicago Times Herald
Put-in-Bay, O.-Commodore Schley and
his men will go to sea with the finest ma
chinery of war the world has ever seen.
| Commodore Perry and his men went into
battle with crude weapons fioated on ships
made from green logs. The people of this
island will build a monument to Schley,
as they did 10 Perry, should it appear that
modern guns and modern valor make such
fighters as did the ancient cannon and old
time patriotism on the waters of Lake
Erie. 1t took Perry six months to do what
Schley might do in six days. It is eighty
five years since Perry sailed from this
harbor. but the American people will be
satisfied if Schley comes back with half
the glory of Perry. This would prove
that men are just as brave as they USED
to be.
Oliver Hazard Perry came from Rhode
Island to take command of the naval cam
paign on Lake Erie during the war of 1872
He was sent because he was a fighter He
came from a family of dauntless courage.
His father had been a privateersman dur
ing the revolution. The son managed to
get into the navy as soon as he could I'M
tie himself from the apron strings. AS
lad of IA he went as a midshipman for
service in West Indian waters. He saw
service in the old Adams, then in the Con-
stellatlon, and next on the Nautilus as
commander. Once he was wrecked. He
ran the Revenge on a reef, This brought
him idleness for a year, but at the break
ing out of hostilities in 1872 he was put
in command of the gun hotila at New
port. He was sort of Fighting Bob"
Evans 1t was too calm on the coast for
him, and repeated applications were sent
to the Secretary of the Navy FOR a transfer
TO the scene of actual warfare on the
lakes. The commission finally was grant
ed. 1t reached him early one morning in
February, 1873. Before sunset fifty of his
picked men were on their way west A
hundred more followed in four days. Per-
ry himself started on the fifth.
Erie had been chosen as the base of
operations. A navy yard had been estab-
lished. Capt. Perry found it in bad shape.
There were two gunboats on the ways
nearly planked, a third was ready for
planking and the keels of two brigs had
been laid. II was evident that the gov
There was not a gun in sight for the
armament of the proposed squadron. Sixty
volunteers were the only protection
against fire and attack by the British Not
muSket or bullet was to be. had i'm
Erie, nor had a rope or a yard of canvas
been sent for sails or rigging Perry was
equal to the emergency. The day he ar
rived he hired a force TO guard the ships
already under construction. He sent Off
GERS to Buffalo the first evening for musk
cts, cartridges and forty seamen He left
the second day for Pittsburg for neces-
sary supplies.
Perry was met on every hand with diff
ficulties. The very lumber that he needed
had to be hewn from logs The timber,
oak, chestnut and pine was cut on the
spot. Braces and beams were put into the
bulls in the afternoon that had been parts
OF standing trees the same morning. The
iron was gathered by forging parties that
searched through stores shops. ware
houses and farm buildings A delegation
secured big find of about a thousand
pounds In Buffalo. A number of shin car
penters came on from Philadelphia to Of
fer their services. The citizens of Pitts
burg held meetings and raised money for
anchors, ropes cables and guns. A mil.
itia officer in the neighborhood of the
work brought out 800 volunteers to nut
Erie under martial law The fleet was
about ready for launching. He feared fire
brands in the hands of spies or traitors.
DON'T GIVE UP THE SHIP,
This was the inscription of the banner
from the peak of the Lawrence. 1t was un-
furled as the craft slid into the water early
in May. followed a few days later by the
remainder of the fleet. He added five boats
which he had brought down from Buffalo.
There were now gathered in the harbor of
Wi
two vessels with two guns each, one with
three, one with four, and the Niagara ana
the Lawrence with twenty EACH All were
rugged and ready for the fight but the
trouble was just beginning. Perry had
only no men fit for duty. The roads had
been kept hot with couriers for reinforce.
ments He needed commanders. eunners
ana seamen. Give me men, sir, and I
will gain both for you and myself honor
and glory on this lake or perish In the
attempt he wrote to the secretary. This
brought him sixty. He agreed 10 nav vol
unteers $40 month for four months or
until a battle was fought. This brought
him forty more. He refused to wait long
er and gave orders Aug. to his 800 effect
I'VE men to get under sail 1t was Sun
day.
Perry, on the Lawrence. led the cruise Of
the sailors. The little boats passed the bar
at the entrance to the harbor The ble
ones drew too much water. The schoon-
ers stood in bold battle array on the OUT
side trimmed for action, while
all hands were put TO work
on the "camels" which were
20 lighter the two big boats over the sand
rhe "camels' were scows the length of
the Lawrence and Niagara. They had
plugs In the bottom. As soon as thew uere
taken alongside the big boats the Dlues
we're taken out The scows were sunk
until their decks were level with the Dor,
holes. Spars were passed through tie
port holes, resting on blocks on the decks