The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-07
PERRY'S GREAT VICTORY
MEMORABLE BATTLE ON LAKE ERIE
EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO.
What Then Required Six Months to
Accomplish Might BE Done Now
by SchIey in Six Days.
Pqt-in,Bay (o.) Letter in Chicago Times

OHS uOdleu On SHIPS mace from green logs.
The people of this island will build
monument to Schley. as they did to 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, 1t 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 unite him
self from the apron strings. AS a lad Of
fourteen he went as midshipman for serv-
ice in West Indian waters. he saw service
in the old Adams, then in the Constellation,
and next on the Nautilus as commander.
Once he was wrecked He ran the Revenge
on reef. This brought him idleness for a
year. but at the breaking out of hostirties
fiotilla at Newport. He was a 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
granted. 1t reached him early one morning
in February. 1913. Before sunset fifty of his
picked men were on their way West. A
hundred more followed in four days. Perry
himself started on the fifth.
Erie had been CHOSEN as the base of oper-
atlons. A navy yard had been established
Captain Perry found it in bad shape There
We're two gunboatS on the ways nearly
planked, a third was ready, for. planking
1t was evident that the government was
in utter incapacity for war. There was not
gSn IN agnf for fh sty of tR
the only protection against fire and attack
by the British. Not musket or bullet was
to be had in 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 arrived he hired a force to guard
the ships already under construction He
sent officers to Buffalo the first evening for
muskets, cartridges and forty seamen. He
left the second day for Pittsburg for neces-
sary supplies.
MANY DIFFICULTIES.
Perry was met on every hand with diff
Guilty. 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 hulls
in the afternoon that had been parts of
standing trees the same morning. The iron
was gathered by foraging parties that
searched through stores, shops, warehouses
and farm buildings. A delegation secured
big lind of about a sand pounds in
Buffalo. A number of 81 rpenters came
on from Philadelphia to their services.
The citizens of Pittsburg a id meetings and
raised money for anchors, ropes, cables and
guns. A militia officer in the neighborhood
OF the work brought out 800 volunteers to
put Erie under martial law The fleet was
about ready for launching. He feared fire
brands and in the hands Of spies or traitors
inscription of the banner from the peak of
the Lawrence 1t was unfurled as the craft
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 Erie four
little sloops with one gun each, two vessels
with two guns EACH, one with three, one
with four, and the Niagara and the Law
and ready for the fight, but the trouble
was just beginning. Perry had only 10 men
fit for duty. The. roads had been kept hot
with couriers for reinforcements. He
needed commanders, gunners and seamen.
Give me men, sir, and 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 to pay volunteers $40 a month for
four months or until a battle was fought.
This brought him forty more. He refused
to wait longer and gave orders Aug. to
his 300 effective men to get under sail. 1t
was Sunday.
Perry, on the Lawrence, led the cruise of
the sailors The little boats passed the bar
at the entrance to the harbor. The big ones
in bold battle array on the outside, trimmed
for action, while all hands were put to work
on the ''caIhels'' which were to lighter the
two big boats over the sand. The "camels''
We're Scows the length of the Lawrence and
Niagara They had plugs in the bottom. AS
soon as they were alongside the big boats
the plugs were taken out. The scows were
Sunk until their decks were level with the
port holes. Spars were passed through the
port holes, resting on blocks on the decks
of the half-submerged scows. The plugs
were driven back and the water pumped
out. The scows began to rise and the battle
ships were lifted The first time the lifting
was not enough. The whole programme
had to be repeated, with danger that the
enemy would appear at any moment 1t
shore, being entertained at dinner. This, by
the way, was the only piece of good fortune
Perry cruised up and down for some days.
He couldn't find the enemy This wait gave
Lieut.. Jesse d. Elliott and $50 men time 20
arrive from the Constitution and be taken
to the Niagara in small boats. This detach-
ment of fresh troops added Vigor TO Perry'S
valor This made him entirely ready. With
course to the head of the lake, bound to
bring back the enemy or go to the bottom.
He got as far as the islands opposite San
dusky and put in for harbor. He sighed 10
get his eye on the British fleet, but the
British fleet was hiding up the Canadian
shore, waiting for the completion of the
shin Detroit The Detroit was finished
early in September, slid down the lake to
join the others and proudly led the squad
ron of six vessels in the direction of Perry's
fiotilla. The lookout on the Lawrence
shouted the approach of the line at sunrise
on the 10th. Captain Barclay was in COM
mand. He had the Detroit, with nineteen
guns; the Queen Charlotte, with seventeen;
the Lady Provost with thirteen; the Hunt
er, with ten; Little Belt, with one. The
number of guns was about equal Barclay
had had one arm shot off with Nelson at
Trafalgar. Neither he nor Perry had a
white flag on board. 1t was win or die.
FOUGHT AT CLOSE RANGE.
Barclay opened fire at long range from the
Detroit. Perry had nothing with which to
make reply. The air sang with flying
shells. Perry gave the signal for close
action All the canvas was stretched. A
light breeze picked up his feet and bore his
crafts straight into the enemys line about
noon He called for canister. The guns of
the Lawrence belched from both sides of
the ship. They poured deadly fire into the
Detroit from one side and into the Queen
Charlotte from the other. Perry, broad
shouldered clear eyed, defiant, paced the
deck. Not a man hinched. The squadron
became logged in with smoke. The Law
renee sailed in the very midst OF the British
squadron. It's business was to take care OF
the most formidable. A bugle signal gave
each of the other ships under Perry a spe-
cific target for its guns He drove the Law
an ant Uyaz 10 f1n1TG kxaf