The Washington times., 1901-09-15
A FORMER NAVAL DISPUTE.
The Historic Controversy Between
Perry and Elliot
The Lntter, Second In Command at
the Hattie of Lake Erie, Accused
of Holding Back In Fear-Exon-
Grated by . Court of Enquiry.

OF Hoidtn8 HACK In Fenr-ExOn-
Grated by n Court of Enquiry.
While every well-wisher OF the Ameri-
| can Navy must deplore the controversy
which exists between two of It's best
known admirals. he may derive some COM
| fort from the fact that similar disputes
have been by no means unknown in
former years. Although the conflicts may
| have ragged with no little fierceness at the
moment. the lapse of time has fortunately
eifaced most of the evidences of these
quarrels.
Previous to the Spanish-American war
it might be said that the battle of Lake
Erie was the most famous victory ever
won by an American fleet. In this battle.
which was fought on September 10. 1913.
Commodore Perry. In command Of the
Americans. defeated Captain Barclay. in
command of the British Every school,
boy knows the history of the fight well.
| and is never weary OF reading of the stir
ring details of that dramatic conflict,
| when the American commander. aban-
| doning his crippled and shattered flagship,
the Lawrence, passed in a rowboat
| through the fire of the British feet. and,
shifting his flag to the Niagara, soon re-
| trieved the fortunes of war and made the
enemy ours"
| The incident OF the shifting of the flag
and the brief dispatch in which Perry
summed up the conflict have combined to
secure more fame for the victory than
perhaps it realty deserves. McDonough's
victory over the British on Lake Cham
| plain in the following year was In reality
an action rejecting more credit upon
American arms than was the battle of
Lake Erie. There was yet another cir
cumstance connected with the battle Of
Lake Erie which had the effect of keeping
its memory fresher in mems minds than
the battle of Lake Champlain, namely,
the dispute which arose between Perry
and his second In command. Jesse ID. Ell
iiot. Although the history of this dispute
is now practically forgotten, 1t contains a
lesson which, even at this late day, we
may heed with advantage.
During the battle the Injuries to the
Lawrence had become so serious that
Perry was compelled to choose between
either surrender or abandonment. OF 13S
men SO were killed or wounded. The ves-
sci was practically helpless, all her rig
ging having been shot away. Leaving
the Lawrence in charge Of her first lieu
tenant. Yarnall, Perry, in a rowboat
manned by four men. set out for the Nj
asara, then about half a mile distant
Although he had to pass through the fire
of the British feet he accomplished his
perilous journey without accident.
Perry at once despatched Elliot in a
boat to take charge of the smaller ves-
sells. which were tagging somewhat be-
hind. at the rear of the American line.
with instructions to close US. He himself
took command of the Niagara headed
har for h.a pritf fpl nd
ficulty in closing at once The Lawrence
had in the meanwhile struck her eoIors.
but the British were unable to take pos
session.
The British vessels had suffered severe
ly in their contest with the Lawrence.
and when the Niagara, practically ur-
harmed, engaged them at close quarters
the issue was soon decided In quarter
of an hour all the vessels of the British
feet had struck
In his official report of the action Per-
ry, naturally eIated by his victory. and in
a spirit of generosity, commended Elliots
conduct during the engagement, but sub
sequentiy, upon recommendation, made
very unfiattering comments upon the be-
havior of his second in command. Elliot
resented these reflections. his friends took
up the quarrel. and a large portion of the
navy ranged llSeiI tuc VA
one or the other contestant.
The partisans of Perry charged that it
was craven fear of danger that kept Ell
Iiot tagging in ths rear, while his COM
mander was fighting for his life. sur
rounded on all sides by British vessels
Elliot's friends retorted that this charge
was made to cloak the reckless impetuos-
ity of a leader who. regardless of the po-
Of tra in
rashly ventured to precjpitate an attack,
hoping thereby to secure the lions share
Of glory for himself, when. by the exer-
else of little self-restraint. he might
have obtained the cooperation of his lieu
tenants. To accuse the hero of the cut
ing out expedition of cowardice was an
act so unreasonable that it called for no
-efutation.
Another serious accusation made against
Elliot was that he purposely held back.
Intending to close up when the Lawrence
should have struck and her commander
vas a prisoner or else dead The COM
nand of the fleet then deyolving upon FL
lot, he couiti have rallied the American
1esseis. which. with the exception of the
lawrence had sufft red practically no in
Jury, and then easily have crushed the
British fleet. weakened as 1t was by its
conflict with the Lawrence The nation
would then have acclaimed him as a hero.
edeeming the incapacity of his leader by
he display of that resource and ability
he exercise of which the arbitrary rules
If seniority and rank had hitherto pre-
rented
Critics of a more moderate type. while
to accuse Elliot of cowardice
DR. of the intention to withhold needed
- Ii
him severely for the inefficient manner in
which he h2.d handled his ship. Elliot H.
lally reached the conclusion that his po-
sition would be intolerable unless his
character were cleared by a court Of en-
luiry At his application a court was
in 1918. While the court exon
,rated Elliot from cowardice. 1t condemn
I'd his course during the action How
ever the matter had been settled after
fashion, and the memories of the quar-
.el gradually faded away.
That good relations should exist be-
.ween commanding officer and his sub
,rdinates is the tritest of platitudes. but
there are times when the
most elementary principles by which sue
.ess can be won are disregarded. That a
personal friendship should exist between
! commander and his lieutenants is often
ut of the question, but the subordinate
an at least render loyal support and in
elligent obedience. In these respects El-
lot was certainly found wanting at the
attic of Lake Erie.
Perry has been placed in the pantheon
T our naval heroes, and 1t would be q
ash hand which would venture TO dis
urb that stately figure on its pedestal
'ut Perrys subsequent career demon
trated that he was man OF imperious
isposition with whom ii was no easy
h.. and .nrnla