The Republican journal., 1910-08-04

Wnen 80 mucn depended on his reaching
the Niagara in safety. 1t was not in thu
line of common sense to do such THING
He arrived safely and hoisted his flag or
board the Niagara amid the cheers of the
Americans. The question that Elliot,
saluted Perry with was "How goes the
battle?" Badly" said Perry, land do
you see those COMPOUNDED gunboats7
They have lost us the victory by not
getting into action on time" "No. y
said the brave Elliott, ''you take charge
of the ship and will go and bring no the
gunboats, and he at once put off to
bring up the schooners, which had been
kept back by the lightness of the wind
At this moment the flag of the Lawrence
was hauled down. Lieut. Yarnall. then
In command, had refused for some time
to leave the deck, though three times
wounded. Lieut.. Brooks and Midship-
man Saul were both killed. The prin-
cipal part of the enemy's fire had been
directed at the Lawrence up to this time
and as she had been rendered totally in
capable of defence a further show
of resistance would have been a useless
sacrifice of her brave and mangled crew.
The enemy, however, were so crippled
that they were unable to take possession
OF her and circumstances soon enabled
her crew to again hoist the old flag.
Commodore Perry now gave the order
to all the vessels for close action. The
small vessels under the direction of Can
tain Elliott got out their sweeps and
made all sail. Perry determined on the
bold and desperate eXpedient of breaking
the enemy's lines. He accordingly bore
up and passed the bows of the two ships
and brig, giving them a raking fire
from his starboard battery and also di-
rected a raking fire upon large schoon-
er and sloop from his port battery at
pistol shot range. Having brought his
whole squadron into fighting distance
Perry luffed up to get alongside the
enemy's flagship, the Lady Provost, and
when within pistol shots distance Per-
rvs fire was so destructive that the
enemy's men were compelled to run. be-
low for protection. At this moment the
wind freshened and the Caledonia came
up and opened fire upon the British, and
soon all the squadron were engaged. The
small vessels having got within range on
pl1a ri IF p,.iti ~,
opened fire upon her and the other ships.
The British fleet was now between the
Niagara and the rest of our fleet and at
good easy range from all our vessels,
and from this position the Americans
kept up steady and constant fire upon
the British, who returned the fire with
vigor. For a time the combat ragged
! with indescribable violence and fury.
The result was to be the command of a
great lake and the renown of two rival
nations, matched for the first time in
squadron. These were the issues at
stake which inspirited the combatants.
The contest was not long doubtful. The
and all her principal officers, by some
mischance, ran afoul of the Detroit. By
this accident the greater part of their
guns were rendered useless and the two
ships were now in turn compelled to sus-
tain an incessant fire from the Niagara
and the other vessels Of the American
squadron. The flag of Commodore Bar
clay was soon struck, to be followed by
that of the Queen Charlotte and the
Lady Provost. The Hunter and the
Chippewa followed, and surrendered in
the succession named. The Little Belt
attempted to escape but was pursued by
two gunboats and captured. If anything
could enhance the brilliancy of this battle
it was the modest, laconic manner in
which it was announced by the gallant
victor: 1--WE have met the enemy and
they are ours"
The carnage in this action was very
great in proportion to the number en-
gagged. The Americans had q killed and
SO wounded and the loss of the British
in killed and wounded, officers and men,
was about 200 and the prisoners amount
ed to 800, which was more than the entire
American force engaged. Commodore
Barclay, a gallant sailor. one of whose
arms had been shot off at the battle Of
Trafalgar under Lord Nelson, was Sc
verely wounded in the hip and lost the
use Of his remaining arm. The circum-
stance that heightened the estimate CT
Commodore Perry was his indomitable
perseverance, and the. transfer of his
command to the Niagara, passing through
the thickest of the fight in an open boat,
was brilliant feature of that eventful
day. His success raised him to the very
pinnacle of renown throughout the land,
and the supremacy Of the United States
upon the lakes was triumphantly secured.
This important and decisive battle was
fought midway of the lake between the
two hostile armies, who laid on the op-
posite shores awaiting with anxious ex-
pectation the result The allied British
and Indian forces under Proctor and
Tecumseh were ready in case of sue