The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-01

and equipping OF the warshlps had to
be brought hundreds of miles over
bad roads, but first of all cannon had
10 be obtained and men stationed to
protect the vessels as they were bein.;
What Perry and Eckford did in that
spring of 1913 Is marvel. Disappo!nt-
ments and obstacles only seemed to
spur them to more determined endeav-
or From Commodore Chauncey some
artisans were obtained. The country
round was secured for others. Then a
batch OF carpenters arrived from Phil
adelpiiia. Soon the forest rang with
the sound of the axe. a dozen black
smiths were expected from Pittsburg.
Two arrived. One of them was real
blacksmith the other a helper. They
were worked to their utmost limit.
Enough iron could not be obtained
from Pittsburg. SO scraps were picked
up from all the snlithies within reach
of Erie and welded together for the
mountings for the guns.
Fort George.
There are thousand and one things
necessary in the making of a ship. but
in the latter part OF May Perry was
able 10 launch the briggs and then he
found time to join Commodore Chaun-
cey in the attack on Fort George, at
Niagara. The capture OF this fort was
a great help. as 1t released five small
vessels which previously had been
held at Black Rock, unable to pass
on account OF the enemy's batteries.
One of them was the Caledonia, which
had been captured from the British by
surprise a short time before and which
was to play q good part in the battle
of Lake Erie. But TO get these vessels
into Lake Erie was a terrible task.
they having TO be dragged against
the current all the way. 1t took a
fortnight and brought on an Illness
from which Perry did not recover for
several months.
Work on the new ships proceeded rap
idly, but when they were rugged COM
p!etely and with batteries mounted.
Perry almost was in as bad a fix as
ever He had only ITO officers and
men, including those in the flotilla
from Black Rock. He needed 500. Re-
cruits intended for the Lake Erie fleet.
1t seemed, had gone to Sacketts Har-
Dor and been detained by Commodore
Chauncey, who hoped to engage the
British on Lake Ontario, win sweep
ing victory and then proceed to Lake
Erie. relieve Perry of command and
repeat the, performance there.
Urgd requests from Perry to
Chaunce to hurry forward men
brought no satisfactory response until
Perry complained bitterly of the in
justice done to him. and set forth his
chagrin at seeing the British fleet pa
rade before Erie and be unable to go
out to engage it. GIVE me the men,"
he begged, "and I'll give you vic
tory" He did not get the men he
wanted. but he got a message from
Chauncey telling him not to despise
his enemy. Chauncey thought Perry
had streak OF rashness Probably
he had. Most men who are daring
have more than a streak.
To add to Perry's embarrassments
he was receiving reproaches from the
government for his delay in not going
TO aid General Harrison. although the
government officials had been shame
fully lax in. forwarding supplies to
him. Harrison, too, was urging him
to hasten, as the British We're rush
ing work on their new warship, the
Detroit, at Maiden. and without the
defeat Of the British fleet Harrison
could not hope for success in captur-
ing Detroit.
Perry became so eXasperated at
Commodore Chauncey that he asked to
De renewed u MS
of accepting the resignation the COM
modore sent fine, manly answer 10
the young man, and what was more
important, hurried forward men. with
900 men fit and ready for service. Per-
nv on Sunday. August l, moved TO
the entrance OF the harbor, prepared
to cross the bar the next morning
Drifting Over the bar.
And then there was another difficult
Nv Tie bar, which ordinarily had six
feet Of water over it. had filled owing
~ . storm until it only had four feet
clear. The briggs of Perry's fleet drew
nine feet TO get the SHIPS over II
was necessary to remove nearly al
| the guns and then, thus llghtened.
| lash the big water-filled scoWs along
| side.
BY pumping tho water from the
! scows the briggs We're lifted bodily and
then worked forward slowly. Day and
night for four days this tedious opera
| ton was continued until at last the
| vessels were over the bar. All this
| time the sharpest lookout had to be
kept for the enemy.
While Perry was working to get
over the bar, Commodore Barclay, on
| the other side of the lake, was being
entertained by the citizens of Port
| Dover. In response to a toast he told
Them he expected TO find tho Yankee
| briggs on the bar when he returned to
Erie, and then he would make short
work OF them,
III was With amazeTent that Barclay
i " 49,. LIS