Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-19

each of his ships, assigning TO each YES
sci of the enemy, which he was ordered
himself the Detroit. the new British nag
ship. Each ship was to close with the
enemy and fight to the death. At con-
ference Of his officers Perry exhibited a
battle flag made for him by the ladies' OF
Erica piece of blue bunting about six
feet square, inscribed with white letters
with the words Of the dying Lawrence,
in whose honor the flagship had been
named: Don't give up the ship The
original flag is now in the rooms of the
naval institute at Annapolis.
From dawn to- dark. day after day
Perry impatiently scanned the northern
horizon with his glasses from a promon-
tory of the little Island of Gibraltar.
afterward built a castle, which he named
in honor of the Indian Chief Ogantz.
The point is known as Perry's lookout
At daylight on the morning of Septem-
Der 10, 1913, the lookout at the masthead
of the Lawrence first perceived the APP
proach of the enemy. Perry summoned
his officers and repeated his instructions,
specifying the ship which each should at
tack. About 10 o'clock he hoisted sail
and started for the battle, ordering a
cause he believed that men could fight
better when they We're well fed than
when they were hungry
Closed in on Enemy.
The engagement took place about ter
miles north of Putin Bay, where Com
modore Barclay awaited the attack with
his feet In line square across the wind
with the flagship Detroit at the head
Commodore Perry, with the Lawrence
f1anked by the Scorpion and Ariel. en-
gagged the Detroit and the Hunter. leav-
ing the Niagara and the other ships &c
40 act q nrd0 ha fret
shot was fired about noon by Stephen
Champlin, a cousin of Commodore Perry
who was in command of the little Scor-
pion.
When Barclay saw Perry's intentions
he threw his entire force upon the Law
renee, determined 10 destroy that vessel
and its officers and crew and then engage
the rest of the little American fleet In or
der. The British ships formed crescent
around the Lawrence so as to rake II
on both sides and fore and aft Within
a quarter of an hour the Lawrence was
practically shot to pieces and Perry shout
ed orders through his trumpet for all the
other ships to come to his assistance.
commanders by Capt. Elliott, the second
in command. but was not obeyed by him
He kept the Niagara we'll back. using
only his long guns.
The Niagara having failed to come to
his assistance and the Lawrence being
Perry left his ship in small open boat
and was rowed through the heavy fire
straight to the Niagara. He stood erect
in the boat during this perilous crossing
and II seemed as IL every muzZle on the
British feet was directed at him. When
round shot tore open the side of the boat
Perry slipped off his coat. rolled it ur
tightly and stopped the hole with IT,. He
reached the Niagara in safety as II by a
miracle, and when he boarded the ship he
was met at the gangway by the aston
ished Elliott, who supposed that his COM
mander was dead.
The Niagara was in perfect condition for
battle. She had suffered practically nc
damage Capt Elliott. her commander
having kept her out of danger as much
as possible. a Giro umstance which was &c
however, took command and the Niagara
with the commodore's pennant aloft. bore
down upon the British line. Within eight
minutes the Detroit struck her colors
Champlain. on the little Scorpion. fired
the last gun of the battle as he had free
the first
When the Detroit surrendered the res
Of the British fleet that were able to move
scattered but every one was finally cap
tured
The total losses of both fleets were
as killed and 100 wounded: the British
II killed and 81 wounded.
The flagship Lawrence suffered more
| than any other. MidShipman Alexande
| Perry, the commodore's brother thirteel
| though he was in the thick Of the en-
gagement from the beginning to the end
or the lob officers and men on the Law
renee 81 were killed and 81 wounded On
| the Niagara no ore was killed and onl,
two were slightly wounded.