The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21


ngton was preceded only by a runor
copied from messenger sent from Cleve-
land to the Pittsburg Mercury.
I'VE have yet had no authentic infor-
nation from the lakes, reads the article
published in the Intelligencer September
90 1873. by the express mail of Satur-
Cay We received a Pittsburg paper of
Friday from which the following inter-
esting article is copied. To our great
disappointment the mail brought no Of
fetal confirmation of 1t.
Believe Report True
Notwithstanding which. taking all the
pre- existing circumstances into view. the
route by which the news came and the
extraordinary rapidity of its transmits
sion, we feel no doubt of it's being sub
stantially true:
ITO the editor of the Mercury, Cleve-
land September 49, The mail carrier has
this morning arrived from the west and
brings the pleasing intelligence that COM
modore Perry has captured six of the
enemys vessels. The Queen Charlotte
was among the number. The action was
on the 10the inst, between the hours Of
Il and 3 o'clock p. m. We expect soon
TO near the particulars.
Flies of the Trump of Fame. published
at Warren o.. of the Richmond, Va,
Enquirer. and of New York, Philadelphia
and Boston papers showed that Commo-
dore Perry's letters, however. We're pub
lished Just as written, and in most cases
without comment
Writes Story of Battle
On September 1s, Commodore Perry
wrote his full description Of the battle.
from Fort Sandusky. where he had land
ed and was holding the British prison.
ers, awaiting instructions from Secretary
of the Navy Jones. Copy of a letter
from Commodore Perry to the Secretary
of the Navy. was the heading given it,
Sir: In my last | informed you that
we had captured the enemyis fleet on
| this lake ] have now the honor to give
particulars OF the action. On the morn
| ing of the 10th inst. at sunrise, they
were discovered from Put-in- Bay where
| lay anchor with the squadron under
| my command. We got underway, the
wind light at $. w. and stood for them.
| At 10 a. M the wind hauled to S, e. and
brought us to windward formed the line
and bore up. At fifteen minutes before 12
the enemy commenced firing; at five
minutes before II the action commenced
on our part. Finding their five very de-
structive. owing to their long guns and
its being mostly directed at the Lawrence,
/ made sail and directed the other yes
sells to follow for the purpose of closing
with the enemy.
Leaves Lawrence
Every brace and bowline being soon
shot away she became unmanageable
notwithstanding the great exertons of
the sailing master. In this situation she
sustained the action upwards of two
hours within canister distance until
every gun was rendered useless. and the
greater part of her crew either killed or
wounded. Finding she could no longer
| annoy the enemy, | left her in charge OF
4setcnant Yarnen, who was convinced
from the bravery already displayed by
him. would do what would comport with
| the honor of the flag
AT 2:S1 the wind sprung up. Captain
| Elliott was enabled TO swing his vessel,
| the Niagara. gallantly into close action;
| | Immediately went ON board of her. when
he anticipated my wish by volunteering
to bring the schooners. which had been
kept astern by the lightness of the wind,
| into close action.
1T was with unspeakable pain that l
| saw, soon after | got aboard the Niagara,
| the flag of the Lawrence come down.
although was perfectly sensible that she
! had been defended to the last and that
| to have contiued to make a show of re-
| sistance would have been wanton sac
! riflce of the remains of her brave crew.
| But the enemy was not able to take pos
session of her, and circumstances soon
| permitted her flag again to be hoisted.
| at 2:45 the signal was made for close
action
! Praises His Men
| 'rhe Niagara being very little injured.
determined to pass through the enemy's
! line; bore up and passed ahead of their
| two ships and a brig. giving ralSing
fire 10 a large schooner and soop from
| the starboard guns, and to a large
schooner and sloop from the star
| board side at half pistol-shot dis
lance, under the direction of Captain Ell
lott and keeping up a well-directed fire.
! The two ships, brig and schooner,
surrendered. a Schooner and sloop maxi
| ing vain attempt to escape
'Those officers and men who were inn
mediatey under my observation evinced
| the greatest galantry and have no
doubt that all others conducted them
selves AZ became American officers and
! seaman"
| Commodore Perry's letter continued
with the report of the ships captured,
giving their names, the number and size
! of guns carried and number of men to
each vessel The British had sixty-three
| guns to the fifty-four guns of Perry $
seamen.
The exact number Of enemy's force
/
Perry wrote, but have good reason to
believe that it exceeds ours nearly 100
men,. His report showed that twenty
seven men were killed in the battle and
ninety-six wounGed The full name of
] every man was given. That part of the
report was made by S. Hambleton
/ purser.
Relics of Battle
The historical society has a great many
interesting relics of the battle of Lake
Erie. The sextant.. an instrument used
by seamen for determining locations. used
by Perry upon the Niagara after taking
| 1t from one of the captured British YES
sells is among the collection
fine copy of Gilbert Stuart's paint
ing of the burial of Commodore Perry,
nearly as old as tie original painting, is
one Of the most valuable articles in the
museum. cartoon printed In Boston
paper In 1875. based on Perrys victory.
| is also carefully guarded
| The medals struck by congress and by
the state OF Pennsylvania, conimemorat- +
/ ing the battle Of Lake Erie and honori-g Z
ithe young naval hero, together With
scores of newspapers. clippings nnd
Poems. written and published during the
war ef 1si2 period, are also on exhibition
At .