The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1913-08-14
PERRY

While We were in Milwaukee last
week the centennial celebration of
Perry's great victory IN Lake Erie
was in progress. The principal at
traction Of the week was the presence
in the harbor of Commodore Perry's
flagship, the Niagara. The famous old
warship was sunk some years after
the battle and last year the govern.
ment raised it and it is now visiting
the larger cities of the Great Lakes to
lend its inspiration to the various cen.
tennial celebrations being held.
The battle of Lake Erie which was
fought September 10, 1913, was one OF
the greatest naval victories in Amer.
ica's history and its effect was far.
reaching. 1t drove the British flag
from the Great Lakes, insuring to the
United States all of the great states
of the Middle West and had the lead
ing part in settling the War of 1912 in
Americas favor.
The Niagara and the other ships of
Perry's feet were built on Lake Erie,
under his direction and his crews
were recruited from the hunters,
woodsmen, and fishermen Of the sur.
rounding country. His first flagship
was the Lawrence. but this was sunk
early in the battle by the British guns,
killing all but eighteen Of the 1913 off,
GERS and men. Perry, accompanied
by the other survivors, rowed to the
Niagara and hoisted his flag and with
the remaining ships OF his feet he
gave the English a licking that they
never will forget. Perry at the time
was less than twenty-eight years old
When the Niagara came into Mil
waukee harbor it was given a magnifi.
cent reception. The fleet led by the
famous old vessel, which was towed
by a tug, consisted Of five government
gunboats and a number Of smaller
craft. When the Niagara dropped an.
Choir every vessel in the harbor and
the manufacturing plants of the city
saluted her with their whistles and she
was cheered by a crowd Of fifty thous.
and people. The gunboats were fol
lowing in single line and as they pass
ed the Niagara they saluted her with
twenty-one guns.
1t was our privilege to go aboard
the old vessel, which was inspected
by thousands Of people during its few
days stay. The old ship is a small
one, scarcely half as large as the gov
eminent gunboats that accompanied it
but IL was ~staunchly built and Is In
good condition. The old hull has been
patched up and painted so that it is
seaworthy and the old deck, put to
gether with wooden pins, is in excel
lent condition. The old guns, twenty
in number, are Of the muzzle-loadine
type and would be of little avail
against the modern w%arship. Commo
dore Perry's sword, which he carried
in the battle and which is now the
property of o. H. P. Belmont of New
York, was on exhibition on the vessel
The ship was in charge of some o.
Uncle Sans sailor boys and they were
very particular to see that no souvenir
hunters disfigured 1t.
Perhaps the most interesting event
Of the week, to the person from an In
land state anyway, was the great shan
battle in the harbor. The five govern
ment gunboats attacked the shore
batteries, and the Wisconsin nationa
guard we're the defenders. The battle
was held at night and each of the ships
was brilliantly illuminated, and theil
great search-lights were constantly
busy spying out the batteries ant
troops along the shore. The fleet IL
attacking gave an illustration OF AID
miral Dewey's tactics at Manila Bay
They were anchored just inside thu
government breakwater and at tn,
first sign OF hostilities they weighe,
anchor and steamed slowly past tn
shore guns, firing b.oadside ate
broadside, and the shore batteries re
sponded valiantly. The ships swunl
out Of the harbor and circled, comini
back past the batteries and repeating
the maneuver twice. This APPARENT!
having had some effect In silencinl
the shore batteries the ships lowere'