The Washington herald., 1913-06-08
Naval Fighter. Hero Of Battle
Of Lake Erie, Acted as
War Scribe, Detailing En-
gagement.

Commodore Oliver H. Perry. hero of
the battle of Lake Erie. fought Septem-
Der 10. 1913. was his own war correspond
emit Within a few minutes after the
commanders OF the six British vessels
had surrendered. Commodore Perry
wrote the first authentic story of the
Ibattle and dispatched It to Washington.
This is the way 1t appeared In the Ma
tional Intelligencer, Washington, D. c.,
one Of the first daily papers published in
America.
Copy of a letter from Commodore Perry
to the Secretary of the Navy:
U. s. Brig Niagara. Of the Western Sis
ter, Head Of Lake Erie, September
TO- 1873, D. m.
Sir: 1t has pleased the Almighty to
give to the arms of the United States a
signal victory over their enemies on this
lake. The British squadron. consisting OF
two ships, two brigs, one schooner. and
one sloop. have this moment surrendered
to the forces slnder my command after a
sharp conflict
have the honor to be, Sir, very re-
spectfully, your obedient servant,
o. II. PERRY.
The Hon. William Jones. Secretary of the
| Navy.
The above was printed in the National
lntellisencer on September .. 1913. twelve
days after the battle.
Report of Fight MenRer.
THE Western Reserve Historical So
ciety has the complete file of the In
telligencer with the exception Of the
first two pages Of No. /, Vol. l.
The arrival OF Perry's letter in Wash
ington was preceded only by a rumor
copied from a message sent from Cleve-
land to the Pittsburg Mercury.
I'VE have yet had no authentic in
formation from the Lakes" reads the
article published in the Intelligencer.
September 20. 1913. by the express mail
OF Saturday We received a Pittsburg
paper Of Friday from which the follow
ing interesting article is copied. To our
great disappointment the mail brought
no official confirmation of II.
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 its being sub
stantially true
TO the Editor Of the Mercury. Cleve-
land, September -. The mail carrier has
this moment arrived from the West and
brings the pleasing intelligence that
Commodore Perry has captured six of
the enemy's vessels: the Queen Char
lotte was among the number The action
was on the 10th instant, between the
hours Of IL and o'clock p. m. We ex-
pect soon TO hear the particulars"
Files of the Trump of Fame" pub
lished at Warren. Ohio: of the Rich
mond Va) Enquirer, and OF New York,
Philadelphia, and Boston papers showed
that Commodore Perry's letters, however,
were published Just as written, and in
most cases without comment.
Writes Story of Battle.
On September -, Commodore Perry
wrote his full description OF the battle, |
from Fort Sandusky. where he had land |
ed and was holding the British prisoners, !
awaiting instruction 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 I informed you that
We had captured the enemy's fleet on this
lake. / have now the honor to give
of the action. On the morn
ing of the 10th instant. at sunrise. they
were discovered from Put-in-Bay, where |
/ lay at anchor with the squadron under
my command. We got under way, the
light at S. w, and stood for them. At |
10 a. m, the wind hauled to S. E. and |
brought us to windward, formed the line