A painting shows a scene from the Battle of Lake Erie, Sept. 10, 1813. The battle took place between the opposing forces of the U.S. and Britain on the contested waters of Lake Erie during the War of 1812. The Battle of Lake Erie was one of the pivotal points of the war, with the United States trying to invade parts of Canada to use as a bargaining chip against the British in order to gain sailor's rights and free trade.