In Washington Square, Newport, R. I., less than a stone’s throw from the house which was his home, stands a statue in memory of Newport’s greatest hero, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, United States Navy.
The memorial was unveiled on September 10, 1885, the 72nd anniversary of the epic victory on Lake Erie, and depicts the 28-year old commander of the American forces in dramatic pose as he bursts on board the mishandled brig Niagara and takes command with the imperative orders, “Back the main- topsail. Put the helm up. Square the yards. Bear down on the enemy line.”
Had Perry a little later not announced the victory of his force with the well-turned phrase, “We have met the enemy and they are ours,” which has kept his memory green over the years, his vigorous assumption of command probably would have become as much of a byword as did Sheridan’s famous purported, “Turn boys turn, we’re going back” a half century later.
Perry fought the battle garbed as a seaman and changed into undress uniform after he returned to the stricken Lawrence to receive the surrender of the British captains on a deck cluttered with wreckage. The seaman’s attire was a precaution against sniping by sharpshooters in the enemy’s rigging. Similar activities at short range had caused the deaths of many commanding and other officers, among them Admiral Lord Nelson and Captain James Lawrence. The statue, however, doubtless in deference to an uninformed public, shows the Commodore in an officer’s uniform.
Probably for a similar reason, William H. Powell’s well-known painting of Perry going from the Lawrence to the Niagara, which hangs in the Senate wing of the Capitol at Washington, makes the mistake of showing him in a resplendent uniform. This painting is further in error. An extant account by an eyewitness of the event states that the boat used for the passage was rowed by four men, and gives their names. The painting shows a six-oared boat in use.
Commodore Perry’s victory was more than a naval triumph, for it had far reaching repercussions which cannot be overestimated. In September, 1813, political conditions throughout the country were extremely critical. One defeat after another had been sustained by the raw militia to which the defense of the nation had been committed, and control of the Great Lakes was in the balance.
Great Britain’s plan was to secure this control and establish its authority over the vast territory west of the Mississippi River. The hopes of the British were raised to high pitch by General William Hull’s ignominious surrender of the American forces at Detroit, and by the fact that the United States had no naval strength on the Upper Lakes to compete with the 64 guns carried under the British flag in two ships, two brigs, and a number of smaller craft. Perry’s arrival on the scene and the success attending his vigorous efforts to create a fleet in the midst of a wilderness, dashed the British hopes.
Oliver Hazard Perry was the eldest of five brothers all of whom became naval officers. His father was Christopher Raymond Perry who commanded a ship in the Continental Navy. In 1799, while in command of the frigate General Greene, he entered Oliver on that vessel as a midshipman at the age of fourteen.
The lad proved adept and became an acting lieutenant when only seventeen years old. As midshipman and lieutenant, he served in the Mediterranean in the frigate Adams whose executive, the redoubtable Isaac Hull, oversaw his training. Upon the completion of his cruise, he was home only a short time before he returned to the Mediterranean in the frigate Constellation. While on that station and in his 21st year, he was ordered to his first command, the 120-ton schooner Nautilus.
Oliver Hazard Perry was born at the family homestead in South Kingston across Narragansett Bay, but when he was seven years old his father moved to Newport to secure educational and cultural advantages for his children. Thereafter Oliver considered Newport his home, and there he served numerous tours of duty. In fact he seems to have managed to secure duty in that vicinity after all his cruises. He married a Newport woman, and all of his children were born there. Consequently Newport had good reason to claim him as one of its own.
Perry was promoted to master commandant in 1812, and the outbreak of war in that year found him at Newport in command of a flotilla of Thomas Jefferson’s useless gunboats. He pulled every wire at his disposal in an effort to secure command of a seagoing ship, but such commands were few and went to young officers who distinguished themselves in the victories being won at sea by ships of the United States Navy. After several disappointments, Perry began to despair of obtaining a command at sea.
This development was a frustration to Perry. Despite his years of service, and the several quasi-wars in which the Navy had participated, he had never been under fire, a denouement that was a constant source of chagrin to the young officer. At this juncture he somehow became aware of the possibility of obtaining active duty on the Great Lakes, and immediately applied to the Secretary of the Navy and Commodore Isaac Chauncey for a transfer; the latter exercised command of naval activities on the Lakes from his headquarters at Sackets Harbor on Lake Ontario.
The communications brought results. The Commodore requested the Navy Department to issue the desired orders to Perry, and wrote to the latter as follows: “You are the very person I want, for a service in which you may gain a reputation for yourself, and honor for your country.” No more prophetic words were ever penned.
On February 17, 1813, Perry received orders from Washington to report to Commodore Chauncey at Sackets Harbor “with all the best men from the flotilla.” As the command at the time consisted of 12 gunboats having an average crew of around 15 men, Perry must have considered practically all of his men as “best,” because he sent 149 men and three boys, all of whom were volunteers and hailed from Newport or the immediate vicinity.
The first draft of 50 men under command of Sailing Master Thomas C. Almy departed without delay on February 17. A similar draft under Sailing Master Stephen Champlin, a cousin of Perry’s, left on the 19th, and the remainder under Sailing Master William V. Taylor, went on February 21st, followed the next day by Perry and the other officers.
The prompt departure from Newport in the depth of winter was an indication of the efficiency with which Perry was to conduct matters for which he was responsible. Frozen rivers prevented travel by the usual method of the day, and the entire party went overland to Sackets Harbor by way of Hartford, Albany, and Oswego.
Learning at Albany that the Commodore was expected daily on his return from a visit to Washington, Perry lingered several days until Chauncey arrived, and went on to Sackets Harbor with him. From there he pushed on to Erie by way of Buffalo with orders to expedite completion of the ships under construction. There is some reason to believe that Commodore Chauncey planned to proceed to Erie and assume command of the American forces when it was ready to engage the British. If he did entertain such a thought, matters moved too fast under Perry’s guidance for him to carry out his intentions.
Perry arrived in Erie at 1900 on March 27, and immediately made an inspection of the work under way. He found keels laid for two brigs, two gunboats nearly planked, and another ready for planking. He was horrified to learn that no measures were in force to guard the little shipyard and its precious contents. The driving energy he displayed was never better demonstrated than by the way he immediately organized a force of civilians to stand guard, beginning that night.
Under his enthusiastic and able guidance, additional workmen were procured, and, as they arrived, skilled men in the Newport contingent were put to work. Tools, equipment, supplies, canvas, and cordage began to appear, the rope coming from Pittsburgh which possessed the only ropewalk west of the Alleghenies.
Cannon and shot were laboriously hauled from Buffalo and Pittsburgh. Powder came all the way across Pennsylvania in wagons. Other difficulties were surmounted one by one save the shortage of crews. Half of the last draft from Newport was held at Sackets Harbor by Chauncey, and there was much sickness among the men at Erie as might have been expected from the miserable conditions under which they were forced to live.
The British controlled Lake Erie and easily could have landed strong detachments of troops in the vicinity of Erie. Consequently Perry lived in mortal terror of a raiding party appearing in force to destroy the ships on which so much depended. His pleas to the Army for protection finally brought to Erie a detail of some 500 Pennsylvania militia.
All this time the British were informed of the progress of work on the ships, and in turn the Americans had similar knowledge of British construction and disposition of naval forces. Spies on both sides apparently were able to operate with little or no hindrance.
The formidable task of creating a fleet in a remote and sparsely settled community went steadily ahead. By the end of May, two 492-ton brigs, three 60-ton schooners, and one sloop were afloat, and the stock of manifold items needed for the rigging, armament, and equipment of the vessels was growing rapidly.
The ships were built in Presque Isle Bay at Erie which had a bar across the entrance normally carrying seven feet. But the spring of 1813 brought a period of abnormally low water in Lake Erie, and the knowledge that there was only five and a half feet of water on the bar probably caused the British to procrastinate in the belief there was no immediate prospect of the American ships gaining deep water.
Meanwhile Perry participated in the capture of the British forts commanding the entrance to the Niagara River, and five small armed American vessels which had been detained in the River became free to go to Erie to join the other ships. They made the voyage loaded with men and supplies, narrowly escaping capture en route by a superior British force.
The ships at Erie were completed on July 16th. They were ready to go over the bar and operate against the enemy, except for a serious shortage in personnel. Information serving the British functioned well, and on the 19th the British Squadron under command of Captain Robert H. Barclay was off the bar lying in wait.
There they remained while Perry drove his short-handed crews in drills for repelling boarders. On the 31st, however, the British ships suddenly departed, Barclay having decided there was no chance of the Lawrence and Niagara getting over the bar during the four days he proposed spending at a celebration given by the Canadians in the town of Port Dover 40 miles away across the Lake.
His estimate was correct, but when he returned on August 4th, he was deceived by appearances and hastily departed in the belief that the American force had accomplished the impossible and was at large in superior strength.
History is replete with instances where errors of judgment changed the destiny of nations, and Barclay’s mistake eventually cost Britain the chance of gaining the sought- for western empire.
Lawrence and Niagara drew nine feet. To get them over the bar, all guns and other heavy weights had to be removed and camels used to buoy the ships over the shallows. This work was begun as soon as the enemy squadron departed on the 31st, and was prosecuted at desperate speed.
In spite of Perry’s drive and strenuous efforts to speed the work, the return of the British found only the Lawrence across the bar. Guns and weights from the Niagara were actually going ashore when Barclay’s ships hove in sight. The mistake of the British in believing both of the American brigs were over the bar and ready for action lost them the opportunity of making an attack which would have found only one of Perry’s large ships able to defend itself.
Various published accounts concerning the appearance of the British squadron relate that the Lawrence was in a state of confusion with scarcely a gun on board and was practically defenseless. These statements are not borne out by the log of the Lawrence for August 4, 1813, which carries the following entry,
“At 4 am discovered five sail of the enemy fleet bearing NNW distant 3 leagues. At 8 took on board 19 barrels of provisions. A survey being called upon it condemned 9 barrels. All hands employed about the rigging. At 11 am perceiving the enemy standing in for the harbor under press of sail, beat to quarters. At half past 11 they hauled off to the westward, beat the retreat. At 2 pm sent the launch for wood.”
Thereafter on that day, no further mention of the enemy. This dispassionate account gives no indication of confusion prevailing on the Lawrence.
Instead of attacking, the British force sailed away to await completion of their new brig Detroit which would restore preponderance of power to Barclay’s command, leaving Perry free to take his ships to the assistance of the American Army.
General William Henry Harrison, in camp with his troops at Sandusky, Ohio, had been crying for help from the Navy, and Washington and Commodore Chauncey were insistent on Perry’s going into action immediately. Perry was more than willing, but he needed men. In addition to being short of men allowed by his complement, there was a daily sick list on the Lawrence alone which ranged from 23 to 29 men.
But he did not delay. On August 6 he sailed for Sandusky with his ships cleared for action. On falling in with General Harrison, the latter made an inspection of the American squadron, remaining overnight on board the flagship. He saw the need for more men, and a few days later furnished 100 volunteers from a Kentucky regiment under his command. Men who had had boating experience on the Ohio River were used as seamen, and the remainder as marines. Later on these soldiers had the unique experience of participating in naval prize money awarded for Perry’s victory.
Although still short of men, Perry proceeded to blockade the British in Detroit, a stratagem which soon brought Barclay out with his force augmented by the recently completed 20-gun brig Detroit. On September 10 the British Squadron was defeated in a hard fought action off Put-in-Bay, the details of which including Perry’s famous passage from the battered Lawrence to the comparatively undamaged Niagara in a small boat, are well known.
After securing command of the Upper Lakes, Perry’s Squadron transported General Harrison’s troops to Canada. When the British force under General Proctor was defeated on October 5, 1813, at Thames River 80 miles from Detroit, the threat to the west was over, largely due to the personal efforts of Oliver Hazard Perry.
His work on the Lakes completed, and in none too good health, Perry asked for and received orders home. He left Buffalo on October 24 accompanied by his brother, Midshipman Alexander Perry, the four Newport men who had rowed him from the Lawrence to the Niagara, and his bugler. He arrived in Newport on November 18 to receive a tremendous welcome from the citizens. Subsequently while awaiting completion of the frigate Java under construction at Baltimore, he assumed charge of a much larger flotilla of gunboats based on Newport than he had previously commanded. The war came to an end before the Java was ready for sea, and he saw no further war service.
More than one fourth of the 532 names on the list of men who participated in the Battle of Lake Erie prize money were those of men from Rhode Island, and four of the nine commanding officers of the ships in Perry’s squadron were from that state, consequently Rhode Island in general and Newport in particular, have always had a personal interest in that battle.
Perry was promoted to the rank of captain with a commission dated September 10, 1813. This rank was the highest in the United States Navy until 1862 when David G. Farragut’s victory at New Orleans brought him the newly created rank of rear admiral. “Commodore” in previous years was merely a courtesy title given an officer when in temporary command of a squadron of ships.
Together with his promotion, Perry received the thanks of Congress and a gold medal. Congress also appropriated $5000 to be added to the $7140 which was Perry’s share of the Lake Erie prize money so his total would approximate the $12,750 that went to Commodore Chauncey in accordance with terms of the law then in force concerning the distribution of prize money. In addition to the prize money itself, three months’ pay was voted for all who had participated in the battle.
Commodore Perry was living in Newport when he sailed on his last cruise in command of the frigate John Adams. On that ship he died at the age of 34 at sea off Trinidad, B. W. I., of yellow fever contracted in the Orinoco River while on a diplomatic mission to Angostura, the then capital of Venezuela. He was buried at Port of Spain, but in 1826 his remains were reinterred in the Island Cemetery, Newport, R. I., where a monument to his memory was erected by the State.
Until the Civil War, when more recent events dulled recollections of the earlier victory, September 10 was celebrated every year in Newport as Perry Day.
The Newport Historical Society has several little known but interesting mementos of Oliver Hazard Perry and the Battle of Lake Erie. William V. Taylor, Perry’s sailing master in the Lawrence, was a Newporter who remained in the Navy, becoming a captain in 1841. Some of his papers relating to the Battle were presented to the Society by his grandchildren many years ago.
Among them is a letter written to his wife by Mr. Taylor a few days after the Battle. This letter gives many interesting details of the action, and deleted of a few personal references, but retaining the peculiarities in spelling and punctuation, reads as follows:
U.S. Sloop of war Lawrence,
Put in Bay 15th Sept.
Heaven has allowed us, my dear Wife, to gain a most decisive victory and preserved your husband unhurt. I say unhurt because my wound was trifling. I scarcely felt it, a flesh wound in my thigh. The action commenced on the 10 Sept, on the British side at ¼ before 12 on our side at 12—the Lawrence alone rec’d the fire of the whole British Squadron 2 ½ hours within pistol shot—we were not supported as we ought to have been. Capt. Perry led the Lawrence into action and sustained the most destructive fire with the most vigor and spirit perhaps that ever was witnessed under similar circumstances—they observing us to be the flag ship directed their whole fire at us viz. ships Detroit of 19 long 24’s, 18’s and 12’s, Queen Charlotte of 18 guns carronades, brig Lady Prevost 13 guns, brig Hunter of 10 guns, Chippewa of 3 guns and Little Belt of 1 gun. Judge the scene at ½ 2 PM when 22 men and officers lay dead on deck and 66 wounded every gun dismounted carriages knocked to pieces—every strand of rigging cut off—masts and spars shot and tottering over head—in fact an unmanageable wreck. I say at this time when not another gun could be worked or fired or mand Capt. Perry determined to leave her—got a boat along side hauled down his own private flag which we fought under with the words of Lawrence on it—D’ont give up the Ship and bore it in triumph on board the Niagara—leaving Lt’s Yarnell, Forrest and myself to act as we thought proper we at this time all wounded— about 10 minutes after he got on board the Niagara we concluded as no further resistance could possibly be made from this Brig and likewise to save the further effusion of human blood, as at this time they kept up a galling fire on us, agreed to haul down our colors.—many poor fellows, men as well as officers that lay wounded on our deck, shed tears of grief, saying Oh dont haul down our colors. No ship my dear girl this war has been fought so obstinately and suffered so much as the Lawrence—their long guns carried shot through and through us—two shots passed through our magazine—this was a narrow escape for us—when Capt. Perry assumed the command of the Niagara he found she had not lost a man killed or wounded —he immediately made sail and led her most gallently into close action—sending Capt. Elliot in the boat to bring up the small craft—this was a proud moment for our beloved commander—he engaged the two ships and brig on one side and a brig on the other and obliged them to haul down their colors in five minutes. Soon after the other two small vessels hauled down theirs and we all came to anchor and secured the prisoners. When Capt. Perry returned to the Lawrence every poor fellow raised himself from the decks to greet him with their hearty cheers. I do not hesitate to say there was not a dry eye in the ship.
Lt. Brooks of Marines was killed early in the action by my side—Midn Lamb killed—Midn Clax- ton severly wounded—Midn Swartwout severely wounded—Lt Yarnell wounded—Lt. Forrest do —I will not mention myself—Mr. Hamilton was severely wounded—this was all the officers on board except Capt. Perry and his brother neither of whom was stricken. I forgot to mention Mr. Brown who likewise escaped with myself—total loss in our Squadron was 29 killed and 85 wounded. The British acknowledge a loss of about 45 killed and upwards of 100 wounded. Capt Barclay their commander was severely wounded his 1st Lt killed—the Capt of the Queen Charlotte killed 1st Lt severely wounded and many other commissioned officers who I can not recollect killed and wounded—Lt Turner—Mr Almy—Mr Brownell—Mr Dunham are all well. Expect to go to Erie today with the Lawrence and all the sick and wounded. Where I will write you again. . . . I felt perfectly cool in action. . . . The British were 10 guns and 200 men superior to us. . . .
Wm. V. Taylor
Another valued possession of the Newport Historical Society is a copy of the log of the U. S. Sloop-of-War Lawrence from Saturday, July 31, 1813, to Tuesday, September 28, 1813. Subsequent to August 7, it is in the handwriting of Sailing Master Taylor according to ah annotation by his son, the late Rear Admiral William Rogers Taylor, U. S. Navy. The log covers the period from the time the Lawrence began preparations to cross the bar at Erie until what was probably the date of Mr. Taylor’s detachment from the ship. In another communication he relates that he left the Lawrence prior to the detachment of Captain Perry.
In 1839 an investigation disclosed that the official log of the Lawrence had disappeared shortly after Perry turned his command over to Master Commandant Jessie D. Elliot, with whom a great deal of controversy developed later on. Neither the Navy Department nor the National Archives has any present knowledge of the official log of the Lawrence; consequently the partial copy in the possession of the Historical Society at Newport is of considerable historical value.
Although the Lawrence was brig rigged, it was designated a sloop of war following the old nomenclature which so identified a vessel of any rig which carried a battery of from ten to 32 guns on one deck. As was customary with logs of the period, that of the Lawrence is rather skimpy in details, and extremely matter of fact as may be gathered from the entries on September 9, 10, 11, and 12, the day preceding the battle, the day of the battle, and the two subsequent days respectively. The log keeps the old style astronomical day beginning at noon which was all too familiar to midshipmen of a generation ago on account of the difficulty it involved in determining Greenwich Dates. No navigational data appear to have been kept during the battle, which should occasion no surprise when the manner in which it was fought is taken into consideration.
The following is a transcription of the log of the Lawrence for September 9, 10, 11, and 12, 1813:
Occurances and Remarks on board the U S Sloop of War Lawrence of eighteen guns O. H. Perry Esq. Commander, miles to the S’d and W’d.
Saturday 11th Sepr 1813
Fair Weather winds light at SW—At ½ past Mem within musket shot of the enemys new ship Detroit. At this time they opened a most destructive fire on the Lawrence from their whole squadron—continued to near them as fast as possible. At ½ past 1 PM so entirely disabled that we could work the Brig no longer—called the men from the Tops and Marines to man the guns. At this time our braces—bowlines—sheets and in fact almost every strand of rigging cut oil. Masts and spars cut through in various places. At 2 PM most of the guns dismounted —breechings gone—carriages knocked to pieces—called the few surviving men from the first division to man the guns aft—At ½ past 2 PM when not another gun could be fired or worked from the Lawrence—Capt Perry determined on leaving her. He took some hands in the first cutter and went on board the Niagara—about ten minutes after Capt Perry got on board the Niagara Lts Yamell and Forest and S. Master Taylor concluded as no further resistence could be made from this Brig and to save the further effusion of human blood agreed to haul down our colors—Immediately after Capt Perry took charge of the Niagara all possible sail was made to close with the Enemy and in fifteen minutes Capt Perry past through the British Squadron having the Detroit— Queen Charlotte and a Brig on the Starboard Side and a Brig on the Larboard and silenced their fire—10 minutes before 3 PM they hauled down their colours—The two small vessels attempted to escape but were overhaouled and struck their colours a few minutes past 3 the firing ceased when the whole fleet was brought to anchor. Emp’d through the night securing Prisoners and repairing Rigging etc. At 9 AM weighed with the whole fleet and stood for Put in Bay. At Mem came too in 5 fathoms water—Winds light and Westerly.
Thursday 9th Sepr 1813
Commences fresh breezes and thick weather with light rain. At 4pm sent 1st cutter fishing.
Middle part—strong variable winds and rain.
At 9 am sent 1st cutter fishing.
Latter part—fresh breezes with flying clouds. Variously emp’d. Carpenter fitting new Topmast. Gunner fitting grape and tubes. Sailmaker on flying jib for Scorpion and hammocks etc etc. Genl order issued for boiling water previously to its being used—twenty nine people on board unfit for duty by the Surgeons report—I have heretofore mentioned only the Binnacle list which does not include the officers sick.
Friday 10th Sepr 1813
Commences fresh breezes from No Westward and Cloudy. Variously emp’d making up grape etc.
Middle part fresh breezes and pleasant. At daylight discovered the Enemys fleet in the NW. Made the signal immediately to the Squadron to get underway. At 6 AM the Squadron all underway working out to windward of Snake Id to keep the weather gauge. Wind at SW. At 7 discovered the whole of the Enemy Squadron viz, two ships—two Brigs—one Schooner and one Sloop with their larboard tacks aboard to the W’d about 10 miles dist—At 10 cleared away Snake Island and formed in order of Battle Lawrence ahead—bore up for the enemy and called all hands to quarters. At ¼ before Mem the Enemy commenced the action at about one mile dist— ordered the Scorpion who was on our weather bow to fire on the enemy. The Lawrence endeavoring to close with them as fast as possible and at the Mern commenced the action on our part. Ends light winds and fair weather—sea smooth—Western Sister two Sunday 12th Sepr 1813
Commences light westerly winds and fair weather.
Emp’d with some hands from the other vessels fishing our Masts—two Lower yards—Main Boom—got down Top G Yards Masts and Rigging—flying jib boom. Cleaning ship and taking care of the sick and wounded. Fresh breeze from the West through the night. At 5 AM blowing quite a gale—veered out 40 fathoms cable and struch lower yards—Variously emp’d clearing our decks —attending the wounded and sick. Buried the Deceased Officers American and British with the honors of War— Ends moderate breezes and pleasant. Strong current from the East. In consequence of the gale this morning the Queen Charlotte struck adrift and got foul of the Detroit all their masts being nearly cut off in the engagement they fell by the board except the Queen's Foremast.