Video
Guns Across the Lakes: Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial- The Battle of Lake Erie
Transcript
My name is Rob Whitman I am a National Park Service Park Ranger here at the Memorial. On August 19 1813 General Harrison and his officers met with Perry and his naval officers over in Sandusky Bay to discuss strategy for the war between the army and the navy. This is a rare meeting and a beginning of a successful partnership between Perry and Harrison. A couple important things come out of this meeting besides details of how to fight the war. First Perry did not have enough men to fight and sail his vessels for battle. Harrison offers his army up and over a hundred men from his army volunteered to be attached to the navy. Second important thing was Put-in-Bay was chosen to be the base of operation for the US squadron under Perry when it was in the western end of the lake. They chose here for three reasons. First from here you'd be able to watch the Royal Navy if they decide to leave the safety of the Detroit River. Here Perry would also stay in contact with General Harrison and third the bay provided a safe harbor in case of bad weather.
The battle of Lake Erie is one of the most pivotal battles of the war in the old northwest and takes place just about in the middle of the war. The battle was important foremost because whoever controlled the lake controlled the ground around it. Control of the lake meant that you could move men and supplies easier than if only relying on land-based transportation. On September 9, 1813 with the US squadron at Put-in-Bay the main supply route for the British had been cut off. The British military was now running low on supplies at Fort Malden. They had two choices retreat or send their squadron out and open the supply route. They chose to fight. Now back at Put-in-Bay 87 out of the 540 men of the US squadron were sick with lake fever including Perry and the squadron's two surgeons.
The morning of September 10th the US squadron spots the Royal Navy on the horizon. The US will spend several hours fighting the wind to gain the weather gauge from the British whoever held the weather gauge would have an advantage in the coming battle. After several hours Perry will finally issue the order to turn around and give up his attempt to get the weather gauge but before the order can be followed the wind shifts 180 degrees giving Perry the advantage. During the time it takes to close the distance final preparations for battle are made and Perry stops and talks to his gun crews about the coming battle. Also during this time Perry will bring out his battle flag "Dont Give Up The Ship" the final command of his friend Captain James Lawrence who was mortally wounded in the naval battle with the British in June of 1813.
The Royal Navy opens the battle about 11:45 for roughly the next two hours the Lawrence Perry's flagship takes on the whole British squadron with the help of just a few smaller US vessels. After those two hours Perry has lost close to 80 percent of his men killed or wounded. All of his carronades on the engaged side are disabled. At this point the British are winning. What is Perry to do? At this low point someone then spots the Niagara moving forward Perry decides to jump in one of the long boats and have a few men roll them over to the Niagara where he takes command and adds more sail. This is the oh shoot moment for the British. Perry just got a brand new boat. As Perry and the Niagara bears down on the British squadron the Detroit and the Queen Charlotte decided to wear ship, turn around, so their unengaged side can now fight the US. At this point the British are feeling the toll the US fire power. Every captain and first officer of every British vessel is killed or wounded. Junior officers are now in command of damaged ships, that are crewed by a large number of soldiers rather than sailors. The Detroit and the Queen Charlotte collide opening a hole in the line for the Niagara to sail into. Perry claims at half pistol range, about 30 yards, he double shots his carronades. The British soldiers and sailors take this pounding fire at close range for about 15 minutes as they work to cut their vessels apart. Barclay wounded comes back to take command but is wounded a second time and is taken below again. The British get their vessels cut apart but the damage is done. At this point the British start surrendering one by one. after the victory Perry writes a quick note to General Harrison. "Dear General, We have met the enemy and they are ours. Two ships, two brigs, one schooner, and one sloop. Yours with great respect and esteem, O.H. Perry." That night the two squadrons lay together off west sister island to care for the wounded and bury the enlisted men at sea. The six officers three American and three British killed in the battle will be buried together on South Bass Island in the days following the battle. This is not the end of the army navy cooperation under Perry and Harrison we'll leave the rest of the story to our friends and neighbors across the lake to continue the tale. Make sure to tune in next week to hear the next segment of Guns Across the Lakes.
Description
This week we travel to the island of South Bass/Put-in-Bay to hear the story of a Signal Victory.
Duration
6 minutes, 29 seconds
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