Eleanor Robson Belmont

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Oliver Hazard Perry

B: Aug 13, 1785

D: Aug 23, 1819

The most important person to remember in the history of the U.S. Brig NIAGARA is her relief commander during the Battle of Lake Erie, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry. It was Perry who penned the famous report of victory, "We have = met the enemy and they are ours..." after the defeat of the British squadr= on.

Perry was born on August 23, 1785, = at the Old Perry Homestead in South K= ingston, Rhode Island, of "Figh= ting Quaker parents." His father was in the United States Navy and young Pe= rry soon followed. At the age of 13, Perry entered the Navy as a midshipman, wh= ere his first assignment was in the Caribbean under the command of his father aboard the sloop-of-war, GENERAL GREENE.

Perry's subsequent voyages took him= to Europe and Africa during the Barbary War= s. In 1805, at the age of 20, Perry became a lieutenant and was given the command= of a small schooner. Next, he was called to oversee the construction of a numb= er of gunboats ordered by President Thomas Jefferson. When this job was successfully completed, Perry was given the command of the 14-gun vessel REVENGE and cruised the northern- and mid-Atlant= ic waters of the Eastern United States.

In January 1811, Perry was ordered = to survey a number of Rhode Isla= nd harbors. Unfortunately, through faulty piloting and bad weather, REVENGE wrecked on a reef. Perry requested an inactive stat= us and an investigation. The court of inquiry found him blameless for the loss= and actually applauded him for his valiant attempts to save public property.

In May 1812, Perry returned to acti= ve duty and received a promotion to master-commandant. One month later the United States declared war on Great Britain, citing British policies that infringed on the American trade and freedom of= the seas. He was given command of 12 gunboats at Newport<= /st1:City> and New London. Perry lost interest in the relative inactivity of this post, and, in Septem= ber 1812, requested duty on the high seas or the Great L= akes.

In February 1813, he was ordered to Commodore Isaac Chauncey's command at Sacket's Harbor, Lake Ontario. Perry reached Chauncey's headquarters on March 3. Because British attacks were expected momentarily, Chauncey kept Perry with him for two weeks. The attacks failed to materiali= ze and Chauncey decided that Perry would be of better use in Erie, Pennsylvania, where a fleet was being constructed to wrest control of Lake Erie from the British who already had a small squadron there. Perry was fully briefed= on the situation in Erie and was sent to command the project. He worked well with Noah Brown, the ma= ster builder who Commodore Chauncey had hired earlier.

Although facing many adverse condit= ions, including lack of men and materials, Perry and his men successfully complet= ed six vessels by July 1813. These six were joined by others from Buffalo. Two months later, on September= 10, 1813, the American squadron commanded by Perry fought a British squadron commanded by Captain Robert Barclay, RN.

The Battle of Lake Erie began with = Perry aboard his flagship LAWRENCE. In the early stages of the battle, however, LAWRENCE and her crew took most= of the enemy's fire. LAWRENCE was severely damaged and over 80 percent of Perry's crew were killed or wou= nded by concentrated British gunfire. In an attempt to change defeat to victory, Perry, carrying his battle flag emblazoned with Captain Lawrence's dying wo= rds, "Don't Give Up The Ship," transferred = from LAWRENCE to the lightly damaged NIAGARA in a small boat. He took command of NIAGARA and sailed her into the British battle line. The British had also taken hea= vy casualties from the Lawrence' fire. Broadsides from the fresh NIAGARA compelled their surrender within 15 minutes of Perry's transfer.

Immediately following his victory a= t the Battle of Lake Erie, Perry penned the famous words, 'We have met the enemy = and they are ours..." in his report to General William Henry Harrison.

Perry was the first in history to d= efeat an entire British squadron and successfully bring back every ship to his ba= se as a prize of war. Perry, at the age of 28, was hailed by the public as a national hero for his victory on Lake Erie. Click HERE to learn more abo= ut "Perry Luck".

After his victory in the War of 181= 2, Perry was promoted to the rank of Captain and given command of the new frig= ate JAVA. Then in 1819, as commander of JOHN ADAMS, Perry was sent to Venezuela on a diplomatic mission. After completing his mission he contracted yellow fever= and died at sea near Trinidad on August 23, = 1819, his 34th birthday. He was buried at Port of Spain, Trinidad, with full military honors. In = 1826, his remains were moved from Trinidad to Newport, Rhode Island, where a monum= ent in his honor

by the state.

= &nb= sp; =

Oliver Hazard Perry Stands beneath a tattered Stars and = &nb= sp; Rare Oliver Hazard Perry

Stripes. Both are survivo= rs of the Battle of Put-in-Bay. = &nb= sp; stamp issued by U.S.

This watercolor was painted by J.L. Ferris= in the late 19th century. &nb= sp; = Postal Department in 1888

<= /a> 3D"Oliver <= o:p>

Burial: Island Cemetery ,= Newport, Newport County, Rhode Island, USA