THE BATTLE OF LAKE
ERIE IN BALLAD AND HISTORY.
BY CHARLES B. GALBREATH.
Perry's victory on Lake Erie stands out
pre-eminent among
the naval exploits of the War of 1812. And this is true,
not
only by virtue of the comparative
importance of the battle and
its results, but because it combined in
an unusual degree the
elements of intrepidity, patriotic
fervor and personal valor that
captivate the imagination, live in
legend and story and song,
and make up what we are pleased to style
the poetry of war.
In spite of Cooper's criticism of the
young commander, and the
contention of Roosevelt that the battle
was not a remarkable
achievement-that greater things had been
accomplished by
McDonough on Lake Champlain, the
commanding figure of
Perry, as he passes from the shattered Lawrence
to the Niagara
in a frail boat through a storm of
bullets and grape-shot, stands
forth undimmed and undiminished in its
original luster and
heroic proportions. The premonitory
silence of the approaching
fleets; the daring advance of the
commander's ship; the roar
of cannon and the fierce onslaught of
the encircling line of the
enemy; the shattered hull, the
splintered masts and the reeking
deck of the Lawrence, where valor
strove desperately to keep
aloft the stars and stripes and the
banner inscribed, "Don't give
up the ship;" the reckless bravery
of Perry as he bore the latter
from his flag-ship and raised it over
the Niagara; the striking
of the colors of the Lawrence; the
fierce renewal of the combat;
victory snatched from the jaws of
defeat; the thunders of float-
ing armaments forever silenced on our
northern "inland seas!"
In the short space of a few hours we
have here, on the roman-
tic waters of the West, in action and
fortune, an event dramatic
and kaleidoscopic, that lives in ballad
and history, and sheds
luster on the "men behind the
guns," the young commander, and
the young republic.
The battle of Lake Erie is doubtless
destined to more
415
The Battle of Lake Erie in Ballad and
History. 417
enduring fame because, while it stirs
the blood of those who
defend and glorify war, it appeals with
peculiar force to the
advocate of perpetual peace. Especially
is this true at this time
when the god of battles "has
smoothed his wrinkled front," and
the world seems about to awake to the
criminal folly of submit-
ting questions of state to the
arbitrament of arms.
The terms of peace that followed the
battle provided that
our northern border should not be
guarded on either side by
forts or fleets. The parties to the
compact have found in mu-
tual respect and good will an ample
defense, while the peace
advocates point to it as a practical
demonstration of the virtue
of their cause and its triumphant
progress in the vision of the
poet,
"Till the war-drum throbbed no
longer and the battle-flags were furled."
But whatever the significance of the
battle to present or
future generations, it may not be
without interest in these rem-
iniscent days approaching its centennial
anniversary to know
that for many years following the war of
which it was a part,
this event was known along the borders
of the lake, not alone
through the valiant deeds of Perry and
the far-reaching results
of his achievement, but even more widely
through the tragic
fate of one who fought beside him under
the splintered masts
on the slippery deck of the Lawrence.
Judged by modern standards, our
ancestors of seventy-five
years ago enjoyed only primitive
advantages. Educational facil-
ities were meager, and the history of
their own and other lands,
in many communities, was largely a
matter of legend and story.
Exploits of personal daring and
courageous sacrifice to an un-
timely and relentless fate, related
through the medium of rhyme
and song, appealed to their sympathetic
nature and their untu-
tored poetic fancy. Many of them knew of
the Battle of Lake
Erie only through the ballad of
"James Bird." Corn huskings,
apple cuttings, log-rollings, and even
quilting bees of the long
ago not infrequently closed with the
rendition of the quaint,
pathetic old song, written by a bard
unlearned and unknown,
but not without the gift to tell his
story well.
Vol. XX-27
418 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
The name of the old ballad recalls one
who, when the
winter nights were long, used to sing it
at meetings of his neigh-
bors, but more frequently in his home
amid the gathering twi-
light of early summer days. When
requested, he prefaced the
song with the following story:
James Bird, like many a young man,
wished to enlist in the
army.
Our country was at war with the British, and Bird was
persuaded to enter the service of the
navy. He enlisted. A
short time before the fleet set sail to
engage the enemy he was
given a furlough of a few days to visit
his home and friends.
He lingered with the young woman whom he
was soon to
marry, and then hurried back to join his
ship, the brig Niagara.
But when he reached the port the vessel
had sailed. In great
distress, he sought to rejoin the fleet,
and finally succeeded in
boarding the Lawrence, the vessel
commanded in person by
Captain Perry. In the great battle he
distinguished himself for
bravery. He fought side by side with
Perry, was severely
wounded, but continued to fight
valiantly until the British were
defeated and captured.
Later Bird was tried by court martial
for deserting, con-
demned and ordered on a certain day to
be executed. In those
times they shot deserters. They were
compelled to kneel on their
coffins and were shot by a squad of
their fellow soldiers. At
the time of the battle Perry knew
nothing of the desertion
of Bird. When he heard of the court
martial, he sent a mes-
senger on horseback with a reprieve, but
he arrived too late.
After this introduction, he who related
the story sang to
an old church tune, in a clear, well
modulated voice, this ballad of
JAMES BIRD.
Sons of Freedom, listen to me,
And ye daughters, too, give ear;
You a sad and mournful story
As was ever told shall hear.
Hull, you know, his troops surrendered,
And defenceless left the West;
Then our forces quick assembled
The invaders to resist.
The Battle of Lake Erie in Ballad and
History. 419
Among the troops that marched to Erie
Were the Kingston volunteers;
Captain Thomas then commanded,
To protect our west frontier.
Tender were the words of parting,
Mothers wrung their hands and cried;
Maidens wept their love in secret,
Fathers strove their tears to hide.
But there's one among the number,
Tall and graceful in his mien;
Firm his step, his look undaunted,
Scarce a nobler youth was seen.
One sweet kiss he stole from Mary,
Craved his mother's prayers once more,
Pressed his father's hand and left them,
For Lake Erie's distant shore.
Mary tried to say "Farewell,
James!"
Waved her hand but nothing spoke;
"Good-bye, Bird, may Heaven protect
you,"
From the rest at parting broke.
Where is Bird?-the battle rages;
Is he in the strife, or no?
Now the cannons roar tremendous,
Dare he meet the hostile foe?
Aye,--behold him! there with Perry,
On the self-same ship they fight;
Though his messmates fall around him,
Nothing can his soul affright.
But, behold a ball has struck him!
See the crimson current flow.
"Leave the deck!" exclaimed
brave Perry;
"No," cried Bird, "I will
not go."
Here on the deck he took his station;
Ne'er will Bird his colors fly;
"'I'll stand by you, gallant
captain,
Till we conquer or we die."
420 Ohio Arch. and
Hist. Society Publications.
Still he fought though faint and
bleeding,
Till our stars and stripes arose,
Victory having crowned our efforts,
All triumphant o'er our foes.
And did Bird receive a pension?
Was he to his friends restored?
No, nor ever to his bosom
Clasped the maid his heart adored.
But there came most dismal tidings
From Lake Erie's distant shore;
Better if poor Bird had perished
Midst the cannons' awful roar.
"Dearest Parents," said the
letter,
"This will bring sad news to you;
Do not mourn your first beloved,
Though it brings his last adieu.
"I must suffer for deserting
From the brig Ni-ag-a-ra;
Read this letter, brothers, sisters,-
'Tis the last you'll have from me!"
Sad and gloomy was the morning,
Bird was ordered out to die.
Where's the breast not dead to pity,
But for him would heave a sigh?
Lo! he fought so brave at Erie,
Freely bled and nobly dared,
Let his courage plead for mercy,
Let his precious life be spared.
See him march and hear his fetters,
Harsh they clank upon his ear;
But his step is firm and manly,
For his heart ne'er harbored fear.
See! he kneels upon his coffin,
Sure, his death can do no good;
Spare him! Hark!-Oh God, they've shot
him,
Oh, his bosom streams with blood.
The Battle of Lake Eric in Ballad and
History. 421
Farewell, Bird! farewell, forever!
Friends and home he'll see no more;
But his mangled corse lies buried
On Lake Erie's distant shore.
When this was sung in the home, a
woman's voice usually
blended in the lay. Those who hear with
impatience three or
four stanzas of a song in these days,
can scarcely believe with
what tense interest this old ballad was
heard to the last word.
Tears often came into the eyes of the
young listeners and one
of the singers, with the plea,
"Lo! he fought so brave at Erie,
Freely bled and nobly dared,
Let his courage plead for mercy
Let his precious life be spared."
At the close of the lines describing the
tragic fate of Bird
there was an impressive pause, and then
in subdued, but clear
and simple notes floated out on the
evening air:
"Farewell, Bird, farewell, forever!
Friends and home he'll see no more,
But his mangled corse lies buried
On Lake Erie's distant shore."
The silence that followed was broken by
the roundelay of
the frog from the little stream that
flowed in front of the old
country home, and the solemn song of the
whip-poor-will in the
dense forest just beyond.
Ten years ago he who had sung the old
song so often, was
a little disappointed to read a
paragraph in a paper to the effect
that James Bird was a myth and the old
ballad was fiction with
no basis in reality.
A little research, however, reveals the
name of Bird among
the wounded who fought with Perry on the
Lawrence, and au-
thentic history tells a sadder story
than that portrayed in the
ballad of the battle.
James Bird stands forth in his weakness
as well as his
strength. With all his faults, this
wayward youth had still
some claim to the sympathy of his
countrymen, and was not al-
422 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications. together unworthy of the tears that have been shed for his tragic fate. The following is the true story of this ill-starred young soldier, presented in paraphrase from authentic sources: Sergeant James Bird went to Erie with a brigade of volun- teers from Pennsylvania and was detailed with a squad of men to guard stores in a small blockhouse, near the mouth of Cas- cade Creek, where Perry was building the larger vessels of his fleet. Some of the stores were carried away, and an investiga- |
|
tion showed that it was done with the knowledge and assent of Bird. He and his men resisted arrest, but were soon subdued. Lieutenant John Brooks, knowing Bird to be a man of courage, wished him to join the marines. It was very difficult to find men for the naval service; Bird and his men were told that their offenses would be overlooked if they would enlist. This they did, and Bird served gallantly through the battle on the Lawrence and was severely wounded. Afterward when the squadron was preparing for the Mackinaw expedition, Bird was again detailed |
The Battle of Lake Erie in Ballad and
History. 423
to guard government stores. His wayward
nature reasserted
itself, and with John Rankin, one of the
guard, he deserted. A
little later, Charles M. Reed, a young
student, on his way to
school at Washington, Pennsylvania,
stopped at a tavern in But-
ler and there saw and recognized the
deserters. Resuming his
journey, young Reed soon met
sailing-master Colwell, whom
he knew, and reported them. They were
promptly placed under
arrest and taken back to Erie. While the
squadron was sailing
to Detroit, they, with a sailor by the
name of John Davis, who
had committed a similar offense, were
tried by court martial on
board the Niagara and condemned
to death. Efforts were made
to have Bird's sentence commuted to
imprisonment, because of
his gallantry in the battle of Lake
Erie, but without success.
The President refused to extend clemency
to Bird on the ground
that, "having deserted from his
post while in charge of a guard,
in time of war, he must therefore suffer
as an example to others."
All three were executed on board the Niagara
in the roadstead at
Erie in October, 1814, and were buried
in the "sand beach."
While these facts differ materially from
the introductory
legend, they are not at essential
variance with the words of the
ballad. Who wrote it is not known As a local historian ob-
serves, the author was apparently
familiar with the true story
and Bird's home, and he adds: "That
there was wide sympathy
felt for Bird, chiefly because of his
service on the fleet, there
can be no doubt. The tenacity with which
the popularity of the
ballad endured is proof of this. It is
now rare; rare enough to
excuse its appearance as part of the
history of the region in
which it was so long a popular feature
of nearly every enter-
tainment or public gathering."
But Bird has a place in the archives of
his country. His
name is found in the list of
"severely wounded" at the battle
of Lake Erie on Perry's flagship, the Lawrence:
it also appears
in the list of those who shared the
"prize money" that fell to
the victors. As a private, he was
entitled to $214.89, and there
is an element of pathos in the note set
opposite his name to the
effect that this was drawn by
"attorney of his father," about
three months after the execution.
424 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
From the ballad of James Bird, with its
basis of tragic real-
ity, we turn to a brief consideration of
the battle of Lake Erie
as it is preserved in familiar and
authentic history.
The surrender of General Hull at Detroit
inaugurated a
struggle for the possession of the upper
lakes, especially Lake
Erie. The British and the Americans
promptly began the con-
struction of war vessels, and their
small flotillas of boats grad-
ually grew into the two fleets that were
to decide which power
was to be supreme in the northwest. The
British shipyard at
Malden, opposite Detroit, rang with the
sounds of preparation,
and raised the hopes of the industrious
red-coats commanded
by Proctor and the picturesque savages
under the great Tecum-
seh. Far to the east, on the opposite
shore of the same lake, in
the protected harbor of the little town
of Erie, the Americans,
under the zealous and enterprising young
officer, Oliver Hazard
Perry, were even surpassing the enemy in
the race of building
fleets. The shipyards of our time make
those of 1813 seem pigmy
affairs, and the "oak
leviathans" of that day were frail structures
compared with modern iron monsters of
the deep. But the
soldiers and sailors of the War of 1812 were not unlike
their
fellows of other times, for the martial
and patriotic spirit is
much the same in all generations.
At the little port of Erie, were only
the materials that na-
ture afforded out of which to create a
fleet-the unhewn timber
of the primeval forest. Ship-builders,
sailors, naval stores, guns
and ammunition were to be transported
over bad roads from dis-
tant points. After months of labor at
the mouth of Cascade
Creek, the last of the vessels were
launched and Perry found
himself, July 10th, in command of the
following vessels and
armament: The brig Lawrence, twenty guns; brig Niagara,
twenty guns; brig Caledonia, three
guns; schooner Ariel, four
guns; schooner Scorpion, two guns
and two swivels; sloop
Trippe, one gun; schooner Tigress, one gun; schooner Porcu-
pine, one gun, and schooner Somers, one gun. The first
of the
list was the commander's flag-ship.
Much difficulty was experienced in
enlisting marines to man
these vessels, and the consequent delay
was irritating to the
eager commander. "Think of my
station," he wrote, "the en-
The Battle of Lake Erie in Ballad and History. 425
emy in sight, the vessels under my command more than sufficient and ready to make sail, and yet obliged to bite my fingers with vexation for want of men." The arrival of Captain Jesse Duncan Elliott, second in command, with one hundred men early in August enabled the little fleet to venture with assurance on the open waters of the lake. It reached Sandusky August 17th, where General Harri- son met Perry on board the Lawrence to arrange for the fall campaign. Perry then cruised leisurely about the lake on the |
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look-out for the enemy, while General Harrison was assembling his army to be transported across to Malden. September 10, 1813, dawned peaceful and cloudless. Shortly after the mists had cleared away from the horizon, the sentinel in the maintop of the Lawrence called out "Sail ho !" and a little later in the distance off Put-in-Bay, was seen by those on deck the British fleet, steadily advancing under a gently rising breeze. Perry prepared at once for action. Amid cheers from the crew he hoisted from the masthead of the Lawrence a blue banner |
426 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
with the words of Lawrence, the dying
Captain of the Chesa-
peake, in large white letters, "Don't give up the
ship." The line
of battle was formed, Perry in his ship
boldly leading the ad-
vance and outsailing the other vessels
in his eagerness to open
the fight.
At ten o'clock the wind shifted to the
southeast. This gave
Perry the advantage of the weather-gage,
and wafted his ves-
sels directly toward the enemy. The
breeze, at no time high,
sank at intervals to a dead calm. Two
hours elapsed before a
hostile sound floated over the
shimmering waters. A dead quiet
pervaded the vessels, broken at times
only by the word of
command, the shrill call of the
boatswain's whistle "or a mur-
muring whisper among the men as they
stood in groups around
their guns, with lighted matches,
eagerly watching the move-
ments of the foe."
The British commander, Robert H.
Barclay, who had fought
and lost an arm under Nelson at
Trafalgar, had drawn up in
perfect alignment and faultless battle
array the vessels of his
squadron; the ship Detroit, nineteen
guns, one pivot and two
howitzers; ship Queen Charlotte, seventeen
guns and one howit-
zer; brig Lady Prevost, thirteen
guns and one howitzer; brig
Hunter, ten guns; sloop Little Belt, three guns;
schooner Chip-
pewa, one gun and two swivels.
As the vessels approached, officers and
men seemed to real-
ize that this was to be no drawn battle,
that a crisis was at hand.
"This is the most important day of
my life," said Perry to
purser Hambleton, as his ship led
proudly toward the enemy.
The sun had not yet reached the meridian
in the peaceful
September sky, with the foe a mile and a
half distant, when the
clear challenge of a bugle floated over
the waters from the
Detroit, followed by lusty cheers from the entire British fleet.
A puff of smoke from the enemy's
flag-ship, a roar, a splash of
spray as the ball struck short of the Lawrence!
A second shot
from the same source went crashing
through the ship, and be-
fore the remaining vessels could come to
Perry's assistance, the
long guns of the British were centered
with deadly effect on his
flag-ship. The shorter range of his guns
made it for a time im-
possible for him to reply. His vessel
had been struck many
The Battle of Lake Erie in Ballad and History. 427
times before he fired a shot. At closer range the battle raged furiously until the Lawrence lay on the waters a dismantled wreck, "her rigging shot away, her spars battered into splinters," and all of her guns but one dismounted. Her decks, slippery with blood, were strewn with the dead and dying. One mast remained aloft and from it floated the stars and stripes. Perry with the aid of the few men who were still able to assist, dragged for- ward the remaining gun and fired the last shot at the exult- ing foe. In this desperate situation, he resolved to hurry to the |
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Niagara and bring her into action. Descending into a small boat with four sturdy seamen, he was rowed swiftly through a storm of bullets and grape-shot on his dangerous way. The boat was struck, an oar was shattered, and the iron rain scat- tered spray over the oarsmen, but in the stern Perry stood up- right, carrying the pennant and inscribed banner of his flag-ship, until he stood on the deck of the Niagara and the motto, "Don't give up the ship," floated again in the freshening breeze. On the Lawrence, the fire of the enemy still wrought awful carnage, and before the despairing gaze of the wounded and |
428 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
dying the colors went down in token of
surrender. This was
greeted with a wild shout from the
British as they reached eagerly
forward to grasp the laurels of victory.
But the American
cause was not lost. Captain Elliott left
the Niagara to bring
into action the smaller vessels, while
Perry, assuming command,
bore down swiftly on the enemy's battle
line, and reserving his
fire for close range, poured in
destructive broadsides as he
passed the Detroit and the Queen
Charlotte, that had become
entangled, while from his guns on the
other side he raked the
decks of the Lady Prevost and Little
Belt. The other ships of
his fleet, following the Niagara, completed
the work of destruc-
tion. Defeat was changed to victory. The
British ships struck
their colors, as the flag of the young
republic arose again on the
single mast over the shattered deck of
the Lawrence, and there,
beneath its folds, was realized the
later day sentiment of one of
our poets:
"Each dying wanderer of the sea
Shall look at once to heaven and thee,
And smile to see thy splendors fly
In triumph o'er his closing eye."
As soon as the battle was over, Perry
went to the cabin
of the Niagara and wrote to
General Harrison his famous dis-
patch, "We have met the enemy and
they are ours, two ships,
two brigs, one schooner and one
sloop."
The formal surrender occurred on the Lawrence.
Com-
modore Barclay was so severely wounded
that he could not be
present in person to tender his sword. A
subordinate officer
was deputized to do this. Perry asked
that the sword be re-
turned and afterward visited the British
commander on the
Detroit. A lifelong friendship sprang up between the two men.
In the battle the British lost forty-one
killed and ninety-six
wounded. The loss of the Americans,
detailed elsewhere in the
official report, was twenty-seven killed
and ninety-six wounded.
On the Lawrence of 101 reported
fit for duty on the morning
of the battle, the loss in killed and
wounded was eighty-three.
An evening calm followed the battle. The
sun declined
and sank from his westward running
"lane of fire" across the
The Battle of Lake Erie in Ballad and History. 429
waters; the full moon rose to relieve the darkness with her mel- low and soothing light, and over the starry flags of the silent fleet, beamed the brighter stars in the arching canopy of night. On the decks of the vessels that had borne the heat of the fray, in low and solemn tones were read the burial rites, as the slain sailors, each in his hammock and winding sheet, with a cannon ball to make his final resting place secure, were consigned to the silent chambers of the deep. The following day was devoted to repairing the vessels, |
|
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flashing oars striking time to a martial dirge as the neatly dressed sailors rowed to an open space on the landing, bearing the leaders who should lead no more. On the vessels at anchor, with flags at half-mast the minute-guns at intervals broke the silence and woke echoes along the rocky coast. In the little glade at the water's edge a procession of British and American officers, at peace now, walking side by side and followed by Perry with bowed head, paid the last tribute of respect as their comrades |
430 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications. were laid in the new-made graves and the farewell volley rever- berated through the wild recesses of the dim old forest On the afternoon of this mystery veiled and decisive combat, as the thunders of the guns rolled over the sun-lit waters of Erie, they smote the ears of the inhabitants of the little town of Sandusky with "anxious fear and wonder." On the issue of the unseen battle hung their fate. A victory for Perry meant for them peace, security, and an end to the dread alarms of war. The triumph of the foe meant desolating incursions of the British and the savage excesses of Tecumseh and his painted warriors. |
On the other side of the lake the roar of conflict echoed ominously as the British General Proctor and his red allies lis- tened in silence. A deeper silence at length told that the struggle had ended. Through the portals of a lurid sunset, day passed into twilight and darkness, but no fleet courier brought tidings of victory. Later the gloomy result was suspicioned by Tecum- seh, as clearly set forth in the following passage from his speech to Proctor: "Listen, father! Our fleet has gone out; we know they have fought; we have heard the great guns, but know nothing of what has happened to our father with one arm. Our ships have |
The Battle of Lake Erie in Ballad and
History. 431
gone one way, and we are very much
astonished to see our
father tying up everything, and
preparing to run away the other,
without letting his red children know
what he means. You al-
ways told us to remain here and take
care of our lands, which
made our hearts glad! Our great father,
the King, is the head,
and you represent him. You always told
us you never could draw
your foot off British ground; and now,
father, we see you draw-
ing back without seeing the enemy. We
must compare our
father's conduct to a fat animal that
carries his tail on his back,
but when affrighted, drops it between
its legs and runs off."
The battle brought to the victors the
results anticipated.
One by one the British ports on the lake
fell into the hands of
the Americans and hostile arms no longer
vexed Erie's broad ex-
panse and forest fringed borders.
On October 22nd, Perry, accompanied by
General Harri-
son, arrived at Erie where the victory
was celebrated with great
enthusiasm. Thence he proceeded to
Buffalo, where in ac-
cordance with his suggestion the fleet
was turned over to the
command of Captain Elliott, and the
young victor at the age of
twenty-eight years, before proceeding on
his triumphal journey
homeward, looked for the last time on
the blue waters of the
lake with which his name will ever be
associated in legend and
history.
NOTES.
Oliver Hazard Perry was born at
Kingston, Rhode Island,
August 21, 1785, He died at Port Spain,
Trinidad, August 23,
1819. Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry
was a younger
brother.
James Alexander Perry, brother of the
Captain and with
him, at the age of thirteen, on the
Lawrence, was drowned seven
years afterward off the coast of Chili,
near Valparaiso.
Many writers state that Perry, as soon
as the opposing ves-
sels struck their colors, took an
envelope from his pocket and
using his stiff military cap for a
writing desk, wrote with a pencil
his famous message to General Harrison.
This is an interesting
story, but the facts are as stated in
the preceding sketch of the
battle.
432
Ohio Archi. and Hist. Society Publications.
NEWS OF THE VICTORY.
Of the reception of Perry's laconic
report of the victory,
the venerable Lewis Cass wrote in 1860:
"Towards evening on the 12th of
September an express
reached the camp at Seneca bringing the
first news of the bril-
liant victory in which we felt so deep
an interest. He was con-
ducted to my tent, and delivered to me a
package of dispatches.
Among these was a letter for the
Secretary of the Navy, and
another for the Commanding General. The
latter I opened and
read with feelings it were vain to
attempt to describe. It con-
tained the memorable annunciation that
the battle had been
fought and the victory won, in those
imperishable words, which
I need not repeat, for they are
everywhere engraved upon the
American heart. The intelligence was
immediately communi-
cated to the troops, and those who were
present, and are now
living, can only appreciate the joyful
emotions with which it
was received. It was not only gratifying
to their national pride,
as a great naval victory, but it secured
to them a safe passage
across the lake, to the enemy's shore.
The manifestations of this
feeling, exhibited upon that occasion,
are vividly impressed upon
my memory."
EXTREME PUNISHMENT FOR DESERTION IN THE
WAR OF 1812.
To many readers the treatment accorded
to James Bird will
seem unwarranted and extreme as all such
punishments are, ac-
cording to modern humanitarian
standards. The spirit of the
times, however, must be taken into
consideration. This is revealed
in an article that appeared originally
in the Chillicothe Supporter,
under date of July 9, 1814, as
reproducted in The Ohio Patriot
of Aug. 3, 1814. Following is a literal
reproduction:
"We are informed that 26 soldiers of the
U. S. army have
been tried by the general court martial
now convened at this
place, & found guilty of desertion,
5 of whom are sentenced
to be shot. Among the criminals was a
soldier named Daniel
Garter, who formerly lived on the Little
Miami, near to Cin-
cinnati, and where he has now a wife
& several children; but
The Battle of Lake Eric in Ballad and
History. 433
who since his desertion has so crippled
himself as not to be able
to walk without crutches. This man was
sentenced to be branded
on the cheek with the letter D, to have
his right ear cut off, and
his head shaved, and then drummed out of
camp, which sentence
was put into execution on Wednesday
last; & in this crippled
and lacerated situation was publicly
drummed through the
streets of the town. The most of the
other criminals, we are
informed, are sentenced to be picketed,
a mode of punishment
which is inflicted by compelling the
culprit to stand with his
heel upon a sharpe pointed stick. It is
much to be regretted that
corporal punishment by whipping has been
abolished in our
armies, as by this means new and
barbarous modes of punish-
ment have been introduced which are
disgraceful to humanity."
PERRY'S BROTHER PROBABLY NOT IN THE
BOAT.
George H. Bancroft, in describing
Perry's passage from the
Lawrence to the Niagara, says:
"Perry, who saw with the swiftness
of intuition the new
method that must be chosen now that the
first failed, and who
had already resolved to transfer his
flag, with the certainty that,
in the crippled state of the British,
'victory must perch on his
banner,' immediately entered his boat
with his commander's pen-
nant and his little brother, and bade
the four sailors whom he
took as oarsmen, to row with all speed
for the Niagara."
With reference to the younger Perry, Dr.
Usher Parsons,
surgeon of the Lawrence, in
speaking of the return of the com-
mander to that vessel, says:
"Then casting his eyes about, he
inquired-'where is my
brother?' This brother was a young
midshipman of thirteen
years. He had, during the battle, acted
as aid, running with
orders to different parts of the ship;
for you must know that
in the din and uproar of battle, orders
can hardly be heard at
three feet distance. We made a general
stir to look him up,
not without fears that he had been
knocked overboard. But he
Vol. XX-28
434 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
was soon found in his berth, asleep, exhausted by the exercise and excitement of the day." A. S. Mackenzie, whose sister married one of Perry's brothers, and who had every opportunity to know the facts in regard to this dramatic incident, in describing it says nothing of the presence of the younger Perry in the boat, nor does he mention this in his biographical sketch of the youth. It is therefore more than probable that the boy was not in the boat as stated by Bancroft and represented by the artist Powell.
THE PERRY-ELLIOTT CONTROVERSY. After the battle a controversy arose between Elliott and his |
|
|
vestigations, fierce charges and counter-charges in type, and much spilling of ink. James Fennimore Cooper, himself a sea- man as well as a writer, comes forth as a champion of Elliott. Capt. Alexander Slidell Mackenzie wields the pen most valiant- ly in defense of Perry, and with him is George H. Bancroft. The net result of this post pugnam combat seems to leave mat- ters substantially as they are presented in Perry's official re- port. |
The Battle of Lake Eric in Ballad and History. 435
MERIT AND RANK OF THE VICTORY.
The following extract from Mackenzie's
appreciative life
of Perry, indicates the high rank
ascribed to this achievement:
"The splendor of this victory
dazzles the imagination. It
was gained by a portion of an inferior
squadron over another
every way superior, and throughout the
action concentrated in
its force. It was gained, more eminently
than any other naval
victory, by the exertions of one
individual, a young man of
twenty-eight, who had never beheld a
naval engagement. He
had dashed boldly into action with the Lawrence,
counting upon
the support of those immediately around
him, and trusting that
the rear of his line would soon be able
to close up to his sup-
port. Deserted by the Niagara, which
was to have encountered
the second of the enemy's ships, and
sustained only by the
Caledonia, the Ariel, and the Scorpion, we find him
resisting
for more than two hours the whole of the
British squadron.
Nelson was indeed a splendid hero, the
subject, in no slight de-
gree, of Perry's admiration. But it may
with truth be said that
no one of his many brilliant victories
was opposed by so many
difficulties, or effected by so many
resources of genius."
With this estimate Theodore Roosevelt
does not fully agree.
After declaring that the British were
greatly overpowered in
ships and armament, having only six
vessels, of 1460 tons dis-
placement, 440 men and combined
broadsides of 459 pounds,
against nine vessels of 1672 tons
displacement, 416 men and
aggregate broadsides of 936 pounds, he
says:
"Captain Perry's name is more
widely known than that
of any other commander. Every schoolboy
reads about him,
if of no other sea captain; yet he
certainly stands on a lower
grade than either Hull or McDonough, and
not a bit higher than
a dozen others. On Lake Erie our seamen
displayed great
courage and skill; but so did their
antagonists. The simple
truth is, that where on both sides the
officers and men were
equally brave and skillful, the side
which possessed the superi-
ority in force, in the proportion of
three to two, could not well
help winning. The courage with which the
Lawrence was de-
fended has hardly ever been surpassed,
and may fairly be called
436 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
heroic; but equal praise belongs to the
men on board the Detroit,
who had to discharge the great guns by
flashing pistols at the
touch-holes and yet made such a terribly
effective defense."
Of the relative strength of the two
squadrons, Bancroft
says:
"In ships, the British had the
superiority, their vessels
being stronger, and their forces being
more concentrated; the
American gun-boats at the right of the
American line, separated
from each other by at least a half
cable's length, were not near
enough for good service. In the number
of guns the British
had sixty-three, the Americans
fifty-four. In action at a dis-
tance, the British, who had thirty-five
long guns to fifteen, had
greatly the advantage; in close action
the weight of metal would
favor the Americans. The British
commander had 150 men from
the royal navy, eighty Canadian sailors,
and 240 soldiers, mostly
regulars, and some Indians, making, with
their officers, a little
more than 500 men, of whom at least 450
were efficient. The
American crews, of whom about one-fourth
were from Rhode
Island, one-fourth regular seamen,
American and cosmopolitan,
about one-fourth raw volunteers from
Pennsylvania, Ohio but
chiefly Kentucky, and about one-fourth
blacks, numbered on the
muster-roll 490, but of these, 116 were sick, nearly all of whom
were too weak to come on deck, so that
the efficient force of the
squadron was a little less than
400."
The British and American squadrons combined
threw at
one shot of all their guns an aggregate
of 1395 pounds. A single
large gun of one of our modern
battleships throws a projectile
of nearly equal weight. The total
displacement of the fifteen
vessels engaged was 3,132 tons; that of
one of the large ships
of our present navy, the Florida, is
21,825 tons.
As will be seen, authorities differ
widely as to the number
of men actually engaged in this battle
Richardson, a British au-
thority puts the number of Americans at
532 which is about the
number that shared the prize money as
set forth on a following
page.
The Battle of Lake Erie in Ballad and History. 437
OFFICIAL HISTORY OF THE BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE IN THE REPORTS OF CAPTAIN O. H. PERRY. |
|
U. S. BRIG NIAGARA, (Off the Western Sister, Head of Lake Erie), SEPTEMBER 10th, 1813, 4 P. M. 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. To General William Henry Harrison.
U. S. BRIG NIAGARA, (off the Western Sister, head of Lake Erie.) September 10th, 1813, 4 P. M. SIR:- It 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 force under my command, after a sharp conflict. I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, Your obedient servant, O. H. PERRY. THE HON. WILLIAM JONES, Secretary of the Navy. |
438 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
U. S. SCHOONER ARIEL, PUT-IN-BAY,
September 13, 1813.
SIR:-In my last I informed you that we
had captured the enemy's
fleet on this lake. I have now the honor
to give you the most important
particulars of the action.
On the morning of the 10th instant, at
sunrise, they were discovered
from Put-in-Bay, where I lay at anchor
with the squadron under my
command. We got under way, the wind
light at S. W., and stood for
them. At ten A. M. the wind hauled to S.
E. and brought us to wind-
ward; formed the line, and bore up. At
fifteen minutes before twelve,
the enemy commenced firing; at five
minutes before twelve, the action
commenced on our part. Finding their
fire very destructive, owing to
their long guns, and its being mostly
directed at the Lawrence, I made
sail, and directed the other vessels to
follow, for the purpose of clos-
ing with the enemy. Every brace and
bowline being soon shot away,
she became unmanageable, notwithstanding
the great exertions of the
sailing master. In this situation, she
sustained the action upwards of
two hours, within canister distance,
until every gun was rendered use-
less, and the greater part of her crew
either killed or wounded. Find-
ing she could no longer annoy the enemy,
I left her in charge of
Lieutenant Yarnall, who, I was
convinced, from the bravery already dis-
played by him, would do what would
comport with the honor of the flag.
At half past two, the wind springing up,
Captain Elliott was enabled to
bring his vessel, the Niagara, gallantly
into close action. I immediately
went on board of her, when he
anticipated my wishes, by volunteering
to bring the schooners, which had been
kept astern by the lightness of
the wind, into closer action. It was
with unspeakable pain that I saw,
soon after I got on board the Niagara,
the flag of the Lawrence come
down; although I was perfectly sensible
that she had been defended
to the last, and that, to have continued
to make a show of resistance
would have been a wanton sacrifice of
the remains of her brave crew.
But the enemy was not able to take
possession of her, and circumstances
soon permitted her flag again to be
hoisted. At forty-five minutes past
two the signal was made for "closer
action." The Niagara being very
little injured, I determined to pass
through the enemy's line; bore up,
and passed ahead of their two ships and
a brig, giving a raking fire to
them, from the starboard guns, and to a
large schooner and sloop from
the larboard side, at half pistol shot
distance. The smaller vessels, at
this time, having got within grape and
canister distance, under the
direction of Captain Elliott, and
keeping up a well directed fire, the
two ships, a brig, and schooner,
surrendered, a schooner and sloop mak-
ing a vain attempt to escape.
Those officers and men who were
immediately under my observa-
tion, evinced the greatest gallantry;
and I have no doubt that all others
conducted themselves as became American
officers and seamen.
The Battle of Lake Erie in Ballad and
History. 439
Lieutenant Yarnall, first of the Lawrence,
although several times
wounded, refused to quit the deck.
Midshipman Forrest, (doing duty as
lieutenant), and Sailing Master
Taylor, were of great assistance to me.
I have great pain in stating to you the
death of Lieutenant Brooks
of the marines, and Midshipman Laub,
both of the Lawrence, and Mid-
shipman John Clark, of the Scorpion; they
were valuable and promis-
ing officers.
Mr. Hambleton, purser, who volunteered
his services on deck,
was severely wounded, late in the
action; Midshipmen Claxton and
Swartwout, of the Lawrence, were
severely wounded.
On board the Niagara, Lieutenants
Smith and Edwards, and Mid-
shipman Webster, (doing duty as sailing
master), behaved in a very
handsome manner.
Captain Brevoost, of the army, who acted
as a volunteer, in the
capacity of a marine officer, on board
that vessel, is an excellent and
brave officer, and with his musketry did
great execution.
Lieutenant Turner, commanding the Caledonia,
brought that vessel
into action in the most able manner, and
is an officer that, in all situa-
tions, may be relied on.
The Ariel, Lieutenant Packet, and
Scorpion, Sailing Master Cham-
plin, were enabled to get early into
action, and were of great service.
Captain Elliott speaks in the highest
terms of Mr. Magrath, purser,
who had been despatched in a boat on
service, previous to my getting
on board the Niagara; and being a
seaman, since the action has rendered
essential service in taking charge of
one of the prizes.
Of Captain Elliott, already so well
known to the Government, it
would almost be superfluous to speak. In
this action he evinced his
characteristic bravery and judgment;
and, since the close of the action,
has given me, the most able and
essential assistance.
I have the honor to enclose you a return
of the killed and wounded,
together with a statement of the
relative force of the squadrons. The
captain and first lieutenant of the Queen
Charlotte, and first lieutenant
of the Detroit, were killed;
Captain Barclay, senior officer, and the com-
mander of the Lady Prevost, severely
wounded. The commanders of
the Hunter and Chippeway, slightly
wounded.
Their loss in killed and wounded I have
not yet been able to ascer-
tain; it must, however, have been very
great.
Very respectfully, I have the honor to
be, sir,
Your most obedient servant,
O. H. PERRY.
THE HON. WILLIAM JONES,
Secretary of the Navy.
440 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications. LIST OF KILLED AND WOUNDED ON BOARD THE UNITED STATES' SQUADRON, UNDER COMMAND OF O. H. PERRY, ESQ., IN THE ACTION OF 10th SEPTEMBER, 1813; VIZ.: ON BOARD THE LAWRENCE, KILLED. |
John Brooks, lieutenant marines. Henry Laub, midshipman. Christopher Mayhew, quarter mas- ter. James W. Allen, seaman. Joseph Kennedy, ditto. John C. Kelly, private in the reg- iment. John Smith, seaman. William
Cranston, ordinary sea- man. Andrew Michael, seaman. John Hoffman, ordinary seaman. |
Charles Pohig, seaman. Nelson Peters, ditto. James Jones, ditto. John Rose, ditto. James Carty, sailmaker's mate. Thomas Butler, seaman. Wilson Mays, carpenter's mate. James Brown, seaman. Ethelred Sykes, landsman. Philip Sharbley, corporal of ma- rines. Jesse Harland, private. Abner Williams, ditto. |
ON BOARD THE LAWRENCE, WOUNDED. |
John J. Yarnall, 1st lieutenant, slightly. Dulaney Forrest, 2d ditto, slightly. William N. Taylor, sailing master, slightly. Samuel Hambleton, purser, severe- ly. Thomas Claxton, midshipman, severely. Augustus Swartwout, midshipman, severely. Jonas Stone, carpenter, slightly. William C. Keen, master at arms, slightly. Francis Mason, quarter master, severely. Henry Schroeder, ordinary sea- man, severely. Benoni Price, seaman, severely. Thomas Robinson, ditto, severely. Peter Kinsley, ditto, severely. Nathan Chapman, ditto, severely. |
Thomas Hill, ordinary seaman, severely. Barney M'Cain, ditto, severely. William Dawson, seaman, severely. Westerly Johnson, ordinary sea- man, severely. John Newen, ditto, severely. Joseph Lewis, ditto, slightly. Ezekiel Fowler, ditto, slightly. John E. Brown, quarter gunner, severely. William Johnson, boatswain's mate, severely. James Helan, ditto, slightly. George Cornell, carpenter's mate, slightly. Thomas
Hammond, armorer, slightly. William Thompson, seaman, severe- ly. George Varnum, ditto, severely. James Moses, ditto, severely. |
The Battle of Lake Erie in Ballad and History. 441 |
|
|
ON BOARD THE NIAGARA, KILLED. |
Peter Morell, seaman. |
Isaac Hardy, Ordinary seaman. |
ON BOARD THE NIAGARA, WOUNDED. |
John J. Edwards, lieutenant. John L. Cummings, midshipman. |
Edward Martin, seaman, (since dead). |
442 Ohio
Arch. and Hist. Society Publications. |
William Davis, ordinary seaman (since dead). Joshua
Trapnel, marine, (since dead). Ronvell Hall, ordinary seaman. George Platt, seaman. Elias Wiley, ordinary seaman. Henry Davidson, seaman. John M. Strebeck, ordinary sea- man. John Freeman, ditto. James Sansford, seaman. Thomas Wilson, ditto. |
Charles Davidson, seaman. Daniel Bennet, ditto. John Felton, boatswain's mate. Sergeant Mason, marine. Corporal Scott, ditto. Thomas Miller, ditto. John Rumas, ditto. George McManomy, ditto. George Scoffield, ditto. Samuel Cochran, ditto. On the morning of the action, the sick list of the Niagara con- tained twenty-eight unfit for duty. |
ON BOARD THE CALEDONIA, WOUNDED. |
James Artus, slightly. James Philips, slightly. |
Isaac Perkins, slightly. |
ON BOARD THE SOMERS, WOUNDED. |
Charles Ordun. |
Godfrey Bowman. |
ON BOARD THE ARIEL, KILLED. |
John White, boatswain's mate. |
ON BOARD THE ARIEL, WOUNDED. |
William Sloss, ordinary seaman, slightly. John Lucas, landsman, slightly. |
Robert Wilson, seaman, slightly. |
ON BOARD THE TRIPPE, WOUNDED. |
Isaac Green, 26th regiment, badly. |
John Nailes, soldier, 17th regi- ment, slightly. |
ON BOARD THE PORCUPINE. |
None killed or wounded. |
ON BOARD THE SCORPION, KILLED. |
John Clark, midshipman. |
John Sylhamamer, landsman. |
ON BOARD THE TIGRESS. |
None killed or wounded. Two days previous to the action, the sick lists of
the small vessels contained the names of fifty-seven men unfit for
service. |
The Battle of Lake Erie in Ballad and History. 443
RECAPITULATION.
Killed.
Wounded. Total.
Lawrence .............................. 22 61 83
Niagara ............................... 2 25 27
Caledonia
.............................. 0 3 3
Somers ................................ 0 2 2
Ariel ................................... 1 3 4
Trippe ................................. 0 2 2
Porcupine ............................. 0 0 0
Scorpion ............................... 2 0 2
Tigress ................................ 0 0 0
27 96 123
S. HAMBLETON, Purser.
O. H. PERRY, Captain and Senior Officer.
American State Papers, Naval Affairs, pages 294-296.
SAMUEL HAMBLETON'S ACCOUNT OF THE DISTRIBUTION
OF PRIZE MONEY ON LAKE ERIE.
Names.
Rank. Amount.
When Paid.
Oliver H. Perry ........ Commander ........ $7,140 00 June, 1814.
John Y. Yarnall ........ Lieutenant .......... 2,295 00 Nov. 6, 1814.
Dulany Forrest......... Lieutenant .......... 2,295 00 June 8, 1814.
Samuel Hambleton ...... Purser ............. 1,214 29 June, 1814.
Samuel Horsley......... Surgeon ........... 1,214 29 June,
1814.
William S. Taylor...... Sailing-master ...... 2,295 00 June, 1814.
Thomas Breese.......... Chaplain ........... 1,214 29 July 21,
1814.
Usher Parsons .......... Acting-Surgeon .... 1,214 29 Feb. 15, 1815.
Thomas Claxton........ Acting M. mate:.... 1,214 29 July, 1814.
Augustus Swartwout.... Midshipman ....... 811 35 Feb. 22, 1815.
Peleg K. Dunham...... Midshipman ....... 811 35 July, 1814.
Henry Laub............. Midshipman ....... 811 35 June 13, 1814.
James Alex. Perry...... Midshipman ....... 811 35 June 14, 1814.
John Fox.............. Gunner ............ 1,214 29 Feb.,
1817.
Joseph Cheeves......... Boatswain ......... 1,214 29 Nov., 1814.
Jonas Stone............ Carpenter .......... 1,214 29 Nov. 6,
1814.
William Steers.......... Pilot .............. 447 39 Nov. 7,
1814.
444 Ohio
Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
Names. Rank. Amount.
When Paid.
Thomas Hammond......
Armorer ........... 811
35 July, 1814.
William C. Keene
....... Master-at-Arms .... 811
35 July 26, 1814.
John
Vose.............. Steward ........... 811
35 Nov. 6, 1814.
Thomas
Hill............ Cook .............. 447
39 Nov. 6, 1814.
John Newen............
Quartermaster mate. 447
39 Jan. 11, 1816.
Ezekiel Fowler
......... Quartermaster mate. 447
39 Dec. 25, 1814.
Francis
Masson......... Quartermaster mate. 447
39 Aug. 22, 1814.
John E. Brown
......... Quarter-Gunner ... 447
39 Jan. 11, 1815.
William
Lawson......... Gunner's mate ...... 811
35 Aug., 1814.
Henry Barker..........
Quarter-Gunner ... 447
39 Nov. 21, 1814.
John
Williams.......... Boatswain's mate... 811
35 Nov. 21, 1814.
James Healan
........... Boatswain's mate... 811
35 Nov. 14, 1814.
William
Johnson........ Boatswain's mate... 811
35 Nov. 21, 1814.
Wilson Mays...........
Carpenter's mate.... 811
35 July 18, 1814.
Joseph
Southwick....... Carpenter's mate... 811
35 Dec. 4, 1814.
Daniel A. Brown.......
Carpenter's mate... 447
39 July, 1814.
John Lawton...........
Carpenter's mate... 811
35 Oct. 10, 1815.
George Cornell
.......... Carpenter's mate... 811
35 July, 1814.
Andrew Matteson......
Seaman ........... 214
89 July, 1814.
James
Jackson.......... Seaman ........... 214
89 July, 1814.
James D. Hammond.....
Seaman ......... 214
89 Jan. 11, 1815.
Charles
Pohig.......... Seaman ........... 214
89 Sept. 27, 1817.
Daniel
Harris.......... Seaman ........... 214
89 July 1814.
Peter Kinsley
.......... Seaman ........... 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
Benoni
Price........... Seaman ........... 214
89 Sept. 18, 1814.
John Bordain
........... Seaman ........... 214
89 July, 1814.
William Dawson........
Seaman ........... 214
89 Dec. 14, 1814.
John
Clay.............. Seaman ........... 214
89 July, 1814.
John Mullen
............ Seaman ........... 214
89 Nov. 11, 1814.
Richard Smith.........
Seaman ........... 214
89 Nov., 1814.
William Rowe
.......... Seaman ........... 214 89 Oct. 5,
1815.
John Brown
............ Seaman ........... 214
89 Nov. 11, 1814.
Daniel
Johnson......... Seaman ........... 214
89 Jan. 11, 1815.
John Burnham .........
Seaman ........... 214
89 Nov. 21, 1814.
Lannon Huse
........... Seaman ........... 214
89 Sept. 18, 1814.
William
Daring......... Seaman ........... 214
89 Nov. 21, 1814.
Domingo Alverez.......
Seaman ........... 214
89 July, 1814.
James Moses...........
Seaman ........... 214
89 July, 1814.
Stephen
Fairfield....... Seaman ........... 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
Samuel
Brotherton...... Seaman ........... 214
89 Sept. 23, 1814
Barney McCain
......... Seaman ........... 214
89 July, 1814.
The
Battle of Lake Eric in Ballad and History. 445
Names. Rank. Amount. When Paid.
Westal
Johnson ......... Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 Dec. 15, 1814.
Hezekiah
Sanford...... Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 Nov. 18, 1814.
Jere. H.
Esterbrook.... Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 July, 1814.
Benjamin
Dring ........ Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
Thomas
Robinson....... Seaman ........... 214 89 Dec. 20, 1814.
William Cranson....... Ordinary seaman.... 214 89 July 14, 1814.
Samuel
Lord........... Boy ............. 214
89 June 27, 1814.
James
Hadley.......... Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 July, 1814.
George
Varnum........ Seaman ........... 214 89 July,
1814.
Elijah
Parlin........... Landsman ......... 214 89 Nov.
6, 1814.
Joseph
Jockins.......... Seaman ........... 214 89 July,
1814.
John M.
Packett........ Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 Oct. 5, 1815.
Samuel
Spywood....... Seaman ........... 214 89 Nov. 8, 1814.
Thomas
Ford.......... Boy ............... 214
89 July, 1814.
David
Wilson........... Seaman ........... 214 89 July, 1814.
Charles
Vandyke ....... Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 July, 1814.
Nathaniel
Wade......... Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 July, 1814.
John
Barnes............ Seaman ........... 214 89 Aug., 1814.
William
Almy.......... Boy ............... 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
George
Williams........ Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 Dec. 14, 1814.
Joseph
Harcum......... Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 June, 1814.
James W.
Allen........ Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 Aug. 18, 1814.
William
Thompson..... Seaman ........... 214 89 July,
1814.
Joseph
Denning......... Seaman ........... 214 89 July,
1814.
Henry
Stephens ........ Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 Jan. 11, 1815.
Thomas
Reed........... Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 Sept. 30, 1815.
Newport
Hazard........ Ordinary seaman... 214
89 Jan. 11, 1815.
Robert
Hill............. Seaman ........... 214 89 Dec. 23, 1814.
Abraham
Fish.. ......... Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 Sept. 18, 1814.
Jesse
Williams ......... Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 July, 1814.
James
Waddington...... Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 Sept. 18, 1814.
John
Schroeder......... Seaman ........... 214
89 July, 1814.
Anthony
Johnson....... Coxwain .......... 811 35 July 8, 1814.
Jack
Russell........... Boy ............... 214
89 Aug., 1814.
Cyrus
Tiffany.......... Seaman ........... 214 89 July 16, 1814.
John
Bodge............. Boy ............... 214
89 Dec, 20, 1814.
Daniel
Hull............. Boy ............... 214
89 Sept. 25, 1814.
James Green
............ Seaman ........... 214
89 June, 1814.
Nathan
Chapman........ Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 July, 1814.
William
Simpson....... Seaman ........... 214 89 April 14, 1817.
John
Hoffman.......... Seaman ........... 214
89 Mar. 20, 1815.
446 Ohio
Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
Names. Rank. Amount. When Paid.
John Adams
............. Landsman ......... 214
89 Aug., 1814.
John Brooks
............ Lieut. marines...... 1,214
29 May 9, 1815.
James
Tull............. Sergeant .......... 447
39 July, 1814.
William S.
Johnson..... Sergeant .......... 447
39 July, 1814.
James
McClure......... Corporal .......... 447
39 Feb. 15, 1815.
Matthew
Lynch......... Corporal .......... 447
39 Dec. 3, 1814.
David Cristie
........... Private ............ 214
89 Feb. 15, 1815.
William
Insell........... Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
William
Bags........... Private ............ 214
89 Dec. 25, 1815.
Henry Vanpool
......... Private ............ 214
89 Feb. 4, 1817.
John Kennedy
.......... Private ............ 214
89 Mar. 15, 1816.
Charles
Newton........ Private ............ 214
89 July, 1814.
James Rankin
........... Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
Richard
Williams....... Private ............ 214
89 Feb. 4, 1817.
Dennis
Doyle............ Private ............ 214
89 Feb. 27, 1815.
Joseph Mecias
.......... Fifer .............. 447
39 July 3, 1814.
George
Gordon......... Drummer ......... 447
89 Nov. 26, 1814.
Philip Sharpley
........ Corporal .......... 447
89 Dec. 25, 1814.
Frederick
Smitley....... Private ............ 214
89 Dec. 14, 1814.
James
Burd............ Private ............ 214
89 Jan. 10, 1815.
Jehu Marsh ............. Corporal .......... 447 39 Nov., 1814.
John Sivers
............ Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 25, 1814.
Abner Williams
........ Private ............ 214
89 July, 1814.
Samuel
Garwood........ Private ............ 214
89 Feb. 3, 1818.
William Burnett........ Private ............ 214 89 Nov. 6,
1814.
Jacob
Frantz........... Private ............ 214
89 April 24, 1817.
Solomon
Bardwell...... Private ............ 214
89 Dec. 3, 1814.
Richard
Johnson....... Private ............ 214
89 Dec. 15, 1814.
John J.
Packer......... Private ............ 214
89 Dec. 23, 1814.
Abraham
Reeves........ Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 28, 1814.
Jesse Harlan
........... Private ............ 214
89 Aug. 12, 1817.
John
Ludd............. Soldier ............ 214
89 Jan. 11, 1815.
Thomas
Tuft........... Soldier ............ 214
89 Sept. 25, 1814.
Hosea Sergeant
......... Soldier ............ 214
89 Dec. 30, 1816.
Eben Cunningham......
Soldier ............ 214
89 Sept. 11, 1814.
Charles
Harrington..... Soldier ............ 214
89 Sept. 11, 1814.
William B.
Perkins..... Soldier ............ 214
89 Mar. 20, 1815.
Henry W. Brown.......
Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 Oct, 6, 1815.
Daniel
Turner.......... Lieut. commandant.. 2,295
00 July, 1814.
Jesse Weatherly
........ Master's mate ...... 1,214
29 Nov. 7, 1814.
J. E.
McDonald........ Act. Sailing-master. 2,295
00 June, 1814.
The Battle of Lake
Erie in Ballad and History. 447
Names. Rank. Amount.
When Paid.
Benjamin Tolman......
Quarter-gunner .... 447
39 Dec. 14, 1814.
Isaac Peckham.........
Carpenter's mate.... 811
35 Nov. 21, 1814.
John Rax..............
Boatswain's mate... 811
35 Sept. 14, 1815.
Noah Gates
............ Steward ........... 811
35 Nov. 6, 1814.
John Barnes
........... Seaman ........... 214
89 July, 1814.
Michael L.
Brooks...... Ordinary seaman... 214
89 July, 1814.
Thomas Lisco..........
Seaman ........... 214
89 Nov. 8, 1814.
David
Rooks............ Ordinary seaman... 214
89 Jan. 19, 1815.
James
Philips........... Seaman ........... 214
89 Sept. 14, 1814.
Benjamin H. Bailey....
Seaman ........... 214
89 Nov. 7, 1814.
Augustus
Philips........ Ordinary seaman... 214
89 Dec. 13, 1815.
Samuel Cazneau
........ Seaman ........... 214
89 July 23, 1816.
John Saunders
.......... Seaman ........... 214
89 July, 1814.
Hanson Folks..........
Boy ............... 214
89 Aug. 1, 1815.
Ezekiel
Hatch.......... Boy ............... 214
89 Feb. 3, 1815.
John McLane...........
Seaman ........... 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
Lewis
Lane............. Seaman ........... 214
89 Jan. 20, 1815.
Anthony Hysler........
Seaman ........... 214
89 Nov. 16, 1814.
William
Treen.......... Seaman ........... 214
89 July, 1814.
James Walker..........
Cook .............. 447
39 Dec. 14, 1814.
Peter Williams
......... Ordinary seaman... 214
89 July, 1814.
Peter
Fisher........... Ordinary seaman... 214
89 Feb. 27, 1815.
John
Cain.............. Ordinary seaman... 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
Thomas Green..........
Landsman ......... 214
89 Dec. 15, 1815.
John
McNitt............ Landsman ......... 214
89 Sept. 11, 1814.
William
Shuler......... Landsman ......... 214
89 Sept. 11, 1814.
Daniel Switzer
......... Landsman ......... 214
89 Sept. 11, 1814.
John
Hull............... Landsman ......... 214
89 Sept. 11, 1814.
George Grady..........
Landsman ......... 214
89 Nov. 8, 1814.
Joseph Beckley
......... Orderly sergeant.... 447
39 Nov. 8, 1814.
Thomas H. Bradford...
Private ............ 214
89 Jan. 20, 1815.
James
Artis............ 2d Sergeant ........ 447
39 Nov. 8, 1814.
Thornton
Tolliver...... 1st Corporal ........ 447
39 Nov. 8, 1814.
Richard Mitchell
........ Private ............ 214
89 Jan. 30, 1816.
David Hickman.........
Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 8, 1814.
Charles
Collrick........ Private ............ 214
89 Sept. 12, 1814.
Joseph
Davidson.......Private ............ 214
89 Sept. 18, 1814.
Garland Parker........
Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 8, 1814.
Nathan
Holbert......... Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 8, 1814.
William
Nelson......... Private ............ 214
89 Mar. 20, 1816.
David
Bryant........... Private ......... 214
89 Nov. 8, 1814.
448 Ohio
Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
Names. Rank . Amount. When Paid.
Isaac Perkins........... Private ............ 214 89
Nov. 8, 1814.
John
Norris............ Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 8, 1814.
McCager
Bland......... Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 8, 1814.
John
McHowell........ Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 8, 1814.
John
Tucker........... Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 8, 1814.
Parker
Jarvis........... Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 8, 1814.
John
R. Cheetwood..... Private ............ 214
89 Aug. 31, 1815.
Joseph
Frost........... Seaman ........... 214 89 July, 1814.
John
O'Neil ............ Pilot .............. 447
39 Nov. 21, 1814.
Stephen
Champlin.... Sailing-master ..... 2,295
00 July, 1814.
John
W. Wendell....... Midshipman ....... 811
35 July, 1814.
Abner
Enos............ Pilot .............. 447
39 July, 1814.
John
Tisfill ............. Boatswain's mate... 811
35 July, 1814.
Simeon
Price........... Quarter-gunner .... 447
39 July, 1814.
John
Johnson ........... Carpenter's mate.... 811
35 Nov. 6, 1814.
James
Duncan.......... Steward ........... 811
35 July, 1814.
William
Jackson........ Cook .............. 447
39 Nov. 8, 1814.
John
Davis............. Seaman ........... 214 89 Nov. 6, 1814.
Charles
Ray............ Seaman ........... 214 89 Sept. 26, 1815.
William
Jackson........ Seaman ........... 214 89 Dec. 16, 1814.
John
Yoekem ........... Seaman ........... 214 89 Dec. 3, 1814.
Israel
Weeks........... Seaman ........... 214 89 Nov. 21, 1814.
Samuel
Parsons........ Seaman ........... 214 89 Oct., 1814.
Caleb
Diamond ......... Seaman ........... 214 89 July, 1814.
Anthony
Bowne........ Ordinary seaman... 214
89 Dec. 5, 1814.
James
Ross............. Landsman ......... 214
89 Sept. 11, 1814.
Jacob
Toole............ Landsman ......... 214
89 July 10, 1814.
James
Sims............. Landsman ......... 214
89 Sept. 11, 1814.
James
Archer.......... Boy ............... 214
89 July, 1814.
Thomas
Gurney ........ Boy ..........
..... 214 89 Aug. 29,
1814.
Alexander
Metlin ....... Landsman ........... 214 89 Nov. 6, 1814.
John
Sylhamer ......... Midshipman ....... 811
35 Dec. 22, 1814.
John
Clark............. Landsman .......... 214
89 Feb., 1817.
Joseph
Berry........... Corporal .......... 447
39 Nov. 21, 1814.
Josiah
Biggs............ Private ............ 214
89 Dec. 25, 1814.
William Reed.......... Private ............ 214 89 Feb. 22, 1815.
Joseph
Delany.......... Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
John
Clifford........... Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
Henry
Cook............ Private ............ 214
89 Jan., 1815.
Edward
Welsh......... Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
Charles
Smothers....... Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 8, 1814.
The Battle
of Lake Eric in Ballad and History.
449
Names. Rank. Amount.
When Paid.
Philip
Johnson......... Private ............ 214
89 Apr. 19, 1815.
Isaac
Devault.......... Private ............ 214
89 Sept. 12, 1814.
Moses
McGarvey ...... Private ............ 214
89 Feb. 27, 1815.
George
Senat........... Act. Sailing-master. 2,295
00 July, 1814.
Cornelius
Denike....... Master's mate ...... 1,214
00 July, 1814.
Daniel
Armitage........ Boatswain's mate.. 811
35 July, 1814.
William
Barker......... Steward ........... 811 35 Nov. 6, 1814.
Alexander
Anderson.... Seaman ........... 214 89 Dec. 14, 1814.
Daniel
Haley........... Ordinary seaman... 214
89 Oct. 6, 1815.
Samuel
Osborne........ Seaman ........... 214
89 Nov. 21, 1814.
Charles
Wilson.......... Ordinary seaman... 214
89 Jan. 9, 1815.
William
Fisher.......... Ordinary seaman... 214
89 Oct. 6, 1815.
John
Lucas............. Ordinary seaman... 214
89 July, 1814.
Joseph
Robertson....... Ordinary seaman... 214
89 Jan. 9, 1815.
Samuel
Sweezey........ Landsman ......... 214 89
Dec. 23, 1815.
Joseph
Woods.......... Landsman ......... 214 89
Dec., 1816.
Joseph
Livington........ Landsman ......... 214
89 July, 1814.
Josiah
Goodrich ....... Carpenter's mate.... 811
35 Sept. 11, 1814.
Lewis Dugall............ Pilot .............. 447 39 July,
1814.
David
Little............. Corporal .......... 447
39 Dec. 20, 1814.
James McNealy
........ Private marine...... 214
89 Mar. 20, 1815.
Samuel
Roof........... Private ............ 214
89 Mar. 20, 1815.
John
Rodgers.......... Private ............ 214
89 Oct. 6, 1815.
Lewis
Gordon........... Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 21, 1814.
Henry
Roberts.......... Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
John Nesbit
............ Private ............ 214
89 Dec. 2, 1814.
Thomas
Cavil........... Private ............ 214
89 Apr. 19, 1815.
Samuel
Thramin........ Private ............ 214
89 Sept. 9, 1817.
John Packet
............ Lieut. commandant.. 2,295
00 Nov. 18, 1814.
Thomas
Brownell ....... Sailing-master ..... 2,295
00 July, 1814.
Gamaliel
Darling....... Master's mate........ 1,214 29 July, 1814.
Mark
Johnson.......... Quarter-gunner .... 447
39 July, 1814.
John
Norton............ Steward
........... 811 35 July, 1814.
Asel
Wilkinson.......... Pilot .............. 447
39 Sept. 11, 1814.
Edward
Storer......... Seaman ........... 214
89 Sept. 18, 1814.
James
Euer............. Seaman ........... 214 89 Nov. 1814.
George
Hutchins....... Seaman ........... 214
89 Nov. 25, 1814.
Samuel
Williams........ Ordinary seaman... 214
89 July, 1814.
John
Daniels........... Seaman ........... 214 89 Oct. 6, 1815.
Peter
Fernandes ........ Ordinary seaman.. 214
89 July, 1814.
Vol. XX-29
450 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
Names. Rank. Amount. When Paid.
George
Lewis........... Ordinary seaman... 214
89 July, 1814.
Samuel
Loyd........... Cook .............. 447
39 Nov., 1814.
Thomas Palmer........
Ordinary seaman... 214
89 Oct. 6, 1815.
Charles
Williams....... Ordinary seaman... 214
89 July, 1814.
Charles
Thompson...... Ordinary seaman... 214
89 July, 1814.
James
Serivener........ Ordinary seaman... 214
89 July, 1814.
John Chester...........
Landsman ......... 214
89 Nov. 11, 1814.
William
Slows.......... Landsman ......... 214
89 July, 1814.
Paul C. Benja
.......... Ordinary seaman... 214
89 July, 1814.
George C. Poole
....... Ordinary seaman... 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
James Jackson
.......... Ordinary seaman... 214
89 July, 1814.
John
Lucas............. Landsman ......... 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
Noble Lucas
............ Landsman ......... 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
John
Shirk.............. Landsman ......... 214
89 Nov. 12, 1814.
John
Cook............. Landsman ......... 214
89 Nov. 26, 1814.
John
Beason............ Landsman ......... 214
89 July 26, 1814.
James Mitchell
......... Landsman ......... 214
89 Sept. 11, 1814.
Robert
Anderson....... Lieut. infantry...... 1,214
29 Sept. 11, 1814
Gilbert
Bowman........ Soldier ............ 214
89 Feb. 13, 1815.
Thomas Anderson......
Soldier ............ 214
89 June 26, 1815.
Conrad
King........... Soldier ............ 214
89 Nov. 15, 1815.
Francis
Burns.......... Soldier ............ 214
89 April 22, 1815.
Richard
Norris......... Soldier ............ 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
William Smith......... Soldier ............ 214 89 Sept.
17, 1814.
Thomas C. Almy ......
Sailing-master ..... 2,295
00 June 28, 1814
David C.
Nicholls...... Midshipman ....... 811
35 July, 1814.
Clement Shannon
....... Boatswain's mate... 811
35 July, 1814.
George
Stanley......... Steward ........... 447 39 June,
1814.
Elliot
Smith............ Quarter-gunner .... 447
39 July, 1815.
Robert Craig
............ Quarter-gunner .... 447
39 July, 1814.
Josiah
Webster......... Cook .............. 447
39 Dec. 4, 1814.
John Smith
2d.......... Seaman ........... 214
89 Aug., 1814.
Charles
Ordeen......... Seaman ........... 214
89 July, 1814.
James
Murray.......... Seaman ........... 214
89 June, 1814.
Levi
Branch............ Ordinary seaman... 214
89 July, 1814.
Peter
Austin............ Seaman ........... 214
89 July, 1814.
John
Otto.............. Quartermaster ..... 447
39 July, 1814.
John Johnson
Ray...... Seaman ........... 214
89 July, 1814.
Anthony
Williams...... Boy... ......... ... 214 89 Dec. 20,
1814.
Reuben
Wright......... Carpenter's mate.... 811
35 July, 1814.
Heyden Armstrong.....
Seaman ........... 214
89 Nov. 7, 1814.
The
Battle of Lake Erie in Ballad and History. 451
Names. Rank. Amount.
When Paid.
Eli
Steward............ Quarter-gunner .... 447
39 July, 1814.
Isaac
B. Seal.......... Pilot ............. 447
39 Dec., 1816.
Godfrey
Bowman....... Landsman ......... 214
89 July, 1814
Willard
Martin......... Ordinary seaman... 214
89 Dec. 25, 1814.
William Pase........... Landsman ......... 214 89 July, 1814.
James
Taneyhill........ Landsman ......... 214
89 Nov. 11, 1814.
Peter
Ozee............. Seaman ........... 214
89 July, 1814.
John
Smith............. Soldier ........... 214
89 Dec.25, 1814.
Benjamin
Hall.......... Soldier ............ 214
89 July, 1814.
Joseph
Wright ......... Soldier ............ 214
89 Sept 12, 1814.
Hugh
Larrimore........ Soldier ............ 214
89 Feb. 22, 1815.
E.
L. Burting.......... Soldier ............ 214
89 July, 1814.
Thomas
Crossin........ Marine ............ 214
89 July, 1815.
Thomas
Holdup........ Lieut. commandant. 2,293
00 July, 1814.
Alexander
McCully..... Master's mate....... 1,214
29 July, 1814.
Patrick
Fitzpatrick...... Pilot ............ 447 39 July, 1814.
John
Brown............ Boatswain's mate.... 811
35 Nov. 8, 1814.
William Boyle.......... Seaman ........... . 214 89 July,
1814.
James
Gardner.......... Seaman ........... 214 89 Sept.
18, 1814.
Peter
Dunn............ Seaman ........... 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
James
Clark............ Seaman ........... 214
89 July 7, 1814.
Thomas
Jones.......... Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 Nov. 7, 1814.
Samuel
Dunn.......... Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
Palmer
Sweet .......... Ordinary seaman... 214
89 Jan. 20, 1815.
Thomas
Folks .......... Landsman ......... 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
Jeremiah
Ryan ........ Landsman ......... 214
89 Nov., 1814.
Wm.
B. Brady......... Steward
........... 811
35 Aug. 18, 1814.
Henry
McEwen........ Landsman ......... 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
Alex.
McKillup......... Landsman ......... 214
89 Nov., 1814.
James
Blair............ Lieut. infantry...... 1,214
29 Nov. 6, 1814.
John
Brown............ Corporal .......... 447
39 Nov., 1814.
William
Woods......... Private ............ 214
89 Nov., 1814.
Garret
Rush............ Private ............ 214
89 Feb. 9, 1815.
Sim.
Flaherty .......... Private ............ 214
89 Jan. 14, 1815.
David
L. Blaney........ Private ............ 214
89 Feb. 13, 1815.
Isaac
Green............ Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 26, 1814
Martin
Sniff............. Private ............ 214
89 Sept. 12, 1814.
John
McCarty.......... Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
Andrew
Holliday....... Private ............ 214
89 Nov., 1814.
Abraham
Johnson...... Private ............ 214
89 Nov., 1814.
John
Henderson........ Lieut. infantry...... 1,214
29 Nov. 12, 1814.
452 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
Names. Rank. Amount. When Paid.
John
Decker............ Private ............ 214
89 Dec. 20, 1814.
John H.
Smith.......... Master's mate...... 1,214
29 April 19, 1815.
William
Harrison ....... Soldier ........... 244 89 Nov. 21, 1814.
Levi Ellis ............... Sergeant ........... 447 39 Jan. 11, 1815.
John
Maless............ Private ............ 214
89 Jan., 1815.
Ezra
Killey............ Private ............ 214
89 Sept. 11, 1814.
William
Bonner........ Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 28, 1814.
A. H. M.
Conklin...... Lieut. commandant. 2,295
00 July, 1814.
Henry
Griffith.......... Quarter-gunner .... 447
39 July, 1814.
Peter
Brown........... Boatswain's mate... 811
35 Nov. 6, 1814.
Thomas
Bradley........ Seaman ........... 214
89 Dec. 2, 1814.
John
Lewis............. Ordinary seaman... 214
89 July, 1814.
Elisha
Atwood .......... Seaman ........ 214 89 July, 1814.
John
Mclntire.......... Steward .......... 811
35 July, 1814.
John Rupely
............ Landsman ......... 214 89
Nov. 7, 1814.
Robert
Eakin........... Landsman ......... 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
James
Gray............. Landsman ......... 214
89 Nov., 1814.
Jesse Taylor
............ Landsman ......... 214 89
July, 1814.
Martin
Cronemiller..... Landsman ......... 214
89 Nov. 16, 1814.
Daniel
Philips.......... Landsman ......... 214
89 Nov. 8, 1814.
Alex C.
Stout.......... Midshipman ....... 811 35
July, 1814.
Hugh Nelson
Page ...... Midshipman ....... 811
35 July, 1814.
James
Lee............. Pilot .............. 447
39 Sept. 25, 1814.
Robert
McGregor.... Boy............. .. 214 89 July, 1814.
Alex.
McClaskey....... Landsman ......... 214
89 Nov. 28, 1814.
William
Webster....... Corporal .......... 447 39
Mar. 20, 1815.
Alex. McCord
.......... Private ............ 214 89
Mar., 1815.
John Hall.............. Private ............ 214
89 July 24, 1815.
Har. C.
Harrington.... Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 21, 1814.
Lewis
Vanway.......... Private ............ 214
89 Feb. 22, 1815.
John
Martin............ Private ............ 214
89 Feb. 21, 1816.
Joseph
Pomeroy......... Private ............ 214
89 July, 1814.
John Batis.............. Private ............ 214 89
July, 1814.
George W.
Drake...... Private ............ 214 89
Sept. 25, 1814.
Jesse D.
Elliott........ Master commandant. 7,140
00 June, 1814.
John J.
Edwards........ Lieutenant ......... 2,295
00 Sept. 23, 1814
Nelson
Webster........ Act. sailing-master.. 2,295
00 July, 1814.
Robert R.
Barton....... Surgeon ........... 1,214 29
Nov., 1814.
Humphrey
Magrath..... Purser ............ 1,214 29
July, 1814.
Richard
O'Neil.......... Pilot .............. 447
39 July, 1814.
John B.
Montgomery.... Midshipman ....... 811
35 Sept. 12, 1814.
The
Battle of Lake Erie in Ballad and History. 453
Names. Rank. Amount. When Paid.
John L.
Cummings..... Midshipman ....... 811
35 July, 1814.
Charles
Smith.......... Midshipman ....... 811
35 July, 1814.
Samuel W.
Adams..... Midshipman ....... 811
35 Nov. 6, 1814.
Robert S.
Tatem....... Midshipman ....... 811
35 July, 1814.
Simeon
Warn.......... Midshipman ....... 811
35 Nov. 10, 1814.
Edward
Bridgeport..... Gunner ............ 1,214
29 Nov. 3, 1814.
Peter
Barry............ Boatswain ......... 1,214
29 Nov. 8, 1814.
George
Southwick...... Carpenter ......... 1,214
29 Nov. 6, 1814.
William
Woodman..... Steward ........... 811
35 July, 1814.
John
Coddington....... Armorer ........... 811
35 Dec. 7, 1814.
John
Murray............ Coxswain ......... 811 35
Lemuel
Palmer......... Carpenter's mate... 811
35 Nov. 6, 1814.
John
Donnelly.......... Carpenter's mate... 811
35 Nov. 3, 1814.
William
Arnot ......... Boatswain's mate.. 811
35 Aug. 27, 1815.
Edward Coffee
......... Boatswain's mate.. 811
35 Nov. 30, 1814.
George Adams
.......... Quartermaster .... 447 39 July, 1814.
Charles
Squires ......... Quartermaster .... 447 39 May 12, 1815.
John Gill
.............. Quarter-gunner .... 447
39 Dec. 24, 1814.
William
Chapman...... Quarter-gunner .... 447
39 Nov. 18, 1814.
Hector
Holcomb ........ Seaman ........... 214
89 Aug. 10, 1814.
Charles
Dossen ......... Seaman ........... 214 89 July, 1814.
Deniel
Bennett.......... Seaman ........... 214
89 July, 1814.
Owen
Cathcart......... Seaman ........... 214
89 Dec. 15, 1814.
Ebenezer
Allen......... Seaman ........... 214
89 Feb., 1817.
Henry
Davidson ........ Seaman ........... 214
89 Dec. 19, 1814.
George
Platt............ Seaman ........... 214
89 Aug. 12, 1814.
John
Smith............. Seaman ........... 214
89 July, 1814.
John Lilley............. Seaman
........... 214 89
Nov. 7, 1814.
Edward
Martin........ Seaman ........... 214
89 June 14, 1815.
Summer
Adams........ Seaman ........... 214
89 Nov. 29, 1814.
George
Brown. ......... Seaman ........... 214
89 Nov. 7, 1814.
Thomas
Justice......... Seaman ........... 214
89 April 17, 1816.
David C.
Bonnell....... Seaman ........... 214
89 Oct. 5, 1815.
William D.
Edwards... Seaman ........... 214
89 Nov. 7, 1814.
Gabriel
Henburgh ....... Seaman ........... 214
89 July, 1814.
Benjamin
Fleming...... Seaman ........... 214
89 July, 1814.
James
Timmons........ Seaman ........... 214
89 Feb. 27, 1816.
James H.
Lansford..... Seaman ........... 214
89 Aug., 1814.
George Berry
........... Seaman ........... 214
89 Nov. 7, 1814.
John H.
Wingate....... Seaman ........... 214
89 Sept. 18, 1814.
James
Matthews........ Seaman ........... 214
89 Nov., 1814.
454 Ohio
Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
Names. Rank. Amount. When Paid.
James Bowden
.......... Seaman ........... 214
89 Sept. 23, 1814.
William
White.......... Seaman ........... 214
89 July, 1814.
Reuben
Taylor......... Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 July, 1814.
Japhta
Southland........ Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 Nov. 28, 1814.
John Deviney
........... Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 July, 1814.
John
Anthony........... Ordinary seaman.. .. 214
89 Dec. 15, 1814.
Richard
Devaux........ Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 July, 1814.
Ethan
Baneker.......... Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 Dec. 15, 1814.
William
Robinson....... Landsman ......... 214
89 Dec. 14, 1814.
Roswell Hall
........... Landsman ......... 214
89 Nov. 26, 1814.
Samuel
Poole........... Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 July, 1814.
John James
............. Ordinary seaman.. 214
89 Dec. 15, 1814.
Moses
Amos........... Ordinary seaman. .. 214
89 Nov. 14, 1814.
Elijah
Burdine......... Landsman ......... 214
89 Sept. 25, 1818.
John
Freeman .......... Ordinary
seaman.... 214 89
Dec. 21, 1814.
Edwin
Johnson......... Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 April 16, 1816.
Francis
Bogle.......... Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 Dec. 4, 1814.
Nathaniel
Sanford..... Ordinary seaman.... 214
89 July 5, 1814.
Stephen
Stacy........ Seaman ........... 214
89 July, 1814.
Anthony
Levery........ Ordinary seaman.. 214
89 Dec. 23, 1814.
Colin Cobbins
.......... Ordinary seaman.. 214
89 Dec. 5, 1814.
Isaac Johnson
.......... Ordinary seaman.. 214
89 Jan. 11, 1815.
John Bellamy
........... Ordinary seaman.. 214
89 Nov. 2, 1814.
Bernard
Crandle........ Ordinary seaman.. 214
89 July, 1814.
Andrew Norton ......... Ordinary seaman.. 214 89 Oct. 11, 1815.
Francis
Cadens ......... Ordinary seaman. 214 89 Oct. 5, 1815.
Jonathan
Ford.......... Ordinary seaman. 214
89 July, 1814.
Peter
Diest............. Ordinary seaman. 214
89 July, 1814.
John Roderick
.......... Ordinary seaman. 214
89 Oct. 5, 1815.
John M. Strebeck.......
Ordinary seaman. 214
89 July, 1814.
John
Colston............ Ordinary seaman... 214
89 July, 1814.
John
Frank............. Ordinary seaman. 214
89 Nov. 21, 1814.
Zephta
Wood........... Ordinary seaman. 214
89 Nov. 8, 1814.
John Ewen
............' Ordinary seaman. 214
89 Sept. 18, 1814.
Franklin
Drew......... Ordinary seaman. 214
89 Nov. 26, 1814.
Elias
Wiley............. Ordinary seaman. 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
Asael
Matthewson...... Landsman ......... 214
89 Sept. 25, 1814
John
Bryan............. Ordinary seaman... 214
89 July, 1814.
John
Manuel... Boy ...... ......... 214 89 July,
1814.
John F.
Miller......... Landsman ......... 214
89 Jan. 11, 1815.
William Snow
.......... Landsman ......... 214
89 Dec. 20, 1814.
Israel
Bailey........... Landsman ......... 214
89 Nov., 1816.
The Battle of Lake
Erie in Ballad and History. 455
Names. Rank. Amount. When Paid.
William Newton........
Boy ............... 214
89 Nov. 26, 1814.
Jacob Webber
.......... Quartermaster ..... 214
89 Nov. 26, 1814
Benjamin Myrick.......
Seaman ........... 214
89 Nov. 21, 1814.
Henry White...........
Ordinary seaman... 214
89 July, 1814.
David Birdsall
.......... Seaman ........... 214
89 July, 1814.
John Wharfe ........... Seaman ........... 214 89 Nov. 28,
1814.
John Haggerman.......
Seaman ........... 214
89 Sept. 11, 1814.
John
Starr.............. Ordinary seaman... 214
89 Nov. 21, 1814.
Joseph E.
Smith........ Lieutenant ........ 2,295
00 July, 1814.
Jonathan
Curtis........ Sergeant marines... 447
39 Jan. 19, 1815.
Henry B. Breevoort....
Captain infantry .... 2,295
00 Nov. 6, 1814.
William Murray........
Private ............ 214
89 Feb. 15, 1815.
Freeman West..........
Private ............ 214
89 July, 1814.
London Cochran........
Private ............ 214
89 July, 1814.
Daniel
Maltzdocker..... Private ............ 214
89 July, 1814.
William Henry.........
Private ........... 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
Samuel Cochran........
Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 8, 1814.
Samuel McKinney......
Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
Lyman Griswold
........ Private ............ 214
89 Sept. 18, 1814.
William
Gray........... Private ............ 214
89 July, 1814.
William Blair.......... Private ............ 214 89 Aug. 19,
1814.
Sanford A.
Mason....... Sergeant .......... 447
39 May 16, 1816.
Andrew D. Scott.......
Corporal .......... 447
39 July, 1814.
Esra Younglove........
Second corporal .... 447
39 Sept. 18, 1814.
George Scofield
......... Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 29, 1815.
Samuel
Hadfield........ Private ............ 214
89 Jan. 10, 1815.
Griffin
Burnett.......... Private ............ 214
89 Jan. 31, 1816.
William Hockensmith...
Private ........ 214 89 Nov. 6, 1814.
John B.
Duncanson...... Private ............ 214
89 Dec. 9, 1814.
John Reems ...........
Private ............ 214
89 May 16, 1815.
W illiam Ellis........... Private ............ 214 89
July, 1814.
John McCoy ...........
Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
Henry Tate............
Private ............ 214
89 May 16, 1815
James
Bailey............ Private ............ 214
89 May 16, 1815
Charles Lyman
......... Private ............ 214
89 May 16, 1815
Thomas
Miller.......... Private ............ 214
89 Jan. 31, 1816.
John Thompson
......... Private ............ 214
89 May 16, 1815.
John
Osburn............ Private ............ 214
89 May 16, 1815.
William Hocker........
Private ............ 214
89 May 16, 1815.
Alexander Wright......
Private ............ 214
89 Dec. 7, 1815.
Henry Webster.........
Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 21, 1814.
456 Ohio
Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
Names. Rank. Amount.
When Paid.
Charles
Harten......... Private ............ 214
89 Sept. 18, 1814.
George McManomy.....
Private ............ 214
89 May 16, 1815.
Joseph
Morris.......... Private ............ 214
89 May 16, 1815.
Frederick
Miller........ Private ............ 214
89 May 16, 1815.
Frederick
Vantruce..... Private ............ 214
89 May 16, 1815.
Aron
Coats............. Private ............ 214
89 May 16, 1815.
Joshua
Trapnell........ Private ............ 214
89 June 7, 1814.
John Bromwell.........
Private ............ 214
89 Jan. 20, 1815.
John Denton
........... Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
John H. George........
Private ............ 214
89 June 26, 1815.
David
Flagg............ Private ............ 214
89 Nov. 6, 1814.
John
Felton............ Boatswain's mate... 811
35 Oct. 5, 1815.
Daniel
Dobbins......... Sailing Master..... 2,295
00 Nov. 20, 1815.
James Fritz............. Boy ............... 214 89
Dec. 1, 1815.
John W. Palmer........
Master's Mate...... 1,214
29 Dec. 24, 1815.
James Benner.........
Seaman ........... 214
89 Dec. 23, 1815.
Abednego Hayes........
Seaman ........... 214
89 Jan. 18, 1816.
George
Stockton........ Captain Army...... 2,295
00 Mar. 6, 1816.
John Heddleson........
Lieutenant ......... 1,214
29 April 24, 1816.
William Ramsdale......
Seaman ........... 214
89 May 16, 1816.
William Anderson......
Seaman ........... 214
89 June 21, 1816.
John
Cherry............ Quarter-Gunner ... 447
39 July 24, 1816.
James Coburn..........
Army Lieutenant... 1,214
29 Feb. 20, 1818.
John
Daniels........... Seaman ........... 214
89 May 4, 1818.
$234,020 53
Amount of prize money
received at the Navy Department,
being the amount
appropriated, with the exception of
one-twentieth reserved
for Commodore Chauncey, June
6, 1814
......... .............
..................... .... $242,250 00
Amount expended as per
foregoing roll ..................... 234,020 53
$8,229 47
The foregoing list is
copied from American State Papers,
Vol. XIV, Naval
Affairs, Vol. I, pp. 566-572. It contains the
names of 534 officers
and men. The orthography and order of
changed. Burd should, of course, be Bird, as in the
list of
wounded on the Lawrence. With the list in the volume from
which it was copied,
are notes after each name explaining to
whom the money was
paid.
THE BATTLE OF LAKE
ERIE IN BALLAD AND HISTORY.
BY CHARLES B. GALBREATH.
Perry's victory on Lake Erie stands out
pre-eminent among
the naval exploits of the War of 1812. And this is true,
not
only by virtue of the comparative
importance of the battle and
its results, but because it combined in
an unusual degree the
elements of intrepidity, patriotic
fervor and personal valor that
captivate the imagination, live in
legend and story and song,
and make up what we are pleased to style
the poetry of war.
In spite of Cooper's criticism of the
young commander, and the
contention of Roosevelt that the battle
was not a remarkable
achievement-that greater things had been
accomplished by
McDonough on Lake Champlain, the
commanding figure of
Perry, as he passes from the shattered Lawrence
to the Niagara
in a frail boat through a storm of
bullets and grape-shot, stands
forth undimmed and undiminished in its
original luster and
heroic proportions. The premonitory
silence of the approaching
fleets; the daring advance of the
commander's ship; the roar
of cannon and the fierce onslaught of
the encircling line of the
enemy; the shattered hull, the
splintered masts and the reeking
deck of the Lawrence, where valor
strove desperately to keep
aloft the stars and stripes and the
banner inscribed, "Don't give
up the ship;" the reckless bravery
of Perry as he bore the latter
from his flag-ship and raised it over
the Niagara; the striking
of the colors of the Lawrence; the
fierce renewal of the combat;
victory snatched from the jaws of
defeat; the thunders of float-
ing armaments forever silenced on our
northern "inland seas!"
In the short space of a few hours we
have here, on the roman-
tic waters of the West, in action and
fortune, an event dramatic
and kaleidoscopic, that lives in ballad
and history, and sheds
luster on the "men behind the
guns," the young commander, and
the young republic.
The battle of Lake Erie is doubtless
destined to more
415