The Battle of Lake Erie was a naval battle of the War of 1812. The American fleet, hastily built and equipped for the occasion, consisted of eight small vessels, two of twenty guns each, the rest only fourteen guns in all. The Lawrence, Commodore Perry, was the flagship. The British squadron under Commodore Barclay, consisted of six vessels of seventy guns in all. The battle for the mastery of the lake began on September the 10th, 1813. Perry's ship was flying the motto, Don't give up the ship. The Lawrence for two hours bore the brunt of the battle until it was almost a total wreck. In a small rowboat, amid the fire of the British fleet, Perry now crossed over to the Niagara, which was almost untouched. On reaching this, he at once hoisted his pennant and dashed through the British line. Within ten minutes the flagship and three other British ships had surrendered. The other two were pursued and captured. Perry at once sent his famous despatch: 'We have met the enemy, and they are ours'. Research Battle of Lake Erie
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Warfare
Research Battle of Lake Erie