Rowboat Heroics

September 10, 1813 – It was on this day that Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry met the British in the Battle of Lake Erie.

From his flagship the USS Lawrence, Perry and his crew received a punishing beat down by the Royal Navy. With shredded sails, the rigging down and massive casualties, Perry made a masterful pivot. He grabbed his battle flag and climbed into a rowboat with a handful of sailors. With cannonballs exploding around them, Perry captained the tiny boat about a half mile to the USS Niagara.

Taking command of the relatively unscathed ship, Perry sailed it straight into the British squadron and started pounding it with devastating broadsides.

The British surrendered within 15 minutes.

The decisive victory gave the United States control of Lake Erie, and it forced the British to flee Detroit and much of the Northwest Territory.

After the battle, Perry sent a message to his superiors, “We have met the enemy and they are ours.”

At just 28 years of age, Perry was a legend.