Battle of Lake Erie

The Battle of Lake Erie, sometimes also referred to as the Battle of Put-in-Bay, was fought on September 10, 1813 in Lake Erie off the coast of Ohio during the War of 1812. It was between nine ships of the United States Navy and six vessels of Great Britain. The decisive victory of the Americans over the British fleet ensured American control of the lake and the North-Western Territory during the War of 1812, opened supply lines, and improved American morale after a series of U.S. defeats in the Great Lakes theater. The successful U.S. invasion of Canada in the following month, culminating in the U.S. victory at the Battle of the Thames, is regarded by many historians as a critical factor in forcing the eventual stalemate in the war.

Results

Each side suffered about 100 casualties. The vessels were anchored and hasty repairs were underway near West Sister Island when Perry composed his now famous message to William Henry Harrison, commander of the Army of the Northwest. Scrawled in pencil on the back of an old envelope, Perry wrote:

Related Topics:
William Henry Harrison - Army of the Northwest

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:Dear General:

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::We have met the enemy and they are ours. Two ships, two brigs, one schooner and one sloop.

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::Yours with great respect and esteem,

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::O.H. Perry

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Due to the outcome of the battle, Britain retreated from Detroit and lost control of Lake Erie for the remainder of the war. As this prevented the British from re-supplying or reinforcing their troops in the south-western part of Upper Canada (now Ontario) over water from their primary forts in the Niagara peninsula, it accounted for much of the success of the American land campaigns in this theatre in 1813. It also removed the threat of a British attack on Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, or Western New York during the rest of the war.

Related Topics:
Lake Erie - Upper Canada - Niagara peninsula - Michigan - Ohio - Pennsylvania - New York

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After the war, the U.S. Navy intentionally sank both Lawrence and Niagara in Misery Bay in Lake Erie; the battle damage they had suffered was too extensive to repair. In 1875, Lawrence was raised and moved to Philadelphia, where it was displayed at the 1876 Centennial Exposition. Later that year the ship burned when the pavilion that housed it caught fire. Although Niagara was raised and restored in 1913, it subsequently fell into disrepair. It was eventually disassembled and portions of it were used in a reconstructed Niagara, which is now on view in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Related Topics:
U.S. Navy - 1876 Centennial Exposition - 1913 - Erie - Pennsylvania

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The Perry Monument within Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial now stands atop Put-in-Bay, commemorating the men who fought in the battle.

Related Topics:
Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial - Put-in-Bay

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Ships involved:

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Note: * - swivel gun; long unless otherwise stated

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America

Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry:

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USS Lawrence - 2-12pdr, 18-32pdr carronades

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USS Caledonia - 2-24pdr*, 1-32pdr carronade*

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USS Ariel - 4-12pdr*

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USS Somers - 1-24pdr*, 1-32pdr carronade*

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USS Scorpion - 1-32pdr*, 1-24pdr carronade*

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Captain Elliot:

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USS Niagara - 2-12pdr, 18-32pdr carronades

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USS Porcupine - 1-32pdr*

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USS Tigress - 1-32pdr*

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USS Trippe - 1-32pdr*

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Britain

Commander Robert Heriot Barclay:

Related Topics:
Commander - Robert Heriot Barclay

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HMS Detroit (flag) - 2-24pdr, 1-18pdr*, 6-12pdr, 8-9pdr, 1-24pdr carronade, 1-18pdr carronade

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HMS General Hunter - 2-6pdr, 4-4pdr, 2-12pdr carronades

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HMS Chippewa 1-9pdr*

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Commander Robert Finnis:

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HMS Queen Charlotte 2-12pdr, 1-12pdr*, 14-24pdr carronades

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HMS Lady Prevost 2-9pdr, 1-9pdr*, 10-12pdr carronades

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HMS Little Belt 1-9pdr*, 2-6pdr

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