At the Battle of Lake Erie on 10 September 1813, Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry led an American squadron to a decisive victory over the British on Lake Erie, capturing their entire fleet, the first time in history a whole British squadron surrendered2. Perry's report, 'We have met the enemy and they are ours,' announced a victory that won control of the lake and allowed the United States to retake Detroit in the War of 1812.
On the waters of Lake Erie in 1813 a young American commander lost his flagship and won the battle anyway. Oliver Hazard Perry rowed through the gunfire to a second ship, fought on, and captured an entire British squadron.
Part of The greatest battles in American history · Before: The Battle of Tippecanoe · Next: The Battle of the Thames
The war on the lakes
In the War of 1812 the Great Lakes were a vital front, and whoever controlled Lake Erie controlled the supply line to the northwest. Both sides raced to build squadrons on the lake, each knowing that command of the water decided command of the land around it.
Building a fleet in the wilderness
The Americans built and armed their ships at Presque Isle3 in a frantic effort, and Oliver Hazard Perry took command of the new squadron. In September 1813 he sailed out to seek battle with the British force under Robert Barclay.
The battle
The squadrons closed near Put-in-Bay. Perry's flagship, the Lawrence, bore the brunt of the British fire and was battered into a wreck, most of her crew killed or wounded4, before she could be supported.
Perry shifts his flag
Rather than surrender, Perry had himself rowed through heavy fire to the4 Niagara, took command, and drove back into the British line, breaking it. One by one the British ships struck their colours, and Perry sent his famous report: we have met the enemy and they are ours5.
Why Lake Erie mattered
Perry's victory gave the United States control of Lake Erie, forced the British to abandon Detroit6, and opened the way for the American advance that followed. It was the first time an entire British squadron had been captured, and it made Perry a national hero of the war.
