The Battle of Lake Erie or, the Battle of Put-In-Bay, was a historic battle fought in the war of 1812. It was a turning point into the world we know today. The battle started on the morning of September 10th, 1813 at about 11:45 am.
Charles Johnson is the museum educator at the Erie Maritime Museum in Pennsylvania.
Oliver Perry/Courtesy of Erie Maritime Museum.
“Throughout the summer of 1813, Oliver Perry is building his fleet in Erie, Pennsylvania. They make it out into the lake, and they do a couple of expeditions out to Amherstburg, which is where the British fleet is, and they effectively blockade Amherstburg. Perry and his crew sail back to Put-In-Bay, Ohio and on the morning of the battle itself, the sailors who are on watch aboard the brig Lawrence spot the British fleet. So, the crew starts to get ready, in about 15 minutes to half an hour, they set sail and sail around Put-In-Bay and make their way out into the lake.”
From 7am to about 10am, Oliver Perry and his crew are sailing trying to find what’s known as the ‘weather gauge’.
“It’s the ability to control the battle. So, the wind is blowing you into the battlefield. But they are unable to find the weather gauge”
Unable to find the weather gauge, Perry decides that they are going to battle anyways. From 10am to 11:44am, they sail towards the British fleet. At 11:45am, the British open fire on the American squadrons.
The whole battle only lasted about 3 hours. Near the end, Perry, who is on the Lawrence is now realizing that some of his crew is wounded and his ship is nearly destroyed. Perry then transfers his flag to the Niagara. The Niagara raises the flag and at about 2:45pm, they spot a weak spot in the British line.
Courtesy of Erie Maritime Museum. This shows the Niagara ‘Cutting the T’.
The Niagara cuts across the British side, also known as ‘Cutting the T’, and open fire. Within 15 minutes the British surrender.
Steve Walton is an Associate professor of history at Michigan Tech University. He teaches history warfare as well as US military history.
Walton says this battle was a turning point for the Americans in the war of 1812.
“In September 1813, the Americans had virtually no control over the upper Great Lakes. There were ongoing battles in Lake Ontario below Niagara Falls. But until Perry managed to build his fleet very quickly in eight months, The Americans did not have control of the links, which meant they didn’t have the ability to transport troops easily. They didn’t have the ability to land troops to attack or to try regain fort Detroit in Detroit, and eventually, the fort in Amherstburg and then on up into Ontario.”
This battle is one of many important battles fought.
“The Battle of Lake Erie is one of the most important naval battles of the War of 1812. And it really was a turning point. And yet, the naval side of the War of 1812 is almost a footnote in many ways.”
