But just for one
day he forgot to be watchful. The Americans seized the opportunity,
and the ships sailed out on to the lake in safety. The squadron
was under the command of a clever young officer named Oliver Hazard
Perry. He was only twenty-eight, and although he had served in the
navy for fourteen years he had never taken part in a battle. His
men were for the most part landsmen, unused alike to war and ships.
But while the ships were building Perry drilled his men untiringly.
So when the fleet was launched they were both good marksmen and
seamen.
It was a bright September day when the great battle took place
between the British and American fleets. Much of the British fire
was directed at the American flag-ship named the Lawrence, and soon
nearly all her men were killed, and the ship seemed about to sink.
But Perry was not beaten. Wrapping his flag about his arm, with his
few remaining men he jumped into the boats, and rowed to another
ship called the Niagara.
Soon after this, two of the British ships got entangled with each
other. The Americans at once took advantage of the confusion and
swept the British ships from end to end with a terrible fire.
For half an hour longer the fight went on. Then the British
Commander struck his flag. For the first time in history Great
Britain surrendered a whole squadron, and that to a young man of
twenty-eight with little experience of warfare.
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