Post on 24-Dec-2015
The lake is 9,940 square miles with a length of 241 miles.
It has an average depth of 62 feet. Lake Erie also has a shoreline of 2,726 miles.
The Back Round of Lake Erie
The battle took place on September 10, 1813.It was fought during the war of 1812. Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry was the
American’s leader in the battle.
The Battle of Lake Erie
His mission was to gain navel superiority on the lake.
This would allow the Americans to control the British weapon supply.
The Americans had nine small ships. The two
main ships were the Niagara and the Lawrence.
The British only had six vessels but they were from the prestigious royal navy.
The Battle Cont.
The crew on the Lawrence led the fight until the ship was disabled and most of them were killed or wounded.
The ship was carrying Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry who was transferred by boat to the unharmed Niagara when the Lawrence was disabled.
He then broke the British battle lines.
In the end, the Americans defeated the British , captured their ships and regained control of Lake Erie
The Lawrence
The Battle of Lake Erie
This is a famous painting of Perry being taken to the Niagara by William H.
Powell in 1865.
Perry was the hero and general for the American force.
He was born on August 23, 1785 and died on August 23, 1819.
Commodore Oliver H. Perry
1785 Joined navy
1799 Midshipman aboard his father's frigate,
U.S.S. General Greene
1801-05 Served in Tripolitan War (vs the
Barbary States)
1802 promoted to lieutenant
1807-09 Engaged in building gunboats for
President Jefferson's naval program
Perry’s Navy Career
1812-13 War of 1812
1813 Battle of Lake Erie (War of 1812)
1813/09/10 First capture of an entire British
fleet (Battle of Lake Erie)
1814 Received the thanks of Congress for his
part in the war
1819 Contracted yellow fever on the Orinoco
River, Venezuela, and died at sea off Trinidad
Percy’s Navy Career cont.