Chapter XIII: The Battle on Lake Erie 280

Building War-ships and Gun-boats in the Wilderness--Lifting the
Vessels over a Sand-bar--Fortunately the British Commander was
Fond of Public Entertainments--The two Squadrons and their Crews
Compared--The Advantage of a Concentrated Force was with the
British--On the Way to Meet the Enemy--“To Windward or to Leeward
they shall Fight To-day”--The Anglo-Saxon Cheer--The Brunt of
the Fight Borne by the Flag-ship--A Frightful Slaughter there
in Consequence--When Perry Worked the Guns with his own Hands,
and even the Wounded Crawled up the Hatch to Lend a Hand at the
Side-tackles--An Able First Lieutenant--Wounded Exposed to the Fire
when under the Surgeon’s Care--The Last Gun Disabled--Shifting
the Flag to the _Niagara_--Cheers that were Heard above the Roar
of Cannon--When the Wounded of the _Lawrence_ cried “Sink the
Ship!”--Driving the _Niagara_ through the British Squadron--The White
Handkerchief Fluttering from a Boarding-pike--“We have Met the Enemy,
and they are Ours.”

CHAPTER XIV. INCIDENTS OF THE BATTLE ON LAKE ERIE 326

Two of the Enemy’s Vessels that Tried to get Away--A Yankee
Sailor’s Reason for Wanting one more Shot--When Perry Returned
to the _Lawrence_--The Dead and Wounded--Effect of the Victory
on the People--Honors to the Victors--The Case of Lieutenant
Elliott--Ultimate Fate of some of the Ships.

CHAPTER XV. THE WAR ON LAKE ONTARIO 339

The Capture of York (Toronto) by the Americans--A Victory at
the Mouth of the Niagara River--British Account of the Attack
on Sackett’s Harbor--Tales of the Prudence of Sir James Yeo and
Commodore Chauncey--The Americans did somewhat Better than the
British, but Missed a great Opportunity--Small Affairs on Lake
Champlain during the Summer of 1813.

CHAPTER XVI. LOSS OF THE LITTLE SLOOP _ARGUS_ 356

She was Captured by the _Pelican_, a Vessel that was of slightly
superior Force--A Clean Victory for the British, but one that in no
Way Disheartens the Fiercest of the American Patriots--Ill-luck of
“the Waggon.”

CHAPTER XVII. THE LUCK OF A YANKEE CRUISER 372

There was never a more fortunate Vessel than the Clipper-schooner
_Enterprise_--As originally Designed she was the Swiftest and Best
All-around Naval Ship of her Class Afloat--Men she made Famous in
the West Indies--A Glorious Career in the War with the Mediterranean
Pirates--Even when the Wisdom of the Navy Department Changed her
to a Brig and Overloaded her with Guns so that she “Couldn’t Get
Out of her own Way,” her Luck did not Fail her--Her Fight with the
_Boxer_--Even a good Frigate could not Catch her.