Oliver Hazard Perry

Oliver Hazard Perry, born on August twenty-third, seventeen eighty-five, was a distinguished United States Navy officer hailing from South Kingstown, Rhode Island. As a prominent member of the Perry family naval dynasty, he was the son of Sarah Wallace Alexander and Captain Christopher Raymond Perry, and the elder brother of Commodore Matthew C. Perry.

Perry's naval career began in the West Indies during the Quasi War against France from seventeen ninety-eight to eighteen hundred. He later served in the Mediterranean during the Barbary Wars and fought piracy and the slave trade in the Caribbean. However, he is best remembered for his pivotal role in the War of eighteen twelve, particularly during the Battle of Lake Erie in eighteen thirteen, where he earned the title 'Hero of Lake Erie' for his leadership in a decisive naval victory.

During the War of eighteen twelve, Perry oversaw the construction of a fleet at Erie, Pennsylvania, which played a crucial role in the successful outcomes of all nine Lake Erie military campaign victories. His famous battle flag bore the words 'DONT [sic] GIVE UP THE SHIP,' a tribute to Captain James Lawrence of the USS Chesapeake. Perry's message to General William Henry Harrison, stating, 'We have met the enemy and they are ours,' further solidified his legacy.

Despite his successes, Perry faced a contentious rivalry with Captain Jesse Elliott, commander of the USS Niagara, which led to official charges against both men regarding their conduct during the Battle of Lake Erie. In eighteen fifteen, he commanded the USS Java in the Mediterranean during the Second Barbary War. Perry's remarkable career earned him widespread recognition, with numerous books and articles written about him, and many places, ships, and individuals named in his honor.