e Detroit. As the American vessels stood out to sea
Perry hoisted a large blue flag with the words of the dying Lawrence in
white muslin--"Don't give up the ship!" He prepared for defeat as well as
for victory, by gathering all his important papers in a package weighted
and ready to be thrown overboard in the event of disaster. It may be said
that Perry fought the earlier part of the battle almost alone, a
slow-sailing brig, the Caledonia, being in line ahead of the Niagara, and
Perry, having given orders that the vessels should preserve their
stations.

In the duel of long guns the British had a decided advantage and their
fire being concentrated on the Lawrence that vessel soon became a wreck.
Of one hundred and three men fit for duty on board the American flagship,
eighty-three were killed or wounded. These figures sufficiently indicate
the carnage; but Perry fought on. "Can any of the wounded pull a rope?"
cried Perry, and mangled men crawled out to help in training the guns.
For nearly three hours the Lawrence with the schooners Ariel and
Scorpion, fought the British fleet. Then Master-Commandant Elliott, of
the Niagara, fearing Perry had been killed, undertook, notwithstanding
Perry's previous orders, to go out of line to the help of the Lawrence.
Perry then changed his flag to the Niagara, leaving orders with First
Lieutenant John J. Yarnall, of the Lawrence, to hold out to the last.
Perry at once sent Master-Commandant Elliott in a boat to bring up the
schooners, and meantime Lieutenant Yarnall, deciding that further
resistance would mean the destruction of all on board, lowered the flag
on the Lawrence. The English thought they were already victors, and gave
three cheers, but the Lawrence drifted out of range before they could
take possession of her, and the Stars and Stripes were raised again over
her blood-stained decks.

The battle had in truth only begun, but was soon to end. The remainder of
the American squadron closed in on the English vessels, raking them fore
and aft. The English officers and men were swept from their decks by the
hurricane of iron. It was the United States and the Macedonian on a
smaller scale. The American cannonade at close quarters was so fast and
furious that the British ships were soon in a condition that left no
choice save between sinking or surrender. In fifteen minutes after the
Americans closed in a British officer waved a white hand-kerchief. The
enemy had struck. Two of t