Four American Naval Heroes Part 12

The death of this great chief severed forever the tie which bound the Indians to the English. Soon afterwards all the tribes of the northwest declared submission to the United States. The white settlers in the region about the Great Lakes were thus freed from their fear of the savages.

During the battle of the Thames, the soldiers greatly admired the fine horsemanship of Oliver Perry. He rode a powerful black horse, with a white face, that could be seen from all parts of the field.

Once, when riding swiftly to carry out some orders of the general's, the horse plunged into the deep mire to his breast. Perry pressed his hands on the pommel of the saddle, and sprang over the horse's head to dry ground.

Relieved from the weight of his rider, the horse freed himself and bounded forward. Perry clutched the mane as he pa.s.sed and vaulted into the saddle, without stopping the animal's speed for a moment. As he pa.s.sed the soldiers, many cheers arose.

On October 7, 1813, Perry returned to Detroit, and from there started back to his home in Newport. The people hailed him with joy, and enough could not be said in his praises. Even Captain Barclay of the English fleet called him "The gallant and generous enemy."

His journey to Newport was indeed a triumphal one. In every town that he pa.s.sed through, business was stopped and the schools were closed so that all could have a glimpse of the hero of Lake Erie. Processions accompanied him from town to town.

On November 18th, he reached his home in Newport. Bells were rung, all the ships were adorned with flags, and salutes were fired in his honor.

[Ill.u.s.tration: GOLD MEDAL AWARDED BY CONGRESS.]

On November 29th, he received his promotion to the rank of captain. At that time this was the highest rank in the American navy. A gold medal was also given to him by Congress.

In the following January he made a visit to Washington, where he was publicly entertained by the President and citizens.

In August, 1814, he was ordered to command a new frigate named the _Java_. He hastened to Baltimore, where this vessel was to be launched.

On the 11th of September, Lieutenant Macdonough, who was in command of the American squadron on Lake Champlain, gained a decisive victory over the British near Plattsburg. Everything at the North seemed now to be favorable to the Americans; but it was not so at the South.

While Captain Perry was waiting at Baltimore, the British had sailed up the Potomac with an army and a fleet. They captured Washington, and burned the capitol, the White House, and some of the other public buildings.

Being so successful in this, they made a like attempt upon Baltimore, but were driven back. They then blockaded Chesapeake Bay.

Just at this time, Congress pa.s.sed a bill to fit out two squadrons of fast-sailing vessels. These were to cruise near the English coasts and destroy the commerce between the different ports.

Captain Perry was ordered to leave the _Java_ and command one of these squadrons. But before he could sail for England, peace was declared. A treaty with that country was signed December 24, 1814.

XI.--ON THE MEDITERRANEAN AGAIN.

While the United States had been at war with England, trouble had again arisen with the Barbary States. None of these countries had been so annoying as Algiers. The ruler, or Dey, of Algiers knew that every American naval vessel was busy fighting the English. He therefore thought this a good time to burn and plunder the merchant ships. He also demanded large sums of money in return for his captured prizes and prisoners.

But no sooner was peace concluded with England, than Congress declared war with Algiers. A squadron was sent to the Mediterranean, commanded by the brave Stephen Decatur, and he soon compelled the Dey to sign a treaty with the United States.

In this treaty the Dey promised to give back all the American property he had captured. If there was anything that he could not return, he was to pay for it at its full value. He was also to release all the Americans he held as prisoners, and give up, forever, all claim to tribute money from the United States.

When the consuls of other countries heard of what Decatur had accomplished, they tried to persuade the Algerine ruler to make the same terms with them. Then the Dey was sorry that he had "humbled himself"

before the young republic, and he declared that he did not consider the treaty binding.

Congress therefore thought it wise to strengthen the American squadron in the Mediterranean, in order that this trouble should be settled.

Captain Perry was ordered to take the _Java_ and sail at once for Algiers. On January 22, 1816, he set sail, and in March he joined the American vessels off the eastern coast of Spain.

Upon arriving at Algiers, they found that the Dey had just received a large amount of tribute money from an English fleet. This made him very unwilling to talk about treaties.

The English fleet had not only brought money to pay for the release of English prisoners, but also had brought vast sums from the governments of Naples and Sardinia to buy the freedom of their enslaved countrymen.

Twelve hundred captives were freed in this way, and put aboard the English vessels. There were people of all ages, clothed in rags. Some had been taken while young and now were old men, with gray hair and beards.

The Dey refused to treat with the American commander, and the Americans would have destroyed the Algerian fleet and bombarded the town at once, but for an article in the treaty which Decatur had made. This article stated that when either side should become dissatisfied with the treaty, three months' notice should be given before actual fighting began.

While waiting for these three months to pa.s.s, the American squadron cruised about the Mediterranean and visited the other Barbary States.

The commander wished to show the rulers of these states that our country had a navy which could protect our commerce.

After this the fleet sailed along the southern coast of Europe. There was no vessel which attracted more admiration than Captain Perry's _Java_. To visit this ship was, indeed, a pleasure.

The captain was a courteous host, and always made his guests welcome.

Everything on the ship was in order, and ready for instant use. The discipline of the crew was perfect.

Being a good musician himself, Captain Perry had the finest band in all the fleet. He took a personal interest in each one of his men, and was always ready with a word of praise when he saw it was deserved. He gave the midshipmen lessons in navigation, and saw that they had lessons in Spanish and French and in the use of the sword. They were even taught to dance.

Whenever it was possible the men were allowed to go on sh.o.r.e, in order that they might visit the places of interest.

By January, 1817, the Dey of Algiers finally came to terms and signed a new treaty, agreeing to the conditions required by the United States.

Captain Perry was soon afterwards ordered to sail for America, carrying this new treaty with him. In March he arrived at Newport.

XII.--CAPTAIN PERRY'S LAST CRUISE.

After so many months of cruising, Captain Perry was very glad to be again in his own country.

He spent the next two years quietly at home with his family. He built a snug little cottage in Narragansett, on the old Perry estate. This was the same farm that had been purchased by the young Quaker, Edmund Perry, so many years before. Here the family spent the summers.

Captain Perry was always fond of life in the country. He took many long rides on horseback. Besides his horses, he had many other pets on the farm. He and his three little sons spent a great deal of time taking care of them.

The winters were pa.s.sed in the house at Newport.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CAPTAIN PERRY'S RESIDENCE AT NEWPORT.]

These were the happiest years of Oliver Perry's life, and he could not help but be sorry, when, on March 31, 1819, he received a summons to go to Washington.

Upon arriving there, the Secretary of the Navy told him of an expedition that the government wished him to undertake.

He was to go to Venezuela, on the northern coast of South America. This was a new republic which had formerly been a colony of Spain. Its people were still fighting for their independence, just as the people of the United States had fought against the king of England.

Small, fast-sailing war vessels, called privateers, had been fitted out by this republic. These vessels were designed to capture Spanish merchant ships, and were allowed to keep all the money that was obtained from the prizes.

But it was not the Spanish ships alone which suffered from these privateers. The desire for prize money led them to attack ships of other nations. The American merchants had met with many losses in this way.

Captain Perry was to present claims for these losses, and also to persuade the president of Venezuela to keep his privateers from preying on American commerce. For this expedition, Perry was to have two vessels, the sloop _John Adams_ and the schooner _Nonsuch_.

On July 15, 1819, he arrived at the mouth of the Orinoco River. Here he was obliged to take the small schooner in order to go up the river and reach the town of Angostura, which was then the Venezuelan capital. He sent the _John Adams_ to Port Spain, on the island of Trinidad, one hundred and fifty miles away. This vessel was ordered to wait there for his return.

The voyage up the Orinoco was an interesting one. All along the sh.o.r.es were vast tropical forests with overhanging trees full of birds of brilliant colors. Luxuriant vines were festooned from limb to limb.