The Medallic History of the United States of America Part 42

As no muster roll that can be fully relied on came into my possession, I cannot exactly state the number killed on board the Boxer; but from information received from the officers of that vessel, it appears that there are between twenty and twenty-five killed, and fourteen wounded. Enclosed is a list of killed and wounded on board the Enterprize.

I have the honour to be, &c., Edward R. M'CALL, _Senior Officer_.

_Killed_ 1, _Wounded_ 13; of whom Lieutenant Burrows, Commander, Midshipman Kervan Waters, and carpenter's mate Elisha Blossom, have since died.

No. 30. (p. 174) PLATE x.x.xI.

_September 4, 1813._

Victoriam tibi claram. patriAE mAEstam. [Rx]. Vivere sat vincere.

LIEUTENANT WILLIAM BURROWS.

[_Capture of the Boxer._]

VICTORIAM TIBI CLARAM. PATRIAE MAESTAM (_sic_). (_A victory brilliant for thee, sorrowful for thy country_). A funeral urn upon a tomb is surrounded with naval emblems; a crown of laurel is hanging from a trident, and in a cartoon of elliptical form: W. (_William_) BURROWS.

FuRST. F. (_fecit_).

VIVERE SAT VINCERE. (_To conquer is to live enough._) Naval engagement between the United States brig-of-war Enterprize, of fourteen guns, Lieutenant-Commander Burrows, and the British brig-of-war Boxer, of fourteen guns, Captain Blythe. The Enterprize is raking the Boxer, fore and aft. The latter has lost her main-topmast. Exergue: INTER ENTERPRIZE NAV. AMERI. ET BOXER NAV. BRIT. DIE IV SEPT. MDCCCXIII.

(_Inter Enterprize navem Americanam et Boxer navem Britannicam, die 4 Septembris, 1813: Between the American vessel Enterprize and the British vessel Boxer, September 4, 1813._) FuRST. F. (_fecit_).[84]

[Footnote 84: The resolution of Congress voting this medal, and the official reports of the capture of the Boxer, are given under No. 29, page 171.]

WILLIAM BURROWS was born in Kenderton, near Philadelphia, October 6, 1785. He entered the navy as midshipman, January 4, 1800; served in the Const.i.tution under Commodore Preble in the campaign against Tripoli; returned to America about 1807 as lieutenant, and served in different vessels on various stations. In the summer of 1813, he obtained the command of the sloop-of-war Enterprize, with which, (p. 175) on September 5, he engaged the British sloop-of-war Boxer, Captain Blythe, but was killed in the beginning of the action, as was also the commander of the enemy's vessel, and they were both buried with military honors at Portland, Maine. Congress, by joint resolution, approved January 6, 1814, requested the President of the United States to present to the nearest male relative of Lieutenant Burrows a gold medal, and to communicate to him the deep regret they felt at this officer's loss.

No. 31. (p. 176) PLATE x.x.xII.

_September 10, 1813._

Oliverus H. Perry, princeps stagno Eriense. cla.s.sim totam contudit. [Rx]. Viam invenit virtus aut facit.

CAPTAIN OLIVER HAZARD PERRY.

[_Victory of Lake Erie._]

OLIVERUS H. (_Hazard_) PERRY. PRINCEPS STAGNO ERIENSE. CLa.s.sIM TOTAM CONTUDIT. (_Oliver Hazard Perry, commander-in-chief, destroyed on Lake Erie an entire fleet._) Bust of Captain Perry, in uniform, facing the right.

VIAM INVENIT VIRTUS AUT FACIT. (_Valor finds or makes a way._) The United States fleet on Lake Erie, carrying fifty-four guns, and commanded by Captain Perry, stands out to meet the British fleet with sixty-three guns, under Captain Barclay. Exergue: INTER CLa.s.s. AMERI.

ET BRIT. DIE X. SEP. MDCCCXIII. (_Inter cla.s.sim Americanam et Britannicam, die 10 Septembris, 1813: Between the American and British fleets, September 10, 1813._) FuRST. F. (_fecit_).

OLIVER HAZARD PERRY was born in South Kingston, Rhode Island, August 23, 1785. He entered the navy as a midshipman, April 7, 1799, on the sloop-of-war General Greene, then commanded by his father, Captain Christopher Raymond Perry. He served in the Mediterranean during the Tripolitan war, was made lieutenant in 1807, and master-commandant in 1812, when he received a division of gunboats at Newport, Rhode Island. In February, 1813, he was transferred to the command on Lake Erie, where, on September 10, he defeated and captured the entire British squadron under Captain Barclay. For this important victory he received the thanks of Congress and a gold medal, and was promoted to the rank of captain, and as such commanded the Java in the (p. 177) Mediterranean for several years. In March, 1819, he set out with a squadron for the coast of South America, and died of yellow fever at Port Spain, Trinidad, August 23, 1819. The remains of Commodore Perry were transferred, in 1827, by order of the Government, in the United States ship Lexington, to Newport, Rhode Island. His battle-flag on Lake Erie, with the motto "Don't give up the ship!" is preserved in the Naval Academy, at Annapolis.

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ORIGINAL DOc.u.mENTS.

_Resolutions of Congress Voting Medals to Captains Perry, Elliott, etc._

_Resolved unanimously by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress a.s.sembled_: That the thanks of Congress be, and the same are hereby, presented to Captain Oliver Hazard Perry, and through him to the officers, petty officers, seamen, marines, and infantry serving as such, attached to the squadron under his command, for the decisive and glorious victory gained on Lake Erie, on the tenth of September, in the year 1813, over a British squadron of superior force.

_Resolved_, That the President of the United States be requested to cause gold medals to be struck, emblematical of the action between the two squadrons, and to present them to Captain Perry and Captain Jesse D. Elliott, in such manner as will be most honourable to them; and that the President be further requested to present a silver medal,[85] with suitable emblems and devices, to each of the commissioned officers, either of the navy or army, serving on board, and a sword to each of the midshipmen and sailing-masters who so n.o.bly distinguished themselves on that memorable day.

[Footnote 85: The silver medals are copies of the ones in gold given to the captains of the respective ships.]

_Resolved_, That the President of the United States be requested to present a silver medal, with like emblems and devices, to the nearest male relative of Lieutenant John Brooks, of the marines, and a sword to the nearest male relatives of Midshipmen Henry Lamb, and Thomas Claxton, jr., and to communicate to them the deep regret which Congress feel for the loss of those gallant men, whose names ought to live in the recollection and affection of a grateful country, and whose conduct ought to be regarded as an example to future generations.

_Resolved_, That three months' pay be allowed, exclusively of the common allowance, to all the petty officers, seamen, marines, and infantry serving as such, who so gloriously supported the honour of the American flag, under the orders of their gallant commander, on that signal occasion.

Approved January 6, 1814.

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_Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the (p. 178) United States of America in Congress a.s.sembled_: That the President of the United States be requested to present a sword to the nearest male relation of Midshipman John Clarke, who was slain gallantly combating the enemy in the glorious battle gained on Lake Erie, under the command of Captain Perry, and to communicate to him the deep regret which Congress feels for the loss of that brave officer.

Approved February 19, 1814.

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_Captain O. H. Perry to the Secretary of the Navy._

To the Honourable U.S. brig Niagara, off the Western Sisters, William JONES, Head of Lake Erie, Sept. 10, 1813, 4 P.M.

Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D. C.

Sir: It has pleased the Almighty to give to the arms of the United States a signal victory over their enemies on this lake.

The British squadron, consisting of two ships, two brigs, one schooner, and one sloop, have this moment surrendered to the force under my command, after a sharp conflict.

I have the honour to be, etc., O. H. PERRY.

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_Captain O. H. Perry to the Secretary of the Navy._

To the Honourable United States schooner Ariel, William JONES, Put-in-Bay, Sept. 13, 1813.

Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D. C.

Sir: In my last I informed you that we had captured the enemy's fleet on this lake. I have now the honour to give you the most important particulars of the action. On the morning of the 10th instant, at sunrise, they were discovered from Put-in-Bay, where I lay at anchor with the squadron under my command. We got under weigh, the wind light at south-west, and stood for them. At 10 A.M. the wind hauled to south-east and brought us to windward; formed the line and bore up. At 15 minutes before 12, the enemy commenced firing; at five minutes before 12, the action commenced on our part. Finding their fire very destructive, owing to their long guns, and its being mostly directed at the Lawrence, I made sail, and directed the other vessels to follow, for the purpose of closing with the enemy. Every brace and bow line being soon shot away, she became unmanageable, notwithstanding the great exertions of the sailing master. In this situation, she sustained the action upwards of two hours within canister distance, until every gun was rendered useless, and the greater part of her crew either killed or wounded. Finding she could no longer annoy (p. 179) the enemy, I left her in charge of Lieutenant Yarnall, who, I was convinced, from the bravery already displayed by him, would do what would comport with the honour of the flag. At half-past two, the wind springing up Captain Elliot was enabled to bring his vessel, the Niagara, gallantly into close action. I immediately went on board of her, when he antic.i.p.ated my wish by volunteering to bring the schooner which had been kept astern by the lightness of the wind into close action. It was with unspeakable pain that I saw, soon after I got on board the Niagara, the flag of the Lawrence come down, although I was perfectly sensible that she had been defended to the last, and that to have continued to make a show of resistance would have been a wanton sacrifice of the remains of her brave crew. But the enemy was not able to take possession of her, and circ.u.mstances soon permitted her flag again to be hoisted. At 45 minutes past 2 the signal was made for "close action." The Niagara being very little injured, I determined to pa.s.s through the enemy's line, bore up and pa.s.sed ahead of their two ships and a brig, giving a raking fire to them from the starboard guns, and to a large schooner and sloop, from the larboard side, at half pistol shot distance. The smaller vessels at this time having got within grape and canister distance, under the direction of Captain Elliot, and keeping up a well directed fire, the two ships, a brig and a schooner surrendered, a schooner and sloop making a vain attempt to escape.

Those officers and men who were immediately under my observation, evinced the greatest gallantry, and I have no doubt that all others conducted themselves as became American officers and seamen. Lieutenant Yarnall, first of the Lawrence, although several times wounded, refused to quit the deck. Midshipman Forrest (doing duty as lieutenant), and sailing-master Taylor, were of great a.s.sistance to me. I have great pain in stating to you the death of Lieutenant Brooks, of the marines, and midshipman Lamb, both of the Lawrence, and midshipman John Clarke, of the Scorpion; they were valuable and promising officers. Mr. Hambleton, purser, who volunteered his services on deck, was severely wounded late in the action. Midshipman Claxton and Swartout, of the Lawrence, were severely wounded. On board the Niagara, Lieutenants Smith and Edwards, and midshipman Webster (doing duty as sailing-master) behaved in a very handsome manner. Captain Brevoort, of the army, who acted as a volunteer in the capacity of a marine officer, on board that vessel, is an excellent and brave officer, and with his musketry did great execution. Lieutenant Turner, commanding the Caledonia, brought that vessel into action in the most able manner, and is an officer that, in all situations, may be relied on. The Ariel, Lieutenant Parker, and Scorpion, sailing-master Champlin, were enabled to get early into action, and were of great service.

Captain Elliot speaks in the highest terms of Mr. Magrath, purser, who had been despatched in a boat on service, previous to my getting on board the Niagara, and, being a seaman, since the action has rendered essential service in taking charge of one of the prizes. Of Captain Elliot, already so well known to the government, it would be almost superfluous to speak; in this action, he evinced his characteristic bravery and judgment; and, since the close of the action, has given me the most able and essential a.s.sistance.