Sketches in History | Don’t Give Up the Ship (Part 2)

Hello, and welcome back to Sketches in History! I'm Lottie Archer, your guide. Last time, we found ourselves in the middle of the Battle of Lake Erie, dodging cannonballs on Commodore Perry's flagship, the Lawrence. We escaped just as Perry was abandoning his shattered ship, but the battle wasn't over. Tonight, we're going to exercise courage and go back and see how it ended.

The fire crackles warmly in grandfather's study tonight, and I notice the blue flag with "Don't Give Up the Ship" is still here on the mantelpiece. But there's something new beside it, a folded piece of paper that looks like an old naval dispatch. When I unfold it, I can barely make out the faded handwriting: "We have met the enemy, and they are ours..." The rest is too worn to read, but I have a feeling we'll discover what it means soon enough.

Before we open the notebook again, let's learn our Word of the Day: Grit.

Have you ever worked on something really hard, maybe a puzzle, learning to tie your shoes, or practicing a sport, and wanted to give up because it seemed too difficult? But then you kept trying anyway until you succeeded? That's grit! It means keeping going even when things get tough, not giving up when obstacles appear, but finding a way through or around them. Grit is something you build over time. The more you work through a challenge, the more grit you can build. It's like courage's best friend; courage gets you started, and grit keeps you going, no matter how hard it gets.

Alright, let's return to Lake Erie. The notebook is already open to that same sketch, but now I notice some new details. There's a second ship in the background, fresh and ready for battle. That must be the Niagara, the ship Perry rowed to after the Lawrence was destroyed. The sketch begins to move again, the waves churn, the smoke swirls, and I can hear distant cannon fire. Let’s remember what was written on the flag when we went here last time.

Beware. This sketch in the notebook will take you directly into battle. Do not choose this moment in history lightly. Every great moment in history carries consequences. As true as that is in history, it is true here. In this sketch, you will experience the consequences personally. Proceed with caution.

Let’s be sure to remember this. Are you ready to go back? This is a real battle, so stay close to me. Close your eyes, hold on tight, and let's go!

We're back! But this time we're on a different ship, the USS Niagara. The deck is clean, the sails are intact, and the crew looks ready to fight. There's Perry, soaking wet from his dangerous row through enemy fire, but his eyes are blazing with determination. The blue flag with "Don't Give Up the Ship" is already being raised on this new vessel.

Perry: "Men of the Niagara! The Lawrence has done her duty. Now it's our turn! Full sail ahead!"

The crew springs into action. The Niagara surges forward, straight toward the British line. I can see the enemy ships; they're battered too from the Lawrence's brave fight. The British commanders must be shocked to see Perry's flag flying from a fresh ship!

Perry has a brilliant idea. Instead of staying back and trading shots, he's sailing the Niagara right between the British ships! It's incredibly dangerous, but it means we can fire cannons from both sides of the ship at once. The British ships can't turn fast enough to stop us! Here we go, hang on!

The Niagara's guns roar to life! We're so close to the British ships I can see the surprise on their faces. Their formation is breaking apart. One British ship is trying to turn, but it crashes into another! They're tangled together and can’t steer!

Sailor: "Commodore, the Detroit and Queen Charlotte have collided! They're fouled in each other's rigging!"

Perry doesn't waste this chance. He orders concentrated fire on the tangled ships. Meanwhile, the other American vessels, inspired by Perry's courage, are closing in. The little gunboats that seemed so small before are now surrounding the British fleet like angry hornets.

Wait... look! A white flag is being raised on the British flagship! Then another! The British are surrendering! The battle that seemed lost just an hour ago, when the Lawrence was destroyed, has been won!

Perry pulls out a piece of paper and an old pencil. On the back of an envelope, he writes quickly. I think I can make out the words.

Perry: "Dear General Harrison: We have met the enemy, and they are ours; two ships, two brigs, one schooner, and one sloop."

That's the dispatch we saw in the study! This simple message would become one of the most famous announcements in naval history!

The crew of the Niagara erupts in cheers. Some are crying with relief and joy. Perry stands quietly for a moment, looking back toward where the Lawrence floats, barely staying above water. He removes his hat in respect for the men who died on that ship. Then he does something unexpected: he orders that the British wounded be cared for alongside the American wounded.

Perry: "These men fought bravely for their country, just as we did for ours. They deserve our respect."

Let's use this moment, while everyone is celebrating, to return to the study.

We're back! Safe in grandfather's study once more. The blue flag seems to glow in the firelight, and now I understand its full story. "Don't Give Up the Ship" wasn't just a motto; it was a promise Perry kept, even when his first ship was destroyed.

Let's look at what the notebook says about the rest of the battle:

On September 10, 1813, Oliver Hazard Perry's grit transformed certain defeat into triumphant victory at the Battle of Lake Erie. After his flagship, Lawrence, was reduced to a floating wreck with 83 of 103 crew members killed or wounded, Perry made the audacious decision to transfer his command to the USS Niagara under enemy fire. Taking command of the fresh vessel, he sailed directly through the British line in a daring maneuver that shattered their formation. Within fifteen minutes of Perry boarding the Niagara, the entire British squadron surrendered, the first time in history that an entire British fleet had been captured.

Perry's victory secured American control of Lake Erie, cut British supply lines, and changed the course of the War of 1812. His famous dispatch, "We have met the enemy, and they are ours," became a symbol of American naval courage. The young commodore was just 28 years old.

You know, seeing this battle firsthand taught me something important. When Perry's first ship was destroyed, he could have given up. He could have said he'd done enough, that he'd been brave enough. But grit means continuing even when things get hard, and your first plan fails. He found another way to win, and his determination inspired everyone around him.

That combination of courage and grit, being brave enough to start and determined enough to continue, changed history that day on Lake Erie. And you know what? We can use those same qualities in our own lives, whether we're learning something new, standing up for what's right, or facing our own challenges.

Thank you for joining me for another adventure in Sketches in History! That was quite a journey, wasn't it? Don't forget to subscribe to the 15-Minute History Podcast so you won't miss a single journey. And if there's a moment in history you'd love to explore with me, send your ideas to 15minutehistory@gmail.com.

Until next time, keep wondering, keep imagining, and remember… the past is just a page away.

Discussion Questions

1. What's the difference between courage and grit? How did Perry show both?

2. Why do you think Perry treated the captured British sailors with respect?

3. Have you ever had to try a different approach when your first plan didn't work?

4. How do you think the other American sailors felt when they saw Perry's flag flying from the Niagara?

5. What can we learn from Perry's message, "We have met the enemy and they are ours" about the importance of sharing good news with others?