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Oliver Hazard Perry (August 23, 1785 – August 23, 1819) was a United States Navy officer from South Kingstown, Rhode Island. A prominent member of the Perry family naval dynasty, he was the son of Sarah Wallace Alexander and Captain Christopher Raymond Perry, and older brother of Commodore Matthew C. Perry.

Key Information

Perry served in the West Indies during the Quasi War of 1798–1800 against France, in the Mediterranean during the Barbary Wars of 1801–1815, and in the Caribbean fighting piracy and the slave trade, but is most noted for his role in the War of 1812 during the 1813 Battle of Lake Erie.[1] During the war against Britain, Perry supervised the building of a fleet at Erie, Pennsylvania. He earned the title "Hero of Lake Erie" for leading American forces in a decisive naval victory at the Battle of Lake Erie, receiving a Congressional Gold Medal and the Thanks of Congress.[2][3]

His leadership materially aided the successful outcomes of all nine Lake Erie military campaign victories, and the victory was a turning point in the battle for the west in the war.[3] He is remembered for the words on his battle flag, "DONT [sic] GIVE UP THE SHIP", which was a tribute to the dying command of his colleague Captain James Lawrence of USS Chesapeake. He is also known for his message to General William Henry Harrison which reads in part, "We have met the enemy and they are ours."

Perry became embroiled in a long-standing and bitter controversy with the commander of USS Niagara, Captain Jesse Elliott, over their conduct in the Battle of Lake Erie, and both were the subject of official charges. In 1815, he successfully commanded Java in the Mediterranean during the Second Barbary War. So seminal was his career that he was lionized in the press (being the subject of scores of books and articles).[4] He has been frequently memorialized, and many places, ships and persons have been named in his honor.

Childhood and early life

[edit]

Perry was the oldest of five boys born to Christopher and Sarah Wallace Perry (née Alexander). As a boy, Perry lived in Tower Hill, Rhode Island,[5] sailing ships in anticipation of his future career as an officer in the United States Navy.[3] Perry came from a long line of naval men from both sides of his family. His mother taught Perry and his younger brothers to read and write and had them attend Trinity Episcopal Church regularly, where he was baptized by Reverend William Smith on April 1, 1794, at the age of nine. Reverend Theodore Dehon, rector of the church from 1797 to 1810, had a significant influence on the young Perry.[6] He was educated in Newport, Rhode Island. His earliest ancestor to the Americas was Edward Perry, who came from Devon, England, and settled in Sandwich, Massachusetts, around 1650 with his wife, Mary Freeman.[7]

Early naval career

[edit]

Through his father's influence, Perry was appointed a midshipman in the United States Navy, at the age of thirteen, on April 7, 1799. Perry sailed aboard USS General Greene, of which his father was commanding officer, on her maiden voyage in June 1799. The ship made its first stop in Cuba, charged with receiving American merchant ships and providing escort from Havana to the United States.[3][8] Perry's service aboard General Greene continued during the Quasi-War with France.[9] He first experienced combat on February 9, 1800, off the coast of the French colony of Haiti, which was in a state of rebellion.[10][11]

During the First Barbary War, he served aboard USS Adams[12] and later was first lieutenant (second in command) of USS Nautilus. He then served under Captain John Rodgers on USS Constitution and USS Essex. He was placed in charge of the construction of gunboats in Newport and Westerly, Rhode Island.

Beginning in April 1809, he commanded the sloop USS Revenge, engaging in patrol duties to enforce the Embargo Act, as well as a successful raid to regain an American ship held in Spanish territory in Florida. On January 9, 1811, Revenge ran aground off Rhode Island and was lost. "Seeing fairly quickly that he could not save the vessel, [Perry] turned his attention to saving the crew, and after helping them down the ropes over the vessel's stern, he was the last to leave the vessel."[13]: 61  The subsequent court-martial exonerated Perry, placing blame on the ship's pilot.[A][14] In January 2011, a team of divers claimed to have discovered the remains of Revenge, nearly 200 years to the day after it sank.[15][16] Cannons from Revenge were salvaged by the U.S. Navy in 2017.[citation needed]

Following the court-martial, Perry was given a leave of absence from the Navy. On May 5, 1811, he married Elizabeth Champlin Mason of Newport, Rhode Island, whom he had met at a dance in 1807.[14] They enjoyed an extended honeymoon touring New England. The couple would eventually have five children, with one dying in infancy.[17]

War of 1812

[edit]

At the beginning of the War of 1812, the British Royal Navy controlled the Great Lakes, except for Lake Huron. The United States Navy controlled Lake Champlain.[18] The American naval forces were very small, allowing the British to make many advances in the Great Lakes and northern New York waterways. The roles played by commanders like Perry, at Lake Erie and Isaac Chauncey at Lake Ontario and Thomas Macdonough at Lake Champlain all proved vital to the naval effort.[19]

Naval historian E. B. Potter noted that "all naval officers of the day made a special study of Nelson's battles." Oliver Perry was no exception.[19] At his request, he was given command of the American naval forces on Lake Erie during the war. Secretary of the Navy Paul Hamilton had charged prominent merchant seaman Daniel Dobbins with building the American fleet on Presque Isle Bay at Erie, Pennsylvania, and Perry was named chief naval officer.[2][3][20]

Perry knew battle was coming, and he "consciously followed Nelson's example in describing his battle plans to his captains."[19]: 218  Perry's instructions were:

Commanding officers are particularly enjoined to pay attention in preserving their stations in the Line, and in all cases to keep as near the Lawrence as possible. ... Engage your designated adversary, in close action, at half cable's length. [B][21]

— Oliver H. Perry, General Order, USS Lawrence

Hero of Lake Erie

[edit]
Perry (standing) after abandoning Lawrence, in a 1911 painting by Edward Percy Moran

On September 10, 1813, Perry's squadron fought the Battle of Lake Erie against a smaller Royal Navy squadron. It was at the outset of this battle that Perry famously said, "If a victory is to be gained, I will gain it."[22] Initially, the exchange of gunfire favored the British. Perry's flagship, USS Lawrence, was so severely disabled in the encounter that the British commander, Robert Heriot Barclay, thought that Perry would surrender it, and sent a small boat to request that the American vessel pull down its flag.[23][24]

Faithful to the words of his battle flag, "DONT [sic] GIVE UP THE SHIP",[25] a paraphrase of the dying words of Captain James Lawrence, the ship's namesake and Perry's friend,[26][23] Perry, with Lawrence's chaplain and purser as the remaining able crew, personally fired the final salvo.[24] He then had his men row him a half-mile (0.8 km) through heavy gunfire to transfer his command to USS Niagara. Once aboard, Perry dispatched Niagara's commander, Captain Jesse Elliott, to bring the other schooners into closer action while he steered Niagara toward the damaged British ships. Like Nelson's Victory at Trafalgar, Niagara broke the opposing line.

Perry's force pounded Barclay's ships until they could offer no effective resistance and surrendered. Although he had won the battle aboard Niagara, he received Barclay's surrender on the deck of the recaptured Lawrence to allow him to see the terrible price Perry's men had paid.[22] Perry's battle report to General William Henry Harrison was famously brief: "We have met the enemy and they are ours; two ships, two brigs, one schooner and one sloop."[26][C] The six captured ships were successfully returned to Presque Isle.[27][28]

Perry's battle flag; note the missing apostrophe in "DONT"

Although the engagement was small compared to Napoleonic naval battles such as the Battle of Trafalgar, the victory had disproportionate strategic importance, opening Canada up to further American invasions, while simultaneously protecting the entire Ohio Valley.[3][29] The loss of Barclay's squadron directly led to the critical Battle of the Thames, a victory over British and Indian forces by Harrison's army, the deaths of Tecumseh and Roundhead, and the breakup of his confederacy.[28] Along with the Battle of Plattsburgh, it was one of only two battle of the war in which an entire squadron was defeated.[3]

Perry was involved in nine battles that led to and followed the Battle of Lake Erie, and they all had a seminal impact. "What is often overlooked when studying Perry is how his physical participation and brilliant strategic leadership influenced the outcomes of all nine Lake Erie military campaign victories:

Capturing Fort George, Ontario in the Battle of Fort George; Destroying the British munitions at Olde Fort Erie (see Capture of Fort Erie); Rescuing five vessels from Black Rock; Building the Erie fleet; Getting the ships over the sandbar; Blocking British supplies for a month prior to battle; Planning the Thames invasion with General Harrison; Winning the Battle of Lake Erie; and Winning the Battle of Thames.[3][28]

  • A caricature of Perry's victory on Lake Erie from the 1906 book "Men of Toledo (and Their Neighbors)"
    A caricature of Perry's victory on Lake Erie from the 1906 book "Men of Toledo (and Their Neighbors)"

Battle Flag

[edit]
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) flies a replica "DONT [sic] GIVE UP THE SHIP" flag in 2020.
A view of the flag in Memorial Hall (in Bancroft Hall)

"Don't give up the ship!" became the battle cry of Oliver Hazard Perry. The phrase was uttered by Captain James Lawrence as he died after being wounded by enemy fire aboard the Chesapeake on June 1, 1813. Perry learned of Lawrence's demise at Presque Isle. He honored Lawrence with the name of a brig, called Lawrence. A battle flag was needed, and the words of Perry's good friend were suited for the coming days.[30]

Margaret Forster Steuart was enlisted to make the battle flag.[30] She was a resident of Erie Pennsylvania, wife of Army Captain Thomas Steuart and sister to Thomas Forster, both friends of Perry's. Forster was the commander of the Erie Light Infantry that had guarded the fleet.[30] With the help of her two daughters, three nieces, and a cousin, she had the flag ready for Perry within just a few days.[30] As of July 2009, Perry's flag, Steuart's work, and Lawrence's dying words can be seen today, with the flag on display in Bancroft Hall's Memorial Hall at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis.

Perry–Elliott controversy

[edit]
Mural: Battle of Lake Erie, September 10, 1813. (1959) by Charles Robert Patterson and Howard B. French, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland. Niagara joins the battle. Detroit and Queen Charlotte at right.

While Nelson had Collingwood, Perry had Jesse Elliott, and was considerably less well served. Elliott, while serving with Isaac Chauncey at Lake Ontario, was tasked to augment Perry's squadron with 11 officers and 91 men, "and none were sent but the worst."[31] Subsequently, detailed by Chauncey to command Niagara, Elliott stated "that if he could have foreseen that he himself should be sent to Lake Erie, his selections would have been different."[31] Elliott then appropriated the "best of the worst" for Niagara; and Perry "in the interest of harmony" accepted the situation, though with growing ill-will.[31]

In his initial post-action report, Perry had praised Captain Elliott's role in the American victory at Lake Erie; and as news of the battle spread, Perry and Elliott were both celebrated as national heroes. Soon after, however, several junior officers publicly criticized Elliott's performance during the battle, charging that Elliott allowed Lawrence to suffer the brunt of the British fire while holding Niagara back from the fight. William Vigneron Taylor, Perry's sailing master, in a letter to Taylor's wife, put it thus:

The Lawrence alone rec'd the fire of the whole British squadron 2 1/2 hours within pistol shot—we were not supported as we ought to have been. Captain Perry led the Lawrence into action & sustained the most destructive fire with the most gallant spirit perhaps that was ever witnessed under similar circumstances.[32]

— William Taylor, September 15, 1813

The meeting between Elliott and Perry on the deck of Niagara was terse. Elliott inquired how the day was going. Perry replied, "Badly." Elliott then volunteered to take Perry's small boat and rally the schooners, and Perry acquiesced.[21]: 49  As Perry turned Niagara into the battle, Elliott was not aboard. Elliott's rejoinder to history's criticism of inaction was that there had been a lack of effective signaling. Charges were filed, but not officially acted upon. Attempting to restore his honor, Elliott and his supporters began a 30-year campaign that would outlive both men and ultimately leave his reputation in tatters.[28]

In Perry's report to Secretary of the Navy William Jones, written three days after the battle, he mentioned Elliott in what, at first, seem to be complimentary terms, but, when read carefully, betray his disdain for Elliott.[33] Perry wrote, "In this action he evinced his characteristic bravery and judgement; and, since the close of the action, has given me the most able and essential assistance."[34]

Congressional Gold Medal

[edit]

On January 6, 1814, Perry was honored with a Congressional Gold Medal,[35] the Thanks of Congress, and a promotion to the rank of Captain.[36][37] This was one of 27 Gold Medals authorized by Congress arising from the War of 1812.[38]

  • Obverse – bust of Perry facing right surrounded by Oliverus H. Perry Princeps Stagno Eriense. ~ Classam Totam Contudit.
  • Reverse depicts a sea battle scene with inscriptions:
    Viam Invenit Virtus Aut Facit
    Inter Class. Ameri.
    Et Brit Die X. Sep.
    MDCCCXIII
(Valor finds or makes a way. Between the Fleets of America and Britain September 10, 1813.)[39][40]

Elliott was also recognized with a Congressional Gold Medal[35] and the Thanks of Congress for his actions in the battle. This recognition would prove to fan the flames of resentment on both sides of the Elliott–Perry controversy.[28]

In recognition of his victory at Lake Erie, in 1813 Perry was elected as an honorary member of the New York Society of the Cincinnati.[41]

  • The front of the Perry medal
    The front of the Perry medal
  • The back of the Perry medal
    The back of the Perry medal

Later commands and controversies

[edit]
United States Navy engraved portrait of Commodore Perry

In May 1814, Perry took command of a squadron of seven gunboats based in Newport. He held this command for only two months as in July he was placed in command of USS Java, a 44-gun frigate which was under construction in Baltimore. While overseeing the outfitting of Java, Perry participated in the defenses of Baltimore and Washington, D.C., during the British invasion of the Chesapeake Bay. In a twist of irony, these land battles would be the last time the career naval officer saw combat. The Treaty of Ghent was ratified before Java could be put to sea.[17]

For Perry, the post-war years were marred by controversies. In 1815, he commanded Java in the Mediterranean during the Second Barbary War. While moored in Naples, Perry slapped the commander of the ship's Marines, Captain John Heath, whom Perry charged with "disrespectful, insolent, and contemptuous conduct to me his superior officer".[42] The ensuing court-martial found both men guilty, but levied only mild reprimands. After the crew returned home, Heath challenged Perry to a pistol duel, which was fought on October 19, 1817, on the same field in Weehawken, New Jersey where Aaron Burr shot and killed Alexander Hamilton. Heath fired first and missed. Perry declined to return fire, satisfying the Marine's honor.[17]

Perry's return from the Mediterranean also reignited the feud with Elliott. After an exchange of angry letters, Elliott challenged Perry to a duel, which Perry refused. (While it was normally considered cowardly to refuse a duel, Perry's stature as a hero was such that no one doubted his physical courage and few felt that Perry had wrongly offended Elliott's honor.)[peacock prose] He instead, on August 8, 1818, filed formal court-martial charges against Elliott. Perry filed a total of six charges and twenty-one specifications including "conduct unbecoming an officer," and failure to "do his utmost to take or destroy the vessel of the enemy which it was his duty to encounter."[43]

Wishing to avoid a scandal between two decorated naval heroes, Secretary of the Navy Smith Thompson and President James Monroe suppressed the matter by offering Perry a diplomatic mission to South America in exchange for dropping his charges. This put an official end to the controversy, though it would continue to be debated for another quarter century.[44]

Mission to Venezuela and death

[edit]

In 1818 Perry purchased a large house on Washington Square in Newport which was built in 1750 for merchant Peter Buloid. The house remained in the Perry family until 1865 and now serves as an antique bookstore.[citation needed]

Oliver Hazard Perry
Issue of 1894
Other stamps depicting Perry

In 1819, Perry sailed for the Orinoco River, Venezuela, aboard of the frigate John Adams with the frigate Constellation and the schooner USS Nonsuch, arriving on July 15 to discourage piracy, while still maintaining friendly relations with Republic of Venezuela and the Republic of Buenos Aires. Shifting his flag to USS Nonsuch, due to its shallower draft, Perry sailed upriver to Angostura to negotiate an anti-piracy agreement with President Simón Bolívar. A favorable treaty was signed on August 11 with Vice President Francisco Antonio Zea in the absence of Bolivar (who was engaged in the liberation of New Granada), but when the schooner started downriver, many of her crew, including Perry, had been stricken with yellow fever.[45]

Despite the crew's efforts to reach Trinidad for medical assistance, the commodore died on board USS Nonsuch on August 23, 1819, his 34th birthday, as the ship entered the Gulf of Paria and was nearing Port of Spain.[46] He was buried in Port of Spain.[47]

His remains were later taken back to the United States in 1826 and interred in Newport, Rhode Island. Originally interred in the Old Common Burial Ground, his body was eventually moved to Newport's Island Cemetery.[48]

Perry Street in Savannah, Georgia, is named in his honor.[49]

Family

[edit]
Main article: The Perry Family
Commodore Oliver Perry Farm in Rhode Island
Commander John Rodgers was a great-grandnephew of Oliver Hazard Perry.

Perry married Elizabeth Champlin Mason in 1811. They had five children, four of whom lived to maturity. They were:

  1. Christopher Grant Champlin Perry (1812–1854), a physician and Brigadier General who married Murial Frances Sergeant of Philadelphia (great-granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin); their daughter Margaret Mason Perry married the artist John LaFarge.
  2. Oliver Hazard Perry II (1813–1814), who died in infancy.
  3. Oliver Hazard Perry, Jr. (1815–1878), a Lieutenant in the Navy who married Elizabeth Ann Randolph. After her death in 1847, he married Mary Ann Moseley.
  4. Christopher Raymond Perry (1816–1848), a First Lieutenant who died unmarried.
  5. Elizabeth Mason Perry (1819–1878), who married, as his second wife, the Rev. Francis Vinton, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Newport.

Perry's son Christopher Grant Champlin Perry was a physician, and served as commander of the Artillery Company of Newport from April 1848 until his death in 1854. In May 1849 he was commissioned as a Brigadier General in the Rhode Island Militia and given command of the 1st Brigade encompassing Newport and Bristol Counties.[50]

Perry's son Oliver Hazard Perry, Jr. entered the Navy as a midshipman in 1829, rose to the rank of lieutenant and resigned in 1849. He served on the United States Exploring Expedition under Captain Charles Wilkes from 1839 to 1842. Although he is buried in the same cemetery as his parents, for unknown reasons, he is not buried in the same plot with his parents.[citation needed]

Perry's son Christopher Raymond Perry graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1842. He served during the Mexican War and fought at the Battle of Palo Alto on May 8, 1846, and at the Battle of Resaca-de‑la‑Palma on May 9, 1846. He died on active duty as a 1st lieutenant in 1848.[51]

Dates of rank

[edit]

Although Perry is often referred to as "Commodore Perry," it should be kept in mind that, prior to the American Civil War, commodore was not a rank in the U.S. Navy but, rather, the title of an officer in command of a squadron of two or more ships. Perry first held the title of commodore when he took command of the Lake Erie squadron in 1813.

Assignments

[edit]
  • Midshipman, USS General Greene – April 1799 to May 1801
  • Acting Lieutenant, USS Adams – June 1802 to November 1803
  • Second Lieutenant, USS Constellation – May 1804 to July 1805
  • First Lieutenant, USS Nautilus – July 1805 to December 1805
  • Acting Lieutenant, USS Constitution – December 1805 to c. July 1806
  • Second Lieutenant, USS Essex – c. July 1806 to c. October 1806
  • Officer in Charge of Gunboat construction in Newport and Westerly, RI – October 1806 to April 1809
  • Commanding Officer, USS Revenge – April 1809 to January 1811
  • Commanding Officer, Gunboat Squadron, Newport, RI – c. 1811 to January 1813
  • Commanding Officer, Lake Erie Squadron – March 1813 to c. October 1813
  • Commanding Officer, Gunboat squadron, Newport, RI – May 1814 to July 1814
  • Commanding Officer, USS Java (under construction) – July 1814 to August 1815
  • Commanding Officer, USS Java (in commission) – August 1815 to c. May 1817
  • Senior Naval Officer, Newport, RI – c. May 1817 to May 1819
  • Commanding Officer, Venezuelan diplomatic mission – June 1819 to August 1819 (deceased)

Note – Time gaps between assignments were probably in a "waiting orders" status.

Geographical namesakes

[edit]

Many locations in the United States are named in his honor, including:

Monuments

[edit]

The national monument commemorating Perry is the Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial in the village Put-In-Bay, Ohio on South Bass Island, Ohio. Its 352 ft (107 m) tower, the world's most massive Doric column, was constructed by a multi-state commission between 1912 and 1915.[61]

Other monuments include:

  • Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial (1912–1915), Put-In-Bay, Ohio on South Bass Island
    Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial (1912–1915), Put-In-Bay, Ohio on South Bass Island
  • Oliver Hazard Perry (1860), by William Walcutt, Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial
    Oliver Hazard Perry (1860), by William Walcutt, Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial
  • Oliver Hazard Perry (1885), by William Greene Turner, Newport, Rhode Island
    Oliver Hazard Perry (1885), by William Greene Turner, Newport, Rhode Island
  • Perry Monument (1926), Presque Isle, Erie, Pennsylvania
    Perry Monument (1926), Presque Isle, Erie, Pennsylvania
  • Perry statue (1928), Rhode Island State House
    Perry statue (1928), Rhode Island State House

Paintings

[edit]
Battle of Lake Erie (1873) by William Henry Powell
Painting at the Perry Area Historical Museum in Perry, Georgia

Documentary

[edit]

In 2016, principal photography began on We Have Met the Enemy, a feature-length documentary produced by Lou Reda (Vietnam in HD, The Blue and the Gray), for a planned spring 2017 release.[71]

Eponymous ships

[edit]

Commodore Perry has been repeatedly honored with ships bearing his name.

[edit]

In 1820, Anthony Philip Heinrich wrote a song, "Ode to the Memory of Commodore O. H. Perry",[76] with words by Henry C. Lewis.

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

Bibliography

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Oliver Hazard Perry

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Oliver Hazard Perry (August 23, 1785 – August 23, 1819) was a prominent U.S. naval officer during the early , best known for commanding the American squadron to a decisive victory over the British at the on September 10, 1813, during the War of 1812. This triumph secured U.S. naval control of , prevented British incursions into the , and facilitated American advances that culminated in the recapture of and the . Perry's famous dispatch to his superior, "We have met the enemy and they are ours," became an iconic symbol of American resilience and naval success. Born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, Perry was the eldest son of Captain Christopher Raymond Perry, a Revolutionary War naval hero, and entered the U.S. Navy as a midshipman on April 7, 1799, at the age of 13. He honed his skills during the Quasi-War with France (1798–1800) and the First Barbary War (1801–1805), serving aboard ships such as the USS Adams, USS Constellation, and USS Constitution. In 1809, Perry received his first command, the schooner USS Revenge, which he captained until it foundered in a storm off Rhode Island in January 1811; a subsequent court-martial fully exonerated him of responsibility. On May 5, 1811, he married Elizabeth Champlin Mason, with whom he had five children, though one died in infancy. As the escalated, Perry was promoted to master commandant on October 6, 1812, and tasked with constructing and leading a fleet on to counter British control of the lake. Despite initial setbacks, including the capture of some vessels, his squadron engaged and captured or destroyed the entire British fleet in a hard-fought battle lasting over two hours, marking the first time a single U.S. commander had defeated an opposing squadron in its entirety. The victory elevated Perry to national hero status and earned him promotion to captain on the same day. In the war's later phases, he commanded the USS Java, contributed to the defense of , and against British raids in 1814, and led a Mediterranean cruise to enforce peace with in 1815–1816. Perry's promising career ended tragically during a diplomatic mission to Venezuela in 1819 aboard the USS John Adams, transferring to the USS Nonsuch for the Orinoco River, where he contracted yellow fever amid the tropical climate. He died on his 34th birthday, August 23, 1819, aboard the USS Nonsuch near Port of Spain, Trinidad, and was initially buried there before his remains were returned to Newport, Rhode Island, in 1826. His legacy as a key architect of American naval ascendancy in the War of 1812 endures through multiple U.S. Navy ships named in his honor, including frigates and destroyers, as well as monuments and place names across the United States that commemorate his contributions to national defense and expansion.

Early Life

Birth and Family Background

Oliver Hazard Perry was born on August 23, 1785, in , to and Sarah Wallace Alexander Perry. He was named after his uncle Oliver Hazard Perry, a lost at sea, and an ancestor from the Hazard family, reflecting the maritime influences embedded in his lineage from birth. As the eldest son in a family of five sons and three daughters, Perry grew up alongside siblings who shared the naval tradition, most notably his younger brother Matthew Calbraith Perry, who later rose to the rank of commodore and played a key role in opening to Western trade. His father, , embodied the family's seafaring heritage through his service as a captain during the , where he commanded the General Mifflin and endured multiple captures by British forces, including imprisonment on the notorious prison hulk and in Ireland. After the war, Christopher transitioned to a career as a , engaging in Rhode Island's vital maritime trade, while also serving as of the Court of Common Pleas for Washington County from 1780 to 1791, which elevated the family's social standing. Sarah Wallace Alexander Perry, a Scotch-Irish woman whom Christopher met and promised to marry while imprisoned in Ireland during the Revolution, brought resilience to the family dynamic; the couple wed in 1784 upon their return to America. Though specific seafaring ties in her immediate family are less documented, her marriage into the Perry line integrated her into Rhode Island's prominent Quaker-descended but militarily inclined community, centered around Newport and South Kingstown, where maritime commerce formed the economic backbone. The Perrys resided on a 200-acre estate in Tower Hill, underscoring their status as a well-established family with deep roots in the colony's shipping and naval pursuits, which profoundly shaped Oliver's early worldview.

Upbringing and Naval Influences

Oliver Hazard Perry was born on August 23, 1785, in , where he spent his early childhood immersed in the post-Revolutionary maritime environment of the region. , with its extensive coastline and ports like Newport and Providence, had been a hub for shipping, trade, and privateering during the , and by the 1790s, it continued to foster a vibrant seafaring culture centered on commerce and naval aspirations. Perry's family relocated to Newport around 1792 when he was about seven years old, placing him in the heart of this bustling port city, known for its recovery from wartime disruptions and growing role in international trade. Perry's education was primarily informal, shaped by local Newport schools and familial guidance rather than formal academies. His mother, Sarah Wallace Alexander Perry, taught him and his siblings to read and write, emphasizing basic literacy alongside regular attendance at Trinity Episcopal Church, where he was baptized. Complementing this, Perry engaged in self-study of navigation and seamanship, drawing inspiration from his father's accounts of naval service during the Revolution, which highlighted the skills and rigors of life at sea. The family's strong naval tradition further motivated his interests, as his father, Christopher Raymond Perry, had commanded ships in the Continental Navy. Early exposure to naval life came through close family connections, including his uncle , a officer who had been lost at sea during the , after whom was partially named alongside his paternal great-grandfather. These influences culminated in Perry's formal entry into the U.S. Navy; at age thirteen, through his father's connections, he was appointed on April 7, 1799, under President , serving aboard the USS General Greene commanded by his father. This appointment marked the transition from formative influences to , equipping him with practical knowledge gained from his upbringing.

Early Naval Career (1799–1812)

Service in the Quasi-War and Tripolitan War

Oliver Hazard Perry entered the U.S. as a on April 7, 1799, at the age of thirteen, influenced by his father's naval career as Captain . He began his active service aboard the frigate USS General Greene, commanded by his father, conducting patrols in the during the with France (1798–1800) to counter French privateers preying on American merchant shipping. Although Perry saw no major engagements during this period, the patrols provided him with early exposure to naval operations and discipline. In 1802, Perry received a promotion to acting at the age of seventeen and transferred to the USS Adams for escort duties in the . Sailing under Captain Hugh G. Campbell as part of Commodore Morris's squadron, he supported American merchant vessels amid rising tensions with the Barbary states. This assignment marked his initial involvement in the (1801–1805), also known as the Tripolitan War, where the sought to end tribute payments to North African corsairs by enforcing a naval blockade of Tripoli. Perry's service in the Tripolitan War continued across multiple vessels, including the frigates USS Constellation and USS Constitution, as well as the schooner USS Nautilus and the frigate USS Essex, contributing to the ongoing blockade efforts against Tripoli's harbor. By 1804, as an acting lieutenant, he served as first lieutenant aboard USS Nautilus during Commodore Edward Preble's squadron operations, participating in the intense bombardment of Tripoli on August 3, 1804, where American forces shelled the city's defenses and engaged Tripolitan gunboats to pressure Pasha Yusuf Karamanli into negotiations. These actions, though not resulting in immediate victory, demonstrated U.S. naval resolve and inflicted significant damage on enemy fortifications. Perry's performance during the war led to his confirmation as a full on January 15, 1807, recognizing his growing expertise in gunnery and amid the Mediterranean campaigns. Following his return to the , Perry took a and then supervised the of gunboats in , until 1809.

Command of USS Revenge and Pre-War Duties

In April 1809, Oliver Hazard Perry, then a , received his first independent command of the 14-gun USS Revenge, a vessel previously used for patrol duties in northern waters under Commodore John Rodgers. During his tenure from 1809 to 1811, Perry's primary responsibilities involved enforcing the along the U.S. Atlantic coast, which prohibited American ships from trading with foreign ports to avoid entanglement in European conflicts. These duties included conducting anti-smuggling patrols to intercept vessels attempting to evade the embargo, often in challenging coastal waters from southward; in spring 1810, Revenge underwent refitting at the before Perry sailed her to southern stations off , where the heat exacerbated his health issues from prior service. On January 9, 1811, while returning from Newport to New London through heavy fog in , Revenge struck rocks off Watch Hill Point, , due to a navigational error attributed to the ship's pilot during a routine harbor survey amid stormy conditions. The schooner was deemed a total loss after salvage efforts failed, marking a significant setback in Perry's early command career. Perry faced a court-martial shortly thereafter, a standard procedure for such incidents, but was fully exonerated, with responsibility placed on the pilot for the misjudgment. Following the , Perry resumed shore-based duties in Newport. From mid-1811 until the outbreak of the in June 1812, he oversaw the local naval yard and commanded a squadron of gunboats stationed at Newport, focusing on defensive preparations, maintenance of small craft, and initial recruiting efforts to bolster the Navy's readiness amid rising tensions with Britain. These responsibilities highlighted Perry's administrative skills during a period of relative peacetime, though he grew frustrated with the lack of active sea duty.

War of 1812

Assignment to Lake Erie Squadron

Following the outbreak of the , Oliver Hazard Perry was promoted to master commandant on October 6, 1812, while serving with the gunboat flotilla at . Shortly thereafter, he was offered command of the new 44-gun frigate USS Java, then under construction in , but in February 1813, at the request of his friend Commodore Chauncey—who oversaw U.S. naval operations on the —Perry was reassigned to build and lead a squadron on to counter British control of the waterway. This transfer leveraged Perry's prior experience commanding the schooner USS during peacetime patrols, positioning him to address the critical need for an experienced officer in the underdeveloped theater. Perry arrived in Erie, Pennsylvania, on March 26, 1813, after a grueling 11-day winter journey from , where he had been detained by Chauncey to assist with operations on . Upon arrival, he faced severe logistical hurdles in assembling the squadron, including the construction of vessels from unseasoned green timber due to material shortages and time pressures, which caused issues like leaking hulls requiring innovative lead caulking in place of traditional and pitch. The fleet ultimately comprised two brigs—the 20-gun USS Lawrence (launched May 24, 1813) and USS Niagara (launched July 4, 1813)—along with six schooners, all built at Presque Isle in just eight months under shipwright Noah Brown. Recruiting experienced sailors proved equally challenging amid the remote location and competition from other theaters; Perry initially enlisted about 40 local landsmen on short-term contracts at $10 per month, later supplementing crews with detachments from the to reach roughly 300 men by August. To integrate naval efforts with land campaigns, Perry coordinated closely with Major General , commander of U.S. forces in the Northwest, aiming to secure for supply lines and amphibious operations that would enable invasions into . This joint strategy positioned Harrison's troops near , for potential advances, with Perry providing naval gunfire support and troop transport once the squadron was operational. However, internal frictions arose with his subordinate, Master Commandant Jesse D. Elliott, who arrived in August 1813 with reinforcements but harbored resentments over Perry's overall command authority—despite Elliott's seniority in some respects—and disputes regarding resource allocation and ship assignments, such as Elliott's placement aboard the Niagara. These tensions stemmed partly from Chauncey's decisions on promotions and deployments, complicating the squadron's buildup.

Preparation and Challenges on Lake Erie

Perry's preparations on Lake Erie were marked by persistent challenges beyond initial construction. Supply lines from and were unreliable, exacerbated by harsh weather and British blockades that captured American supply schooners in early summer 1813. The use of green timber led to warped hulls and frequent repairs, while and ordnance arrived late, forcing Perry to improvise with local resources. Crew morale suffered from inexperience—many were army volunteers unaccustomed to naval discipline—and desertions were common in the isolated Presque Isle area. British raids, including the capture of the schooner in May, threatened the shipyard, prompting Perry to fortify defenses with artillery from Fort Erie. Despite these obstacles, by late August, the squadron broke through the shallow bar at Presque Isle to reach deeper waters, setting the stage for the confrontation.

Battle of Lake Erie

On September 10, 1813, off Put-in-Bay in waters on , Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry's American squadron of nine vessels—comprising the brigs Lawrence (flagship, 20 guns), Niagara (20 guns), Caledonia (3 guns), the schooners (2 guns), Ariel (4 guns), Somers (2 guns), Porcupine (2 guns), Tigress (1 gun), and the Trippe (1 gun)—totaling 54 guns and approximately 490 men, engaged the British squadron of six vessels under Captain Robert Heriot Barclay. The British force included the ships (19 guns) and Queen Charlotte (17 guns), the brig General Hunter (10 guns), the schooners Lady Prevost (13 guns) and Chippewa (2 guns), and the Little Belt (3 guns), mounting 63 guns and manned by about 440 personnel. Perry, having briefly scouted the British position earlier that morning from his anchorage at Put-in-Bay, weighed anchor around 7:00 a.m. upon sighting the enemy to the northwest and formed his line in a west-southwest direction, with Lawrence leading and Niagara in support, while ordering the smaller gunboats to follow in the van. Perry's aggressive tactics emphasized closing to short range to leverage the Lawrence's heavy carronades, despite the American fleet's disadvantage in long guns. As the opposing lines converged around noon, a favorable shift aided , allowing Perry to hoist the battle flag bearing Captain James Lawrence's motto "" and advance Lawrence directly toward the British flagship . The Lawrence endured a withering two-hour barrage from the concentrated fire of Detroit, Queen Charlotte, and supporting vessels, as Niagara, under temporary command of Jesse D. Elliott, failed to close support promptly, leaving Perry's flagship isolated. By approximately 2:30 p.m., the Lawrence was disabled, its deck a shambles with most guns out of action and over 80 percent of its crew killed or wounded, compelling Perry to transfer command temporarily to his . Seizing the moment, Perry rowed a small open boat across heavy fire to the Niagara, arriving amid the chaos and immediately assuming command to rally the crew. This transfer marked the turning point: under Perry's direct leadership, the Niagara surged forward, passing through a gap in the disorganized British line where Detroit and Queen Charlotte had collided while maneuvering. The Niagara delivered devastating double-shotted broadsides at pistol range, raking the British vessels from stern to stern and causing pandemonium among Barclay's squadron, which had already suffered significant damage and crew losses. Supported by the smaller American gunboats closing in, Perry's maneuver shattered the British formation, leading Barclay—wounded in the leg and arm—to strike his colors around 3:00 p.m., with the entire squadron surrendering shortly thereafter by 4:00 p.m. The battle resulted in American casualties of 27 killed and 96 wounded, a total of 123, with the Lawrence accounting for the majority at 22 killed and 61 wounded. British losses were heavier, with 41 killed and 94 wounded—totaling 135 casualties—plus 306 captured, including Barclay and most officers. All six British vessels were captured intact by the Americans, securing complete control of for the .

Victory Dispatch and "Don't Give Up the Ship" Flag

Following the American victory in the on September 10, 1813, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry immediately composed a concise dispatch to , commander of the Army of the Northwest, reporting the outcome. The message, scribbled on the back of an old envelope, read: "Dear General: We have met the enemy and they are ours. Two Ships, two Brigs, one & one . Yours with great respect and esteem, O H Perry." Delivered by a on horseback who rode approximately 60 miles through rough terrain to reach Harrison at Camp Supply near the mouth of the , the dispatch arrived on September 12 and was quickly forwarded to . This brief communication electrified the nation, arriving at a time when American forces had suffered setbacks elsewhere in the , and it significantly boosted public morale by announcing control over and the capture of the entire British squadron. Central to Perry's command during the engagement was the battle flag flown from the masthead of his flagship, USS Lawrence, bearing the bold white inscription "DON'T GIVE UP THE SHIP" on a field of blue. Inspired by the dying words of Captain James Lawrence, who uttered the phrase aboard USS Chesapeake during its defeat by HMS Shannon on June 1, 1813, the flag served as a powerful rallying symbol for Perry's squadron as it faced overwhelming odds. The original flag, measuring approximately 9 by 9 feet, was hastily sewn in early August 1813 by a group of local women in Erie, Pennsylvania, including Margaret Forster Steuart and six others—Dorcas Forster Bell, Jane Bell, Elizabeth Bell, Elizabeth Rachel Forster, Mary Theodosia Forster, and Catherine Ann Forster—who worked under the direction of Steuart using white cotton sheeting for the letters and a blue woolen blanket for the background. As the Lawrence became disabled and raked by British fire, Perry lowered the flag and transferred it to the brig USS Niagara, where it continued to fly, symbolizing unyielding resolve until the British surrendered; the banner emerged unscathed from the battle and was immediately recognized as an emblem of triumph. The dispatch and flag rapidly captured the public imagination, amplifying Perry's heroism through widespread newspaper coverage and celebrations across the . By late September 1813, accounts of the , including excerpts of Perry's message, appeared in major publications such as the Niles' Weekly Register and the New-York Evening Post, which hailed it as a "glorious " that restored national confidence and inspired patriotic fervor, with poems and toasts dedicated to Perry circulating in cities from Boston to Philadelphia. The , too, became an instant icon, carried in parades in Erie and later presented to Perry as a personal memento before its eventual donation to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1907, where it remains on display as a testament to the battle's symbolic legacy. These elements not only commemorated the strategic success but also unified American sentiment amid the ongoing war.

Perry–Elliott Controversy

Following the Battle of Lake Erie on September 10, 1813, a contentious dispute arose between Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry and his subordinate, Master Commandant Jesse D. Elliott, over Elliott's conduct during the engagement. Elliott, commanding the brig USS Niagara, held his vessel at a distance from the main action for approximately 90 minutes, adhering to Perry's initial line-of-battle formation despite the heavy damage to Perry's flagship, USS Lawrence; he only advanced aggressively after Perry transferred to the Niagara and assumed direct command. Elliott's supporters later claimed his timely intervention with the Niagara and smaller gunboats turned the tide, saving the American squadron from defeat. In his official dispatch dated September 13, 1813, Perry initially commended Elliott, stating that he was "enabled to bring the Niagara... into action," though the phrasing subtly implied reluctance on Elliott's part. Privately, however, Perry soon expressed frustration in letters criticizing Elliott's inaction and hesitation, which he believed prolonged the battle and endangered the fleet. The feud escalated publicly between 1818 and 1819, fueled by Elliott's accusations of defamation against Perry through circulated letters and affidavits; Perry responded by filing formal charges against Elliott in August 1818, alleging cowardice and disobedience, which were published posthumously in 1821. This exchange of pamphlets and personal attacks drew in prominent naval figures and divided loyalties within the officer corps. Naval investigations addressed the claims in two key proceedings. A 1814–1815 court of inquiry, prompted by British allegations of American misconduct, cleared Elliott of any wrongdoing in withdrawing from action, affirming his contributions to the victory. A subsequent 1818 board, convened amid the renewed feud, ultimately vindicated Perry by upholding his authority and criticizing Elliott's delays, though President suppressed further proceedings to prevent scandal. These outcomes bolstered Perry's reputation as the battle's decisive leader, leading to rapid promotions and honors, while tarnishing Elliott's career; he faced stalled advancements and no eponymous ships, unlike Perry. The Perry–Elliott controversy had lasting implications for U.S. Navy command culture, exposing tensions over subordinate initiative, loyalty, and credit in joint operations, and fostering rival factions that influenced promotions and public perceptions for decades.

Awards and Immediate Recognition

The Battle of Lake Erie victory brought Perry swift recognition. On September 10, 1813—the day of the battle—Secretary of the Navy William Jones promoted him to captain, a rank he held until his death. Congress expressed its thanks in a on January 15, 1814, and awarded Perry a on February 4, 1814, honoring his "skill and intrepidity." Similar medals were given to key subordinates like Elliott and officers of the squadron. Nationally, Perry was hailed as a ; cities from New York to New Orleans hosted parades and banquets, and his dispatch was reprinted widely, cementing his status. The victory also earned him command of the captured British ships temporarily, aiding repairs before his reassignment.

Later Career and Commands

Command of USS Java and Post-War Operations

Following the end of the , Oliver Hazard Perry's renown from the secured him command of the newly constructed 44-gun frigate USS , launched on August 1, 1814, by shipbuilders Flannigan & Parsons in , though not completed until after the war. Perry was assigned command in July 1814, while the vessel was still under , and it was partially fitted out for defensive preparations during the of the Chesapeake region in late summer 1814, though it did not see combat before the . Under his , Java got underway from on August 5, 1815, stopping at for rigging and New York for additional stores before proceeding to , where Perry assumed full operational control with a completed crew. In January 1816, Java embarked on an extended Mediterranean cruise to protect American commerce, suppress Barbary piracy, and enforce diplomatic agreements with North African states. The ship departed Newport on January 22, 1816, but encountered tragedy en route when its mainmast snapped during a gale, killing five sailors and injuring others, an incident that tested Perry's leadership in maintaining crew morale amid the hazards of post-war naval operations. Arriving in the Mediterranean, Java visited key ports including Syracuse, Messina, Palermo, Tunis, and Gibraltar; in April 1816, Perry went ashore at Algiers under a flag of truce to persuade Dey Omar Pasha to honor the recent U.S. treaty obligations, demonstrating American naval resolve without resorting to force. During a stop in Naples, tensions arose when Perry slapped Marine Captain John Heath over a disciplinary dispute involving Heath's treatment of subordinates, leading to mutual courts-martial in October 1816; both officers received only mild reprimands, though the incident highlighted Perry's strict standards for crew discipline. The cruise concluded with Java returning to U.S. waters in early 1817, where it was decommissioned and laid up at the Boston Navy Yard. Upon his return to Newport in early 1817, Perry shifted to shore-based duties that integrated his family responsibilities with naval obligations, residing with his wife, Elizabeth Champlin Mason—whom he had married in —and their growing family of five children, one of whom had died in infancy. Amid the peacetime of the U.S. Navy, which saw significant reductions in personnel and funding after , Perry's prior promotion to in September 1813 positioned him for continued service on half-pay status, though advancement opportunities were limited by budget constraints and the shift to a smaller, defensive fleet. The post-war era also brought minor controversies for Perry, particularly regarding crew discipline and resource allocation during the Navy's contraction; the Heath incident lingered, culminating in a challenge from the officer on October 19, 1817, at the site of the Burr-Hamilton affair, which Perry resolved by refusing to fire after Heath missed his shot. Additionally, disputes over provisioning and manning during its outfitting reflected broader challenges in reallocating scarce resources in a downsized service, though Perry's reputation generally shielded him from severe repercussions.

Second Barbary War Involvement

Shortly after the end of the , the United States authorized naval action against on March 3, 1815, in response to renewed and the capture of American merchant vessels, prompting Commodore to lead a squadron that blockaded and bombarded on August 17, 1815, forcing a that secured the release of and ended demands. Although Java was not ready to join Decatur's immediate operations, Perry, from , , wrote a letter on , 1815, congratulating a correspondent on the "successful termination of the Algerine War" and praising Decatur as a "gallant, and good friend" for his leadership in the victory. Java departed Newport, Rhode Island, for the Mediterranean on January 22, 1816, under Perry's command, joining the U.S. naval presence to enforce the peace treaty with Algiers signed the previous summer. By April 1816, the frigate had arrived off Algiers, where Perry went ashore under a flag of truce to confront Dey Omar Pasha directly; he successfully persuaded the Dey to honor the treaty, which the Algerians had begun ignoring, thereby preventing renewed hostilities and demonstrating U.S. resolve without further combat. This diplomatic intervention, supported by the squadron's show of force—including visits to Tripoli alongside USS Constellation, Ontario, and Erie—helped stabilize the region and protect American commerce from Barbary threats in the war's aftermath. Perry's enforcement actions through 1816 contributed to the lasting resolution of Barbary threats following the swift Second Barbary War.

Domestic Assignments and Ongoing Controversies

After returning from the Mediterranean in early 1817, Perry took up residence in Newport, Rhode Island, on half-pay status, where he focused on family life and local community involvement while remaining available for naval duties. During this period, he managed household affairs and corresponded with naval colleagues, amid the Navy's post-war reductions that limited active assignments. Ongoing controversies from earlier service persisted, including the with Marine Captain John Heath on October 19, 1817, stemming from their 1816 altercation aboard . Heath challenged Perry, but after Heath's shot missed, Perry declined to fire, resolving the matter without fatalities. Additionally, disputes over 's provisioning and manning during its extended outfitting highlighted resource strains in the downsized , though Perry faced no formal penalties. The Perry–Elliott controversy from the also lingered, with acrimonious letters exchanged and a proposed in 1818 ultimately suppressed by President to avoid further division in the officer corps. These years of relative quiet ended in 1819 when Perry received orders for a to .

Mission to Venezuela and Death

Diplomatic Escort Duties

In June 1819, Secretary of the Navy Smith Thompson ordered Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry to assume command of the USS John Adams and lead a special diplomatic mission to , with the objective of establishing friendly relations with the revolutionary government, securing restitution for U.S. vessels captured by privateers, and curbing attacks on American commerce amid the ongoing wars of independence against . This assignment leveraged Perry's reputation as a seasoned naval , including his recent experience leading the USS Java in post-War of operations. The mission reflected the United States' emerging policy of supporting Latin American independence from colonial rule, a stance that sought to protect U.S. trade interests while countering European intervention, principles later enshrined in the Monroe Doctrine of 1823. Perry served as the primary U.S. agent, tasked with negotiating directly with representatives of Simón Bolívar's government in the nascent Republic of Colombia. In Angostura, Perry successfully negotiated and signed a treaty on August 11, 1819, with Venezuelan Vice President Francisco Antonio Zea, addressing U.S. demands for restitution and commerce protection. Perry departed Annapolis, Maryland, on June 7, 1819 aboard the John Adams, accompanied by the schooner USS Nonsuch for additional firepower and support. The squadron navigated the Caribbean amid regional instability, providing naval protection against Spanish privateers and revolutionary forces that preyed on merchant shipping. By mid-July, they arrived off the mouth of the Orinoco River, where Perry transferred to the Nonsuch to ascend the waterway toward Angostura (modern Ciudad Bolívar), the provisional capital, while the John Adams anchored nearby to maintain a defensive posture. This escort role ensured the safety of the diplomatic party during the hazardous journey through contested waters.

Illness, Death, and Burial

During the return leg of his diplomatic mission to , Oliver Hazard Perry contracted while descending the River aboard the USS Nonsuch, where he had shifted his flag for negotiations. Symptoms began on August 17, 1819, when he awoke at 4:00 a.m. with chills and a high fever, his condition rapidly deteriorating over the following days. Despite the frantic efforts of the crew, including care from the ship's surgeon and officers, to reach medical aid in , Trinidad, Perry succumbed to the disease on August 23, 1819, at 3:00 p.m.—coinciding with his 34th birthday—just a few miles from the port. The outbreak also affected 20 crew members, five of whom died. Perry's body was buried with full military honors at Lapeyrouse Cemetery in shortly after his death, with the Nonsuch crew serving as honor guard under the direction of local authorities. In 1826, following an , his remains were exhumed and transported aboard the USS Lexington to , for reburial at Island Cemetery, where a was erected in his memory. The news of Perry's death elicited immediate mourning within the U.S. Navy, where he was hailed as a hero of the , and profound grief among his family. His widow, Elizabeth Champlin Mason Perry, along with his brother and other relatives, received detailed accounts of his final days through correspondence, reflecting their deep personal loss.

Personal Life

Marriage and Family

Oliver Hazard Perry married Elizabeth Champlin Mason on May 5, 1811, in , where she was a twenty-year-old daughter of Dr. Benjamin Mason and Margaret Champlin Mason. The couple's union supported Perry's naval career, as Elizabeth managed family affairs during his extended absences at sea, including during the . Their marriage produced five children, with the family primarily residing in Newport, where Perry owned property on Touro Street and the Perry brothers maintained a home at 31 Walnut Street. The children were Christopher Grant Champlin Perry (born 1812), Oliver Hazard Perry II (born 1813, died in infancy), Oliver Hazard Perry Jr. (born 1815), Elizabeth Mason Perry (born 1818), and Robert Smith Perry (born 1819). One child died in infancy and another in childhood, with three surviving to adulthood. Family movements were closely tied to Perry's postings; while he served on and later commands, Elizabeth and the children remained in Newport, with occasional relocations to ports like New York during his domestic assignments. Perry's correspondence with Elizabeth and the children highlighted deep familial affection amid his professional demands. For instance, following his victory at the in 1813, he wrote a heartfelt letter to Elizabeth from expressing love and longing for home. These letters, preserved in collections such as those at the University of Michigan's William L. Clements Library, reveal Perry's role as a devoted husband and father, balancing naval duties with personal bonds. The sons pursued careers influenced by their father's legacy. Christopher Grant Perry became a physician and lawyer in Newport and , serving as commander of the Artillery Company of Newport from 1845 until his death in 1854. Oliver Hazard Perry Jr. followed a naval path, entering the U.S. as a in 1829, rising to , and resigning in 1849 after service on vessels including the Falmouth. Robert Smith Perry also entered the , serving as a and later achieving the rank of passed before pursuing civilian interests as a clergyman. Elizabeth led a private life in Newport before her early death. The family received congressional pensions after Perry's death to support the widow and minors.

Health Issues and Personal Correspondence

Oliver Hazard Perry experienced recurring health challenges that began during his early naval service, particularly while commanding the schooner USS Revenge from 1809 to 1811 in southern waters to enforce the Embargo Act of 1807. The intense heat and humidity of these patrols, combined with a severe in June 1810 that damaged the vessel en route to , left Perry plagued by illness, contributing to his overall physical vulnerability. These early exposures to harsh conditions and stress during the weakened his constitution, making him susceptible to tropical diseases later in his career. Perry's vulnerability culminated in a fatal bout of during his 1819 diplomatic mission to aboard the USS Nonsuch. On August 17, 1819, while navigating the River, Perry contracted the disease amid an outbreak that afflicted several crew members, resulting in five deaths. Despite rapid deterioration and efforts by the crew to reach medical care in , Trinidad, he succumbed on August 23, 1819—his 34th birthday—at 3:00 p.m. Perry's personal correspondence offers intimate glimpses into his inner life, ambitions, and doubts, preserved in archival collections such as the Oliver Hazard Perry papers at the University of Michigan's William L. Clements Library and the Correspondence of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry at . Letters to his wife, Elizabeth Champlin Perry, express profound devotion and concern for family welfare, particularly during separations caused by naval duties in and beyond. Correspondence with his father, , and brother, , reveals his career aspirations, including hopes for key commands, alongside frustrations with naval politics and bureaucratic obstacles that hindered promotions. These writings, spanning 1807 to 1819, highlight his determination to advance in the Navy despite personal setbacks. Among Perry's notable letters, his September 10, 1813, dispatch to Major General William Henry Harrison following the Battle of Lake Erie—"We have met the enemy and they are ours"—captures his triumph but also underscores the personal stakes of command in private reflections. In correspondence to Secretary of the Navy William Jones, such as the September 1813 letter defending his actions and critiquing subordinate Jesse D. Elliott amid post-battle controversies, Perry articulated his commitment to naval discipline and fairness. Personal letters to family further expose his ambitions for lasting naval legacy and occasional doubts about the service's demands on his health and home life. Historians value Perry's correspondence as primary sources for illuminating his character—resilient yet introspective—and his perspectives on the early U.S. , including critiques of inefficiency and calls for reform amid the stresses of the era. These documents, often tender and candid, contrast with his public image as a decisive , providing a nuanced view of the personal toll of service.

Legacy

Military Ranks and Service Record

Oliver Hazard Perry's naval career spanned from 1799 to 1819, encompassing approximately 20 years of active service, including sea duty, shore assignments, and combat engagements during the with France, the , the , and the Second Barbary War. His service record highlights include over a decade of cumulative sea time, participation in multiple naval engagements such as blockades and fleet actions, and supervisory roles in ship construction and organization. Perry received the following chronological promotions in the U.S. Navy:
DateRankNotes
April 7, 1799Initial warrant; entry into naval service.
January 15, 1807Promotion following service in early conflicts.
October 6, 1812Master CommandantAdvanced amid escalating tensions.
September 10, 1813Highest permanent rank achieved; equivalent to modern in precedence until 1862.
Key assignments included:
  • 1799–1801: Midshipman aboard USS General Greene under his father, Captain Christopher R. Perry, during initial patrols.
  • 1800–1803: Service on USS Adams, , and in the and early Mediterranean operations.
  • 1803–1805: Duty on * and * during the , including blockade and convoy duties.
  • 1806–1809: Shore duty supervising gunboat construction in Rhode Island and Connecticut; brief leave in 1806–1807.
  • April 1809–January 1811: Command of schooner USS Revenge for embargo enforcement patrols in northern and southern waters; vessel wrecked in 1811, Perry exonerated by court-martial.
  • May 1812–February 1813: Command of gunboat squadron at Newport, Rhode Island, at the outset of the War of 1812.
  • February 1813–October 1813: Command of the Lake Erie Squadron, overseeing construction and operations.
  • November 1813–June 1814: Return to Newport gunboat flotilla duties.
  • July 1814–1816: Command of frigate USS Java during construction, defense of coastal cities, and Mediterranean cruise against Barbary threats.
  • 1816–1819: Various shore and administrative duties, including recruitment and squadron oversight.
  • June–August 1819: Command of sloop-of-war USS John Adams for diplomatic escort to Venezuela, transferring to schooner USS Nonsuch for riverine duties.
Although Perry's official rank remained at death, he was accorded the courtesy title of Commodore during wartime commands and later honors, reflecting his seniority in squadron without formal brevet promotion.

Namesakes and Honors

Several U.S. vessels have been named in honor of Oliver Hazard Perry for his in the . The Oliver Hazard Perry-class of guided-missile frigates, comprising 51 ships built between 1976 and 1983 with the lead ship USS Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG-7) commissioned in 1977, was specifically named after him. Earlier examples include the Clemson-class USS Perry (DD-340), first commissioned in 1922 and sunk in action in 1944 during , and the USS Perry, commissioned in 1843. Numerous geographical locations across the bear Perry's name in recognition of his naval achievements. Perry County, Ohio, was established in 1818 and named for Perry following his victory on . Similarly, Perry County in was created in 1820 and named after the commodore. Towns such as Perryville, , founded in 1815 and incorporated in 1867, and Perryville, Missouri, part of Perry County established in 1821, were also named in his honor. Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial in Put-in-Bay, Ohio, was authorized by Congress in 1913 and dedicated in 1915 to commemorate his decisive 1813 triumph and the subsequent peace between the U.S., Britain, and . Educational institutions have similarly paid tribute to Perry. Perry Traditional Academy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, adopted the mascot "Commodore" in reference to Perry's rank and legacy. Other examples include Perry High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and in , located in communities named for him. Perry received the on January 6, 1814, from the 13th for his "decisive and glorious victory" on , with replicas later produced by the U.S. Mint as restrikes. In 2013, the U.S. Mint issued a quarter-dollar coin as part of the Program, featuring Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial on the reverse to honor his contributions to American naval history.

Monuments, Art, and Cultural Depictions

Prominent monuments to Perry include the Perry Monument in Touro Park, , a dedicated in 1915 by the Grand Army of the Republic to honor his service. Another key site is the statue of Perry at the Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial in , depicting him in naval uniform and symbolizing the victory. Artistic depictions feature Perry in historical paintings, such as Bass Otis's 1813 portrait showing him in uniform post-Lake Erie, held by the Newport Historical Society. William H. Powell's 1865 painting "Battle of Lake Erie" illustrates Perry transferring to the USS Niagara, now at the . In popular culture, Perry appears in like James Fenimore Cooper's naval histories and on U.S. postage stamps, including a 1938 issue commemorating the . He is portrayed in films such as Cecil B. DeMille's The Buccaneer (1958), emphasizing his heroism.

Modern Scholarship and Discoveries

In the early , naval historian Charles O. Paullin compiled and edited a comprehensive collection of primary documents in 1918, including previously unpublished letters, to reevaluate the longstanding controversy between and Captain Jesse D. Elliott over command decisions during the . Paullin's work, drawing on records and personal correspondence, highlighted Elliott's delayed engagement while affirming Perry's overall leadership, influencing subsequent interpretations of the dispute. Archaeological efforts in the have shed new light on Perry's early career through the investigation of the USS wreck. In 2011, a collaborative team of archaeologists and divers used to locate the remains of the , which Perry commanded and which sank off , in 1811 during a storm. By 2017, the U.S. Navy recovered a from the site, with metallurgical analysis and historical comparisons confirming its origin from the Revenge, providing of Perry's pre-War of 1812 operations and the vessel's details. These dives and surveys have validated eyewitness accounts of the wrecking, enhancing understanding of the hazards faced by early American naval vessels on the Atlantic coast. Recent scholarship from the 2000s and 2010s has revisited the through interdisciplinary approaches, incorporating British archival records and computer-based tactical simulations to analyze Perry's maneuvers. Edited volumes such as David Curtis Skaggs's 2012 reassessment compile essays that debate Perry's strategic boldness, particularly his mid-battle transfer from the damaged Lawrence to the Niagara, which simulations show was pivotal in breaking the British line despite initial American disadvantages in firepower and wind positioning. These studies, leveraging declassified logs, emphasize how Perry's aggressive tactics secured control of the lake, contrasting with earlier hagiographic narratives by quantifying the battle's contingency on leadership decisions. Despite these advances, significant gaps persist in modern analyses of Perry's life and influence. Limited studies explore his personal views on anti-slavery, though family connections to Rhode Island's slave-trading networks, such as through intermarriages with the , suggest complex regional attitudes that Perry navigated in his correspondence. Similarly, research on Perry's direct and their contributions to U.S. territorial expansion remains sparse, overlooking how members, including his brother Matthew C. Perry's expeditions, built on Oliver's legacy in advancing American naval reach. As of 2025, no major new discoveries have emerged, but the maintains ongoing historical research and preservation efforts at Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial, including site surveys and interpretive programs focused on the battle's broader context.

References

  1. https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/people/historical-figures/oliver-hazard-perry.html
  2. https://www.nps.gov/people/oliver-hazard-perry.htm
  3. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/research-guides/z-files/zb-files/zb-files-p/perry-oliver-h.html
  4. https://www.nps.gov/pevi/learn/news/national-park-honors-oliver-hazard-perry.htm
  5. https://www.rihs.org/commodore-oliver-hazard-perry/
  6. https://allthingsliberty.com/2016/01/did-oliver-hazard-perrys-father-kill-a-quaker/
  7. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/23376111/christopher_raymond-perry
  8. http://navalwarcollegemuseum.blogspot.com/2010/07/perry-family-of-newport.html
  9. https://www.riheritagehalloffame.com/commodore-oliver-perry/
  10. https://www.nps.gov/pevi/learn/historyculture/perry.htm
  11. https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1954/july/commodore-oliver-hazard-perry-newport-rhode-island
  12. https://newporthistory.org/about/newport-history/
  13. https://www.dartmouth.edu/library/digital/collections/manuscripts/perry/footnotetour.html
  14. https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/wars-conflicts-and-operations/barbary-wars.html
  15. https://www.history.navy.mil/about-us/leadership/director/directors-corner/h-grams/h-gram-089/h-089-1.html
  16. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/u/uss-constitutions-battle-record0/bombardment-of-tripoli-1804.html
  17. https://study.com/academy/lesson/commodore-oliver-hazard-perry-quotes-biography.html
  18. https://www.thoughtco.com/commodore-oliver-hazard-perry-2361132
  19. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/underwater-archaeology/sites-and-projects/ship-wrecksites/uss-revenge.html
  20. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/b/battle-of-lake-erie-building-the-fleet-in-the-wilderness.html
  21. https://navyhistory.org/battle-of-lake-erie-building-the-fleet-in-the-wilderness/
  22. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/l/lawrence-i.html
  23. https://www.nps.gov/pevi/learn/historyculture/battle_erie_detail.htm
  24. https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1913/september/battle-lake-erie-september-10-1813
  25. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/war-1812/battles/battle-lake-erie
  26. https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1978/february/eyewitness-account-battle-lake-erie
  27. https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2013/09/10/a-signal-victory-the-battle-of-lake-erie/
  28. https://www.nps.gov/articles/met-the-enemy-4.htm
  29. https://www.eriemaritimemuseum.org/blog/erie-maritime-museum-honors-the-flagmakers
  30. https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2014/january/aftermath-victory-perry-elliott-controversy
  31. https://johnmaynard.net/Elliott.pdf
  32. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/j/java.html
  33. https://www.nps.gov/pevi/learn/historyculture/perry3.htm
  34. https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/library/manuscripts/p-r/captain-oliver-hazard-perry-autograph-letter-signed-and-dated-3-september-1815-uss-java-hampton.html
  35. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/j/john-adams-frigate-i.html
  36. https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/newporthistory/vol57/iss193/1/
  37. https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1932/november/adams-men-war
  38. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/n/nonsuch.html
  39. https://newporthistory.org/history-bytes-final-resting-place-of-oliver-hazard-perry/
  40. https://findingaids.lib.umich.edu/catalog/umich-wcl-M-1391per
  41. https://www.newportrestoration.org/properties/31-walnut-street/
  42. https://www.oakauctions.com/An_Extraordinary_Archive_of_Commodore_Oliver_Hazar-LOT10402.aspx
  43. https://americanaristocracy.com/people/christopher-grant-champlin-perry
  44. https://americanaristocracy.com/people/oliver-hazard-perry-1
  45. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-3/pdf/STATUTE-3-Pg623.pdf
  46. https://www.library.dartmouth.edu/digital/digital-collections/correspondence-commodore-oliver-hazard-perry
  47. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/o/officers-continental-usnavy-mc-1775-1900/navy-officers-1798-1900-p.html
  48. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/o/oliver-hazard-perry-ffg-7.html
  49. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/p/perry-ii.html
  50. https://development.ohio.gov/about-us/research/county/perry
  51. https://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bah/dam/rg/di/IncorporationDatesForMunicipalities/pdfs/perry.pdf
  52. https://www.kyatlas.com/ky-perryville.html
  53. https://www.nps.gov/pevi/learn/historyculture/pevi-memorial.htm
  54. https://www.pghschools.org/schools/9-12/perry
  55. https://www.perryville.k12.mo.us/o/phs
  56. https://history.house.gov/Institution/Gold-Medal/Gold-Medal-Recipients/
  57. https://www.usmint.gov/learn/coins-and-medals/circulating-coins/quarter/america-the-beautiful-quarters/perrys-victory-and-international-peace-memorial
  58. https://www.ohiostatehouse.org/visitor/about/fine-art-collection
  59. https://www.si.edu/object/siris_sil_1102900
  60. https://www.berkshireeagle.com/news/local/james-dewolf-perry-reveals-a-family-connection-to-the-american-slave-trade/article_95dc8561-0891-544f-a2cf-d9b7b276ac03.html
  61. https://www.newportri.com/story/entertainment/arts/2013/07/06/pieces-history/12753753007/
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