The_Battle_Of_Lake_Erie

The Battle Of Lake Erie THE BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE ‘We have met the enemy and they are ours”. (Millette 107) This famous quotation refers to a Battle that was more important than winning just a battle, it meant winning back the control of the Great Lakes. Whoever controlled the lake had a fastermode of troop transport and keeping troops supplied. (Coles 120) The Americans and the British each inaugurated a vigorous program to build a squadron on Lake Erie. The Americans moved their naval base from Black Rock to Erie, Pa, where a long, sandy island called Presque Isle protected a shallow bay. (Coles 123) In February 1813, Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry was selected to command the squadron being built. (Millette 107) The British Navy had taken control of the Great Lakes, and it allowed the British toops to take control of Fort Dearborn, Detroit, and other land south of the Great Lakes. (Garraty 190) Perry spent several months at Presque Isle, at Erie, Pa. Here, Daniel Dobbins and other ship builders worked feverishly to build a fleet of ships suitable for challenging the British. Materials were taken locally and shipped in from various points on the East Coast, a british, perry, coles, long, battle, barclay, vessels, ships, millette, erie, enemy, taken, squadron, seaman, sailed, lakes, lake, great, control, americans, after, detroit, winning, two, take, six, short, ship, september, robert, range, presque, pa, out