The Perry Monument

[Further]

[Ralphie ★]

Presque Isle is very pretty!

[Kzoo]

Been there done that.

[sheep_herder ★]

Sorry, I first read that as Perry moment, and thought you were going to post about rock stars.  Thanks for the information and nice photos.

[Kzoo]

Oliver Hazard Perry. Best middle name in naval history.

[Prophet Zacharia]

The British originally didn’t realize that Presque Isle bay existed, they thought it was a river entering into the lake. That allowed the construction of Perry’s fleet to occur without interruption.

[Prophet Zacharia]

[Prophet Zacharia]

[Kzoo]

I used to have an apartment right about there.

Presentation2.pptx

[maddmaxx ★]

8 hours ago, Kzoo said:

Oliver Hazard Perry. Best middle name in naval history.

Damn.

[donkpow]

The area includes Misery Bay and Graveyard Pond.

[MickinMD ★]

Somewhere in my book collection, I have a one-volume abridged edition of Henry Adam's 9 volume "History of the United States During the Administrations of Jefferson and Madison," focusing on his great account of the War of 1812 - considered the definitive work and a lot more objective and less glorified than more modern versions and Adams knew many of the people he wrote about since he was the grandson of John Quincy Adams, who signed the treaty that ended the War of 1812 for the USA.

The complete 9 volume work, now copyright expired and legally free, can be found for free at the following link in Kindle (mobi), ePub, and pdf file formats: https://archive.org/search.php?query=History of the United States of America Henry Adams

The list has a lot of duplication and is confusing.  Note that Vol's 1-2 are Jefferson's 1st Admin, 3-4 are Jefferson's 2nd Admin, 5-6 are Madison's 1st Admin, 7-9 (covering the War of 1812) are Madison's 2nd Admin. Some of the titles show as, for example, "...the 2nd Admin. of Madison Vol. 1," which corresponds to Vol 8 in the 1-9 list. There are also other works including a History of the USA outside of Jefferson and Madison.  The collected Jefferson and Madison Admin's works of Adams can also be bought as very-good quality used books from Amazon for about $6 each including shipping.

Adams wasn't too impressed with Perry's flotilla, though he was impressed with Perry's plans and bravery.  Here are some excerpts about the Battle of Lake Erie:

"In other respects Perry's superiority was decided, as it was meant to be. The Americans had thirty-nine thirty-two pound carronades ; the British had not a gun of 1 Barclay's Report of Sept. 12, 1813 ; James, Naval Occurrences. Appendix, no. 54. that weight, and only fifteen twenty-four pound carronades. The lightest guns on the American fleet were eight long twelve-pounders, while twenty-four of the British guns threw only nine-pound shot, or less. The American broadside threw at close range about nine hundred pounds of metal; the British threw about four hundred and sixty. At long range the Americans threw two hundred and eighty-eight pounds of metal; the British threw one hundred and ninety-five pounds.

Between forces so matched, victory ought not to have been in doubt; and if it was so, the fault certainly lay not in Perry. When, at daylight September 10 [1813], his look-out discovered the British fleet, Perry got his own squadron under way, and came down with a light wind from the southeast against Barclay's line, striking it obliquely near the head. Perry must have been anxious to fight at close range, where his superiority was as two to one, while at long range his ship could use only two long twelve-pounders against the " Detroit's " six twelves, one eighteen, and two twenty-fours,

Finding their fire very destructive, owing to their long guns, and its being mostly directed to the ' Lawrence,' I made sail (at quarter-past twelve) and directed the other vessels to follow, for the purpose of closing with the enemy. Every brace and bowline being 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-shot distance, until every gun was rendered useless, and a greater part of the crew either killed or wounded. Finding she could no longer annoy the enemy, I left her in charge of Lieutenant Yarnall,

From this reticent report, any careful reader could see that for some reason, not so distinctly given as would have been the case if the wind alone were at fault, the action had been very badly fought on the American side. The British official account confirmed the impression given by Perry. Barclay's story was as well told as his action was well fought:

The American commodore, seeing that as yet the day was against him, . . . made a noble and, alas! too successful an effort to regain it; for he bore up, and supported by his small vessels, passed within pistol-shot and took a raking position on our bow. . . . The weather-gage gave the enemy a prodigious advantage, as it enabled them not only to choose their position, but their distance also, which they [the * Caledonia,' * Niagara,' and the gunboats] did in such a manner as to prevent the carronades of the ' Queen Charlotte' and ' Lady Prevost' from having much effect, while their long ones did great execution, particularly against the 'Queen Charlotte.'"

Certainly the advantage in this respect on the side of the American brig and gunboats was enormous; but these tactics threw the " Niagara," which had not the same excuse, out of the battle, leaving her, from twelve o'clock till half-past two, firing only two twelve-pound guns, while her heavy armament was useless, and might as well have been left ashore. Worse than this, the persistence of the " Caledonia," "Niagara," and their gunboats in keeping beyond range of their enemies' carronades nearly lost the battle, by allowing the British to concentrate on the "Lawrence" all their heavy guns, and in the end compelling the " Lawrence " to strike. On all these points no reasonable doubt could exist. The two reports were the only official sources of information on which an opinion as to the merits of the action could properly be founded."

-Henry Adams, History of the United States during the 2nd Administration of James Madison, Vol. 1.

[Kzoo]

4 hours ago, donkpow said:

The area includes Misery Bay and Graveyard Pond.

Misery Bay and Horseshoe Bay are great ice fishing locations.

[Prophet Zacharia]

1 hour ago, Kzoo said:

Misery Bay and Horseshoe Bay are great ice fishing locations.

I think the floating homes on Horseshoe Bay are really interesting. Obviously withdrawn in the winter.

[Kzoo]

16 minutes ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

I think the floating homes on Horseshoe Bay are really interesting. Obviously withdrawn in the winter.

As I remember they have been there for years.  I haven't been back since '90.  I plan on going back for a couple days this fall.