Oliver Hazard Perry defeats the British squadron on Lake Erie

Background. In late 1812, Secretary of the Navy Paul Hamilton received intelligence from Daniel Dobbins regarding British forces on Lake Erie. Commodore Isaac Chauncey, appointed to command naval forces on the Great Lakes, approved Dobbins's actions in January 1813. Secretary William Jones ordered the construction of two brig-rigged corvettes at Presque Isle, transferring shipwright Noah Brown to oversee the work.

Prelude to Battle. At the start of the war, the British Royal Navy controlled the Great Lakes except for Lake Huron. Perry first held the title of commodore when he took command of the Lake Erie squadron in 1813. British supplies for Barclay had to be carried overland from York because Americans controlled Lake Ontario and occupied the Niagara Peninsula in early 1813.

Aftermath. Following the battle, wounded individuals were ferried to Erie, and Lawrence was restored to service for 1814, though British ships were reduced to hulks. The victory accounted for American successes on the Niagara Peninsula in 1814 and removed the threat of British attacks on Ohio, Pennsylvania, or Western New York. Perry received a Congressional Gold Medal in January 1814.