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Let's all take a moment to bask in and be jealous of a man whose middle name was literally "hazard". Oliver Hazard Perry, famous naval commander, armed with a superior knowledge of tactics, seamanship, and shit talking that would make any veteran proud. Known mostly for his actions in the War of 1812, or as we like to call it "The War of Didn't You Assholes Learn the First Time" (spoiler alert, they had not learned, but they figured it out after this second go-round).So to set the scene, good old Oliver Hazard Perry had with him a total of nine ships, the British had only six, however, the British were more heavily armed and armored than the American ships. Count the fact that Perry's second in command held four of his ships out of the fight. The British pounded Perry's flagship the Lawrence and reduced it to floating rubble. Things were looking grim. But Perry was not to be swayed from seeking victory.As he made his way to the Niagra in a rowboat he held up a flag with the words "Don't Give up the ship."
With a sudden change in fortune and change in the wind, Oliver Hazard Perry, living up to his name, sailed the Niagra between four British ships unleashing a furious broadside from both his port and starboard guns (that'd be left and right sides for you non-nautical folk). The double load of cannon shot reduced the British ships to utter confusion and two of the ships became tangled in each other.With the confusion that had set in and Perry's bold actions, the British commander struck his colors and surrendered to the Americans. Only twenty-seven Americans were lost, and the Lawrence badly damaged, whereas on the British side, they had lost over forty and the rest of the ships and personnel were captured.
Oliver Hazard Perry sent word to General William Henry Harrison famously stating "We have met the enemy and they are ours. Two ships, two brigs, one schooner and one sloop."Read more stories of American Grit:
