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the War Referred to as a "second war of independence," the War of 1812 was in part a struggle to reassert American economic and commercial freedom in the face of British incursions in those areas. Increasingly, policies of impressment—the invol- untary conscription of seamen on merchant vessels into the Royal Navy—and British sanctions on U.S. trade with France and her allies were seen as impediments to the new nation's economic growth. At the same time, there was congressional discord over the June 1812 declaration of war and recogni- tion that America's small navy and army were ill-equipped to confront the British military. For example, at the beginning of the war, the U.S. Navy was composed of 16 ships and approximately 2000 sailors, while the Royal Navy numbered 740 vessels and 145,000 men. 1 1812 also saw Napoleon's army decimated by his disastrous attempt to conquer Russia in the midst of win- ter; with its primary European adversary tem- porarily disabled, Britain could direct more atten- tion westward toward its former colonies. If many in the U.S. harbored doubts con- cerning the war effort, enthusiasm was fur- ther diminished by defeats on the Niagara and northwestern frontiers that placed the country's northern border in jeopardy. Forts Detroit and Dearborn fell, after which it was decided to halt overland attempts by Gen. William H. Harrison and his troops to retake Detroit and its environs until American naval forces were able to gain control of Lake Erie and block British supply lines into that area (fig. 3). This required the rapid construction, provisioning, arming, and manning of naval squadrons to be based on Lakes Ontario and Erie, the latter to be commanded by Oliver H. Perry. 2 The son of a naval captain, Perry (1785-1819) served in the navy from the age of fourteen, sailing in the West Indies, the Mediterranean, and the Caribbean (fig. 4). Following the 1811 loss of a ship under his command off the coast of Rhode Island, he was court-martialed and exonerated but assigned to non-seagoing duty. Seeking to redeem his career, Perry peti- tioned for and was granted transfer to the Lake Erie squadron. It was operational by the end of July 1813 but still short of personnel, a situation remedied in part by the transfer of Com- modore Jesse Elliott—an officer older and of the same rank as Perry, but nonetheless under his authority—and his seamen from Lake Ontario. Together, the two officers would com- mand identical brigs that comprised the primary firepower of the fleet: Elliott the Niagara, and Perry the Lawrence. 3 the Battle For some weeks prior to the September 10, 1813 battle on Lake Erie, American ships successfully blockaded the Royal Navy vessels commanded by Robert Barclay that were anchored near Fort Amherstburg, a British stronghold on the lower Detroit River (see fig. 3). Crucial to control of the western end of Lake Erie and the territories beyond, the fort housed Brit- ish troops and their Native American allies; according to Bar- clay, "there were 14,000 Indians to victual…[as well as] the whole population of that part of the country, and the regu- lar forces attached to Gen. Proctor." 4 As shortages became Fig. 2. "We have met the enemy and they are ours," Perry wrote to General William Henry Harrison following the battle. The message is emblazoned on the painting's walnut frame, surrounded by oak and laurel leaves. U.S. SENATE COLLECTION Fig. 3. "A Correct Map of the Seat of the War" (detail) by Lewis Samuel and John Conrad, c. 1812. Amherstburg is visible south of Detroit, and Put-in-Bay is located near Sandusky Bay on the southwest end of Lake Erie. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, GEOGRAPHY AND MAP DIVISION 14 THE CAPITOL DOME

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