A detailed examination of the Battle of Lake Erie, considered by many to be the most important naval confrontation of the War of 1812. Evaluates the strategic background and tactical conduct of both the British and the Americans in their efforts to control the Lake Erie frontier during the first year of the war, and describes the battle, drawing on British, Canadian, and American archival and published documents. Includes diagrams of battles that reflect the author's modification of traditional positions of various vessels. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
Provides an account of the Battle of Lake Erie, the only battle to be fought on a Canadian lake, and one that turned the War of 1812 in the United States' favor.
This engaging narrative history deftly illustrates the War of 1812 as it played out in the Old Northwest — Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and bordering parts of Canada. From the stirrings of conflict in the area beginning as early as the 1760s, through the Battle of Tippecanoe, and to Michigan Territory’s role as a focal point in prewar preparation, the book examines the lead-up to the war before delving into key battles in the region. In this accessible text, Gilpin explores key figures, dates, and wartime developments, shedding considerable light on the strategic and logistical issues raised by the region’s unique geography, culture, economy, and political temperament. Battles covered include the Surrender of Detroit, the Siege of Fort Meigs, and the battles of River Raisin, Lake Erie, the Thames, and Mackinac Island.
From thunderous broadsides traded between wooden sailing ships on Lake Erie, to the carrier battles of World War II, to the devastating high-tech action in the Persian Gulf, here is a gripping history of five key battles that defined the evolution of naval warfare--and the course of the American nation. Acclaimed military historian Craig Symonds offers spellbinding narratives of crucial engagements, showing how each battle reveals the transformation of technology and weaponry from one war to the next; how these in turn transformed naval combat; and how each event marked a milestone in American history. - Oliver Hazard Perry's heroic victory at Lake Erie, one of the last great battles of the Age of Sail, which secured the Northwestern frontier for the United States - The brutal Civil War duel between the ironclads Monitor and Virginia, which sounded the death knell for wooden-hulled warships and doomed the Confederacy's hope of besting the Union navy - Commodore Dewey's stunning triumph at Manila Bay in 1898, where the U.S. displayed its "new navy" of steel-hulled ships firing explosive shells and wrested an empire from a fading European power - The hairsbreadth American victory at Midway, where aircraft carriers launched planes against enemies 200 miles away--and where the tide of World War II turned in the space of a few furious minutes - Operation Praying Mantis in the Persian Gulf, where computers, ship-fired missiles, and "smart bombs" not only changed the nature of warfare at sea, but also marked a new era, and a new responsibility, for the United States. Symonds records these encounters in detail so vivid that readers can hear the wind in the rigging and feel the pounding of the guns. Yet he places every battle in a wide perspective, revealing their significance to America's development as it grew from a new Republic on the edge of a threatening frontier to a global superpower. Decision at Sea is a powerful and illuminating look at pivotal moments in the history of the Navy and of the United States. It is also a compelling study of the unchanging demands of leadership at sea, where commanders must make rapid decisions in the heat of battle with lives--and the fate of nations--hanging in the balance.
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Hailed for his decisive victory over a Royal Navy squadron on Lake Erie in September 1813 and best known for his after-action report proclamation We have met the enemy and they are ours, Oliver Hazard Perry was one the early U.S. Navy s most famous heroes. In this modern, scholarly reassessment of the man and his career, Professor David Skaggs emphasizes Perry s place in naval history as an embodiment of the code of honor, an exemplar of combat courage, and a symbol of patriotism to his fellow officers and the American public. It is the first biography of Perry to be published in more than a quarter of a century and the first to offer an even-handed analysis of his career. After completing a thorough examination of primary sources, Skaggs traces Perry s development from a midshipman to commodore where he personified the best in seamanship, calmness in times of stress, and diplomatic skills. But this work is not a hagiographic treatment, for it offers a candid analysis of Perry s character flaws, particularly his short temper and his sometimes ineffective command and control procedures during the battle of Lake Erie. Skaggs also explains how Perry s short but dramatic naval career epitomized the emerging naval professionalism of the young republic, and he demonstrates how the Hero of Lake Erie fits into the most recent scholarship concerning the role of post-revolutionary generation in the development of American national identity. Finally, Skaggs explores in greater detail than anyone before the controversy over the conduct of his Lake Erie second, Jesse Duncan Elliott, that raged on for over a quarter century after Perry's death in 1819.
For those of us who know the area, the Lake Erie Islands are a beautiful and special place that can more than compete with any other islands as a place to live or visit. But much of their history has been difficult to find for a long time. There are many wonderful stories and pictures about the history of Put-in-Bay, Middle Bass Island, North Bass Island, Pelee Island and Kelleys Island, as well as many of the smaller islands, that we have compiled into this volume. The first of six sections in the book includes all of Lydia Ryall's 1913 Sketches and Stories of the Lake Erie Islands - Perry Centennial Edition 1813-1913.The other sections contain a wealth of additional information and pictures, some of which has never been published before. Many footnotes are provided to point out errors in the original material, and to provide interesting additional information. A publication of the Lake Erie Islands Historical Society, the book contains 266 pictures and is fully indexed. Keeping the book interesting to read while also allowing it to be a good reference work has been of high priority. Many of the original pictures have been digitally cleaned up and enhanced, and the material has been carefully selected to be enjoyable to browse or read carefully. We believe that this is the most complete history of the Lake Erie Islands that has ever been published. Please visit the author's web site at http://www.middlebass.org
