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"We have met the enemy; and they are ours!"
"We have met the enemy; and they are ours!"
Item # 559825
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October 05, 1813
AMERICAN MERCURY, Hartford, October 5, 1813
* "We have met the enemy; and they are ours!"
* Commodore John Rogers
* Oliver Hazard Perry
On pg. 3 under "Newport, Sept. 7" is a report headed: "Commodore Rogers Arrived".
The report announces the arrival of Rogers in the U.S. frigate President, in the harbor from his "brilliant cruise" of five months. There is also a list of the captures Rogers made during his cruise.
From "Washington City" is a list of the casualties on the board the Lawrence (Oliver Hazard Perry's flagship), followed by a list of the casualties on board the Niagara (commanded by Perry after the Lawrence was mostly destroyed), plus those of the Caledonia, Somers, Ariel, Trippe, Porcupine, Scorpion, & Tigress, all being vessels engaged in the famous Battle of Lake Erie, under the general command of Oliver Hazard Perry. There is also a "Recapitulation" of all the casualties, signed in type: S. Hambleton & O. H. Perry (see).
The feature item in this issue, however, is the famous dispatch sent by Oliver Hazard Perry at the Battle of Lake Erie to General William Henry Harrison. The dispatch, taken from the Chillicothe Supporter, of Sept. 15, is datelined "U.S. Brig Niagara, off the Western Sister, head of Lake Erie, September 10th, 1813, 4 P.M.", and reads: "Dear General, we have met the enemy; and they are ours! Two ships, two brigs, one schooner and one sloop. Yours with great respect and esteem." The dispatch is signed in type: O. H. Perry (see photos).
There are two more related dispatches, each also signed in type: O. H. Perry. There is also some commentary about Perry's victory, one referring to him as the "Hero of Lake Erie" and the "Nelson of America".
Complete in 4 pages, first leaf has a small piece missing in the outer margin, issue is trimmed close at the top causing minimal loss to the heading of the Lawrence list, has a few archival mends, one in the Rogers content, some lite foxing.
Category: War of 1812
No Longer Available
