During the War of 1812, Perry was assigned to oversee the building of an Amrican fleet at the eastern end of Lake Erie. He was only 28 years old at the time.

Within four months he had readied nine vessels equipped to carry 54 guns. Soon after, Robert H. Barclay, veteran British commander, sailed east from Malden, a port near Detroit, with six warships carrying 63 guns.

Perry met Barclay near Put-in-Bay on Sept. 10, 1813. The British took an early advantage, destroying Perry's flagship "Lawrence." Perry then transferred to the "Niagara," which had suffered little damage, and continued the fight.

The battle lasted three hours. Perry lost 27 men, Barclay 41. An estimated 100 were wounded on both sides. Barclay, who had earlier sacrificed an arm while fighting under Nelson at Trafalgar, lost the remaining one in the Erie battle.

After the British fleet surrendered, Perry reported his victory to General William Henry Harrison at Fort Meigs with the memorable words: "We have met the enemy and they are ours."