Preparing For Battle

In 1812, Erie was a small village of about 400 people and 100 homes, surrounded by wilderness, barely accessible by land, and short of essential supplies because crude, often washed out roads made it difficult to bring iron, weapons, and tools from Pittsburgh, PA and Buffalo, NY. Under the watchful eyes of patrolling British forces, Daniel Dobbins, shipbuilder Noah Brown, and their crew began building the Lake Erie Squadron on Erie's shores in September 1812, and their work produced six American warships, including the 110-foot brigs Lawrence and Niagara. In March 1813, Oliver Hazard Perry took command and oversaw construction while searching the countryside for sailors to man the ships. After Fort Erie was temporarily abandoned by the British in late May 1813, five smaller vessels converted to gunboats joined the American squadron, bringing the total at Erie to 11 ships, though only nine fought in the Battle of Lake Erie. More than 500 men eventually fought with Perry, including U.S. Navy seamen, Army soldiers, Marines, free Blacks, and regional state militias, and many had never fought in a naval battle or even been aboard a ship. Shipbuilding was exhausting hand labor, and early in construction crews used wooden nails because iron was scarce.

Pennsylvania · United States