The Battle of Lake Erie took place about seven miles west of Put-in-Bay. After two weeks of training a hybrid crew of sailors and soldiers, Master Commandant Oliver H. Perry based his fleet there and severed British supply lines, forcing the British to sail. The battle began with Perry aboard the U.S. brig Lawrence, which was wrecked in the first two hours. He then transferred to the unengaged U.S. brig Niagara, renewed the fight, and sailed through the British line, blasting enemy ships into submission. Within 15 minutes, the British surrendered. Peace negotiations began almost a year later and lasted nearly five months. The treaty was finalized in Ghent, Belgium, on December 24, 1814, ratified by the British Parliament three days later, and ratified by the U.S. Congress on February 17, 1815, after delays caused by Atlantic communication. Even then, military forces still had to be notified to stop fighting, and the final land battle took place in Missouri on May 24, 1815, while the last naval action occurred on June 30, 1815, in the Indian Ocean. In 1813, western Ohio and its islands were very remote, and Royal Navy supplies from the United Kingdom took a year to travel up the Detroit River to Fort Malden. By basing his fleet at Put-in-Bay, Perry cut the enemy’s ability to resupply, a key strategy of war. Today, the U.S./Canadian border is the longest undefended border in the world at 5,525 miles.