Daniel Turner, born on Staten Island, New York, in 1794, entered the US Navy as a midshipman in 1808 and rose quickly, becoming a lieutenant in 1813 and receiving command of the Niagara. During the Battle of Lake Erie on September 10, 1813, he relinquished that command to Captain Elliott and took command of the brig Caledonia, whose service was important in the battle; at one point her two 24-pounder long guns were the only ones in the fleet able to return fire on the British ships battering the Lawrence. Turner later served with Commodore Perry on two other occasions and was at his side when Perry died of yellow fever in 1819.