Perry had in all 416 men fit for duty; Barclay 440. On September 10th they met. The action began at 11:45. How Perry fought his ship unsupported by the _Niagara_ until the _Lawrence_ was a wreck and but 20 of his 100 men were left unhurt; how he fired himself the last heavy gun from his ship with the help of the purser and chaplain, and then jumped into a small boat, pulled by his brother and four seamen, boarded the _Niagara_, took personal command, and carried her to victory, make a story of courage and resource unsurpassed in any of the sea fights of history. Never did one man more personify a victory. The British flag was struck at 3:00 P.M., after a most gallant struggle. Twenty-nine Americans were killed or mortally wounded and 94 wounded. The British lost 41 killed and 94 wounded. The moral effect throughout the country, which covered itself with bonfires and rejoicings, was almost equal to that of the victory of the _Constitution_. But besides this there was the great concrete result of the evacuation of Detroit and Michigan by the British and their occupancy by the Americans. To Perry’s victory and Chauncey’s success on Lake Ontario is due that we preserved our northwestern frontier in the coming peace. The winter of 1813-1814 was passed on Lake Ontario by both antagonists in building ships for the next campaign. The largest put afloat at Sackett’s Harbor by the Americans, the arming and equipping of which was under enormous difficulties of transportation through the then almost roadless forest, was the _Superior_, of 62 guns; but the British built a much larger, the _St. Lawrence_, of 112 guns. But it was not until October 15th that she was in service, too late in the season to affect the situation. Had the war continued, the lakes would have been the scene of naval operations greater than any carried on by us upon the sea, aided curiously enough by the British blockade of our coast, which caused the transfer to the lakes of the crews of the blockaded frigates. We shall hear a little later of still another momentous battle on our inland waters. For the moment we turn again to the ocean. * * * * *