Meantime Barclay hove to and was awaiting the American squadron, with his ships in line as close together as possible without interfering with each other. As Perry drew near he saw that he would have to change the arrangement of his line in order to place his largest vessels against the largest of the enemy. Barclay had stretched his squadron in a line square across the wind with the big _Detroit_ at the head of it, save that the little schooner _Chippeway_ was under the _Detroit’s_ bows. To meet these two came Perry with the _Lawrence_, supported by the little schooners _Ariel_ and _Scorpion_. Astern of the _Detroit_ were the _Hunter_ of ten guns and the _Queen Charlotte_ of seventeen. Perry sent the little brig _Caledonia_ of three guns against the _Hunter_, but she was to be supported by the _Niagara_, carrying two long twelves and eighteen short thirty-twos, that was primarily to engage the _Queen Charlotte_. Last of all in the British line were the fine schooner _Lady Prevost_ with thirteen guns, and the _Little Belt_ sloop of three. The four remaining vessels of Perry’s squadron, the _Somers_, _Porcupine, igress_ and _Trippe_, carrying five heavy guns between them, were assigned to the task of whipping these two that carried sixteen smaller guns. This disposition made, the American ships drifted on steadily and in silence toward the enemy. It was a trying wait, but Perry paced the full length of his deck, stopping here and there to speak cheerfully to the men. At one gun the crew were all from _Old Ironsides_--the _Constitution_. The most of them were stripped to the waist and had tied long handkerchiefs around their heads to keep their hair from falling across their faces. Perry gave them one look. “I need not say anything to _you_,” he said; “you know how to beat those fellows.” At another place he recognized men he had worked with at Newport, and said: “Ah, here are the Newport boys; they will do their duty, I warrant.” Wherever he addressed the men he was cheered heartily, and that was an omen worth keeping in mind. It was at 10.15 A.M. that everything was put in order for the battle, but because the wind was light no less than an hour and a half was passed in reaching the enemy. Indeed, even when 11.45 A.M. had come, the flag-ships were still a mile apart, while the little gun-boats at the tail of the American fleet had lagged far behind. A mile was a long range for even the long guns of that day, but the mental strain of the prolonged wait had proved too much for British impatience. A bugle rang with the thrilling signal to begin action, a single long gun on the _Detroit’s_ deck belched flame and smoke, and a round black ball came skipping over the smooth water toward the Yankees. The battle was on! Hearty cheers came with the boom of that gun. [Illustration: The Battle of Lake Erie. _From an old engraving._]