It was a melancholy night on board the Lawrence, sleep being prevented by the groans of the wounded. Perry said he believed his wife’s prayers had saved him, for he escaped untouched, as did his young brother, only twelve years of age, although the latter had several bullets through his clothing.
On the day after the battle Perry removed to the Ariel, and sent the Lawrence to Erie, as a hospital ship; but not before he had once more returned to her, to inquire after the wounded, and to encourage them under the operations which Dr. Parsons had to perform. Beside the wounded, there were many ill with fever and diarrhœa.
In the course of the day Perry visited Barclay, on board the Detroit; and a warm and enduring friendship sprang up, at once, between them. Perry placed every comfort he could command at Barclay’s disposal; and became responsible for a considerable sum of money required by the British officers. He also, at Barclay’s request, advanced money to the army officers serving in the British squadron.
At the very time he was doing this, cruelties were being exercised towards our countrymen who were prisoners to the English, so great as to lead to formal remonstrances and threats of retaliation. Just now it is the fashion to admire the English, and these things are forgotten, or ignored.
To relieve Barclay’s mind while suffering from his severe wounds, and with the hope that restoration to his friends and country would restore him, Perry pledged himself that he should be paroled; and he made such urgent representations to the Commissioner of Prisoners, and to the Secretary of the Navy (making the favor personal to himself, and the only one he had to ask), that he eventually succeeded.
While Perry was on board the Detroit, on his visit to Barclay, two strange beings were brought before him, who had been found in that vessel’s hold, where they had been, without food, since the action. They proved to be Indian chiefs, ludicrously clad in sailors’ clothes. With others, they had been taken on board to act as sharp-shooters, in the tops.
Although probably brave enough in their own manner of fighting, these savages became entirely unnerved by the crash and destruction around them, and they fled to the hold, nearly frightened to death.
The English, in both their wars with us, had a great penchant for the use of the Indians they could hire; and their barbarous allies frequently led them into consequences they had not foreseen.
When these two Indians were brought before Perry, they expected to be at once shot and scalped; and they were astonished at his kind treatment. Soon after he sent them on shore, with a note to General Harrison, asking protection for them from our own friendly Indians.
At nine A. M., on the morning of September 11th, the two squadrons weighed anchor, and soon arrived at Put-in Bay. The burial of the officers who had fallen in battle took place on the twelfth.