By the autumn of 1799, the crew of the General Greene were well again, and Captain Perry sailed back to Havana.
It was during the following winter months of cruising with his father, that Oliver was taught his lessons of naval honor. He also applied the lessons in navigation which he had learned from Mr. Frazer.
He read and studied very carefully, and could not have had a better teacher than his father.
While the General Greene was cruising among the West Indies, Captain Truxton had won another victory with his Constellation. This time he captured a French frigate which carried sixteen guns more than the Constellation.
The French, dismayed at these victories of the Americans, began to be more civil. They even seemed anxious for peace.
THE CONSTELLATION.
War had been carried on for about a year, though it had never been formally declared.
In May, 1800, the General Greene came back to Newport, and remained in harbor until the terms of peace were concluded.
The trouble with France being settled, it was decided by the government to dispose of nearly all the naval vessels. As a result, many of the captains and midshipmen were dismissed, Captain Perry being one of the number.