By the end of July he had over four hundred men for his nine vessels. But, as he said, they were a "motley crew" of regular soldiers, negroes, and raw recruits. During the battle which followed, over a hundred of these men were too sick to be of any use.
The English fleet of six vessels was commanded by Captain Barclay. In his crews were over five hundred men and boys.
IX.—"We Have Met the Enemy and They are Ours."
Early in August the American squadron left the harbor of Erie, and sailed to Put-in-Bay, an island not far from the west end of the lake.
The British squadron was in the harbor of Fort Malden, nearly opposite on the Canadian shore.
On the morning of September 10, 1813, from the masthead of the Lawrence, the English fleet was seen approaching.
As the Americans were sailing out to battle, Lieutenant Perry gathered his men together and talked to them about the courage they would need.
He showed them a large blue flag, bearing in white letters a foot high the words: "Don't give up the ship!"
"My brave lads," he said, "this flag bears the last words of Captain Lawrence. Shall I hoist it?"
With one voice, the men shouted: "Aye, aye, sir!"