Jesse Elliott, USN-- Part 6: The Feud Continues and Further Service

Oliver Hazard Perry left his list of charges and specifications against Elliott with his friend, Commodore Stephen Decatur when he left for his diplomatic mission to Venezuela (during which he died).  Elliott served as second for Captain James Barron in the duel in which Barron killed Decatur in 1820.

Decatur's widow published Perry's charges years later as she held Elliott at least partially responsible for her husband's death.

These people obviously did not like each other.

***********************

LATER CAREER

Elliott commanded the sloop USS Ontario during the Second Barbary War, and was promoted to captain in 1818, serving as on a naval commission selecting sites for navy yards, lighthouses and other coastal fortifications until 1822.

--Brock-Perry

Jesse Elliott, USN-- Part 5: Honors and Major Controversy

HONORS

On January 6, 1814, both Perry and Elliott received Congressional Gold Medals and the Thanks of Congress.  This was in recognition of the first-time ever capture of an entire British squadron at the Battle of Lake Erie.  In addition, each man received an equal portion of the prize money ($7,140 apiece)  

In recognition of Perry's position as commodore of the squadron, Congress gave him an extra $5,000.  This became a bone of contention with Elliott.

CONTROVERSY

Even before the medals were awarded, Elliott and Perry became embroiled in a 30-year battle over their respective conduct and fault in the battle.  This extended even beyond Perry's death in 1819.  Perry claimed that Elliott had failed to offer timely support; Elliott decried there was a lack of communication and signals on Perry's part.

In 1818, Perry drew up a list of charges against Elliott, but was evidently dissuaded by the Secretary of the Navy against formally filing them.

And it still wasn't over, even in death.

--Brock-Perry

Jesse Elliott, USN-- Part 4: The Battle of Lake Erie (Commendation, Then Censure)

In the center of the American battleline, the Niagara was astern of the USS Caledonia, which in turn was astern of the USS Lawrence, Perry's flagship.  During the early stages of the battle, the Lawrence fought alone against several of the bigger British ships and took a pounding.  The Niagara was little engaged.

After the Lawrence was battered into a wreck, Perry rowed over to the Niagara and took command to continue fighting.  (That incident is pictured  at the right of the entries.)

Then Elliott was dispatched by boat  to urge the smaller American gunboats at the rear of the battleline to close in for action.

The battle ended with a complete American victory and surrender of the entire British squadron.

Elliott earned distinction for his role in the battle and official praise from Perry and was given command of the Lake Erie American squadron the following month.

There was, nevertheless, some controversy over Elliott's role in the battle.    Some (including Perry) suspected that he had deliberately held the Niagara out of the battle in its early stages.  The two men would feud over this for the rest of their lives.

--Brock-Perry

Jesse Elliott, USN-- Part 4: Service in Lake Ontario and Back to Lake Erie

Jesse Elliott was then transferred to Lake Ontario where he served under Commodore Isaac Chauncey as captain on the flagship, the USS Madison,  and took part in the Battle of York on 27 April 1813 and the Battle of Fort George on 27 May.

He was promoted to master commandant in July and reassigned to the Lake Erie Squadron, to serve as Perry's second in command.  He felt Perry had insufficient combat experience and was particularly outspoken Perry's decision to use Presque Isle for his shipyard.   

The two me were on collision course at thus time.  No doubt Elliott was still smarting over being replaced in Lake Erie by Perry to begin the problems.

BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE

Then came the famous battle.

During the Battle of Lake Erie against a British squadron under Captain Robert Barclay on 10 September 1813, Elliott commanded the USS Niagara.  Perry commanded the Niagara's sister ship, the USS Lawrence.

--Brock-Perry

Jesse Elliott, USN-- Part 3: A Remarkable Feat and Replacement

On 8 October 1812, he and Army Captain Nathan Towson captured captured the British brigs HMS Caledonia and HMS Detroit, anchored near the British Fort Erie in the upper reaches of the Niagara River (the Detroit was the former American USS Adams).

The Caledonia was loaded with furs and managed to make it to an American port.  The Detroit, on the other hand, was swept down the Niagara River into range of the British guns at the fort.  Elliott battled the fort until he ran out of ammunition and then beached his ship on Squaw Island and fled to the American side of the river.

British and American guns then destroyed the ship.  Elliott and Towson were later commended  for this action by Congress.

However, in February 1813, Elliott was replaced as commander of the Lake Erie American fleet by Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry.

(This very likely led to the problems between the two men at the Battle of Lake Erie later that year.)

--Brock-Perry

Jesse Elliott, USN-- Part 2: Pre War of 1812 Service

From Wikipedia.

JESSE DUNCAN ELLIOTT  (14 July 1782 - 10 December 1845) was a United States naval officer and commander on American naval forces on Lake Erie during the War of 812.  He is well-known for his controversial actions during the Battle of Lake Erie.

He was born in Hagerstown, Maryland, and enlisted in the Navy as a midshipman in April 1804 and saw action in the Mediterranean Sea during the Barbary Wars between 1805 and 1807, serving on the USS Essex under Commodore James Barron.

In June 1807, Elliott was on board the USS Chesapeake when Barron was forced to allow his ship to be searched by the HMS Leopard.

Elliott was promoted to lieutenant in April 1810 and was assigned to Lake Erie to oversee the construction of the American squadron there upon the outbreak of the War of 1812.

--Brock-Perry

Roadtripping Through History: From a Civil War Sailor to the War of 1812's Naval Officer Jesse Elliott

I have been writing about Henry Schutes, a Civil War sailor who received the Medal of Honor and is buried in Philadelphia's Mount Moriah Cemetery.  So, I had to check out this cemetery and see if anyone else was buried there of interest and a lot of people were.

One of them was a War of 1812 naval officer of some repute named Jesse Elliott.  So I had to do sone research on him.

I have already written about Elliott in this blog in connection with John B. Montgomery having served under him at the Battle of Lake Erie.

It turns out that a big disagreement between Elliott and Oliver Hazard Perry grew out of the Battle of Lake Erie.

--Brock-Perry

Things You Didn't Know About Oliver Hazard Perry-- Part 6

In 1814, Perry received a Congressional Gold Medal, the Thanks of Congress, and a promotion to the rank of full captain for his efforts at the Battle of Lake Erie.

He died at the age of 34 from yellow fever.  Six years after his victory at the Battle of Lake Erie, Perry succumbed to  yellow fever near Trinidad while at sea on a diplomatic mission to Venezuela on behalf of the United States.

The Navy has honored Perry by naming several ships and classes of ships after him.  As early as 1843, there was a USS Perry.  Four have been destroyers and one was a guided missile frigate.

--Brock-Perry

Things You Didn't Know About Oliver Hazard Perry-- Part 5: 'Don't Give Up the Ship'

Perry is known for his "Don't Give Up the Ship" flag, which serves even to this day as a rallying cry for the U.S. Navy.

As a tribute to his dying friend Captain James Lawrence of the USS Chesapeake, killed in a June  1813 battle in Boston Harbor.  Lawrence had issued a plea to his crew during his clash with the HMS Shannon as he lay dying.  (Sadly, they did surrender.)

Perry had a group of women in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he was building his fleet.  The flag became a symbol of victory and perseverance when it flew over Perry's flagship, the USS Lawrence, at the Battle of Lake Erie.  When his ship was so battered that it could no longer fight, Perry transferred himself and that flag to the USS Niagara, continued the fight and won dramatically.

--Brock-Perry  (The Perry in my signoff is for Oliver Hazard Perry.)

Things You Didn't Know About Oliver Hazard Perry-- Part 4: 'Perry's Luck'

6.  Known for his leadership skills and abilities to raise  a crew of inexperienced sailors, Perry instilled discipline in his men that is part of his Navy legacy even today.

In addition to seafaring skills, he had the ability to pick the right men for the right job and to turn a group of novices into crews of sailors.  When Perry first arrived in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1812,   he was unfamiliar with the area and additionally was tasked with training men, most of whom had no knowledge of ships.

He was firm in his discipline.  There is frequent references to "Perry's Luck" as this approach and an orderly mind proved to be successful throughout his career.

--Brock-Perry

Things You Didn't Know About Oliver Hazard Perry-- Part 3: 'We Have Met the Enemy and They Are Ours'

5.  Perry led the American fleet to victory at the Battle of Lake Erie which was a major turning point in the War of 1812.

On September  1813, the American fleet under Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry  came out to fight the British (from Put-in-Bay).  Within hours, the Americans had defeated the British.  This victory allowed the United States to gain control of Lake Erie, preventing the British from attacking the interior of the continent.

It also meant that the British could no longer reinforce or provide provisions for their Army at Detroit and caused them to evacuate and meet disaster at a battle during that retreat.

Before this victory American forces had suffered defeat and losses causing a great drop in morale.  This victory inspired the country.

--Brock-Perry

Things You Didn't Know About Oliver Hazard Perry-- Part 2: A Builder

3.  Perry was promoted to Master Commandant in the Navy at age 28.  After being a midshipman, he returned to Rhode Island and supervised the construction of a flotilla of small gunboats.  In March 1812, he achieved the high rank of Master Commandant, something few as young as he achieved.

4.  In 1813, he was given command of naval forces on the Great Lakes and appointed to supervise the construction of an American fleet on Lake Erie.  His headquarters were at what is today Erie, Pennsylvania.  When he arrived, there were no American ships and the British already had eight ships.

Despite the fact that he had no nearby resources other than trees, in short order he had nine vessels with the 490 ton brigs Lawrence and Niagara being the largest.

--Brock-Perry

Things You Didn't Know About Oliver Hazard Perry-- Part 1: Family Ties

Perry is part of my signoff for this blog:  Brock-Perry (the Brock part is named for British/Canadian hero Isaac Brock).

From the Feb. 27, 2024, Military History Now Oliver Hazard Perry--  10 Things You Didn't Know About America's Iconic Naval Commander."

1.  He came from a family with strong ties to the U.S. Navy.  His father, Christopher Raymond Perry was a privateer in the American Revolution and captain in the U.S. Navy during the Quasi-War with France.  His brother, Matthew Perry, also in the U.S. Navy played a major role in the opening of Japan to the United States.

2.  Perry became a midshipman at the age of 13.  He spent his youth sailing with his father.  He became a midshipman in 1799 and spent the next six years in the Quasi-War and the Tripolitan War against the Barbary Pirates.

--Brock-Perry

Commodore David Conner, USN-- Part 2

In the decade following the War of 1812, Lieutenant Conner had shore duty at Philadelphia and commanded the schooner USS Dolphin.  Attaining the rank of Commander in March 1825, he was commanding officer of the sloops of war USS Erie and USS John Adams before receiving promotion to captain in 1835.

In 1841, he became a naval commissioner and was later Chief of Bureau of Construction, Equipment & Repair.  Late in 1843, he took command of the West Indian and Home squadrons.

He led U.S. naval forces in the Gulf of Mexico during the first months of the Mexican War 1846-1847.  During this time, he was responsible for amphibious operations against several coastal towns and for the successful landing of the U.S. Army at Vera Cruz in March 1847.

Leaving seagoing service soon afterwards, Conner subsequently  commanded the Philadelphia Navy Yard.  However, ill health kept him from seeing much other active employment.  Commodore Conner died in Philadelphia on 20 March 1856 and is buried at the Laurel Hill Cemetery.

Two destroyers have been named after him.

--Brock-Perry