Anne-Louis de Toussard-- Part 1

I've seen his last name spelled both Toussard and Tousard.  This source spells it with one "s."

Encyclopedia.com

French and U.S. officer. In America he was a captain attached to the Marquis de Lafayette's staff.  Took part in the Battles of Germantown and Brandywine and spent the winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge.  In March 1778, he was appointed military advisor to the allied Oneida Indians and was present with them when they covered Lafayette's retreat at the Battle of Barren Hill in 21 May 1778.

Then transferred to the staff of  General John Sullivan in his unsuccessful French-American  campaign against Newport, Rhode Island.  Lost his right arm at the Battle of  Quaker Hill on 28  August 1778.

Because of this service, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Continental Army on 29 October 1778.

After this, he returned to France.

I probably should have put these entries about hinm in my Cooter's History Thing blog as they pertain more to the American Revolution.  But, I came across his name first in relation to his description of the Hurricane of 1812.  And that, of course, would be the War of 1812.

Had Quite a Bit to Do with the American Effort to Achieve Independence.  --Brock-Perry

Stephen Champlin-- Part 5: First Cousin of Oliver Hazard Perry

Upon his return, the ship's owners were so impressed at how well Champlin had performed that they immediately promoted him to captain, despite the fact he was just  22 years old.

Before he could go on another voyage another 90 day embargo  was imposed due to the expectation that war with England was imminent.  During this time, Champlin was offered a warrant as a sailing master in the U.S. Navy. He accepted this pending the declaration of war.

When the war did begin,  he was appointed commander of a gunboat anchored at Norwich.  he fitted her out and joined up with Oliver Hazard Perry's fleet at Newport.  He didn't see any action along the coast and had to settle for delivering messages from Perry to New London.

Oliver Hazard Perry was his first cousin.  Oliver's father and Stephen's mother were siblings.  In addition, Perry's wife was the daughter of  Benjamin Mason and Margaret Champlin- a distant relative.

--Brock-Perry

Christopher R. Perry-- Part 4: Personal Life, Five Sons in Navy

Christopher Perry returned to the United States in July 1800 and the crew was discharged.  The General Greene was placed in ordinary at Washington Navy Yard and reduced to a hulk in 1805 before being burned Aug. 24. 1814, to prevent capture by the British.

Perry and most of the other officers of the U.S. Navy were laid off by the Naval Peace Establishment Act of 1801 which reduced the size of the Navy.  Only nine of the 42 captains of the Navy retained their commissions.

PERSONAL LIFE

Perry married  Sarah Wallace Alexander on August 2, 1784.  She was the descendant of an uncle of famed Scottish hero William Wallace.  They had eight children.  All five of the sons were officers in the U.S. Navy who died in the service.  The two most famous are Oliver Hazard Perry and Matthew Calbraith Perry.

I was unable to find out anything about Christopher Perry in the War of 1812.

In 1800, he became the owner of a large house in Newport, Rhode Island, that still stands and is called the Knowles-Perry House which is probably where he lived for the rest of his life.  He died in 1818. and is buried in the Belmont-Perry plot in the Island Cemetery in Newport.

--Brock-Perry

Christopher R. Perry-- Part 3: Becomes a Rich Man and Commands USS General Greene in Quasi War

After the American Revolution, he served on a merchant ship and sailed to Ireland where he was able to bring his beloved Sarah to the United States where they were married in Philadelphia in 1784.  (That must have been an interesting story of his meeting his future wife while a prisoner.

They moved to South Kingston, Rhode Island where his parents had a 200 acre estate.  Their first child, Oliver Hazard Perry was born there in August 1785.)

Christopher Perry then  pursued his career as a merchant ship captain, making voyages all over the world and making a small fortune in the process.  He was able to move his family to the fast-growing Newport, Rhode Island and by 1797, he was rich enough to retire.

On January 7, 1798, he was commissioned as a captain in the U.S. Navy during the Quasi War with France.  Given command of the frigate USS General Greene, he brought along his son, 13-year-old midshipman Oliver Hazard Perry.

You can read the rest of the story about his time on the USS General Greene on my May 4 and May 6 blogs.

--Brock-Perry

Perry's Victory and Peace Memorial-- Part 1: 352-Feet Tall

From Wikipedia.

This monument is located on an isthmus of South Bass Island (Put-In-Bay).  At 352-feet tall, it is the largest Doric column in the world.  Its construction was run by a multi-state commission from 1912-1915 "to inculcate the lessons of international peace by arbitration and disarmament" between the United States and Canada.

It honors Oliver Hazard Perry and six officers (three British and three American) who died during the Battle of Lake Erie). The six officers are buried under the rotunda of the monument.  Perry, however, is buried in Newport, Rhode Island.  Carved into the walls of the rotunda are the names of soldiers and sailors who were killed or wounded in the battle.

--Brock-Perry

War Hero Perry Keeps Popping Up While Traveling-- Part 1

From the August 29, 2015, Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch by Steve Stevens.

Newport, Rhode Island--  There is a statue of Oliver Hazard Perry in Washington Square near the Colony House which was once Rhode Island's Statehouse.

Next to the statue is the Buliod-Perry House.  Perry, a Rhode Island native, bought it shortly after his victory at the Battle of Lake Erie.  The house was built around 1750 and has been restored and preserved by the Newport Restoration Foundation.

Perry died of yellow fever on another Navy ship in 1819 on his 34th birthday.  He is buried in Newport's Island Cemetery near his brother, Matthew C. Perry, another famous Newport Navy hero.

Put-in-Bay, Ohio--  Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial,  At 352 feet tall, it is the world's most massive Doric column.

--Brock-Perry

Newport, Rhode Island's Fort Adams

From Wikipedia.

While doing my Civil War Navy blog about the U.S. Naval Academy's move to Newport, Rhode Island, for safety during the war, I came across the name of Fort Adams, which protected the town.  I found that it did have a War of 1812 connection so will write about it here.

The Fort Adams that was in place (there were two of them at the site) was built in 1799 and named after the incumbent president at the time, John Adams.  It was a First System Fort and designed by Major Louis de Tousard and mounted 17 cannons.

Its first commander was Captain John Henry who the article mentioned was instrumental in starting the War of 1812.  Looks like I have something to research for tomorrow's post.

During the War of 1812 it was manned by Wood's State Corps of the Rhode Island militia.

After the war, it was decided to replace the original Fort Adams with a larger and newer fort.  It became what was called the most complex fortification in the Western Hemisphere.

--Brock-Perry