There’s a four-letter word, and when I hear it, it makes me absolutely manic! No, it’s not the “S” one, nor the “D” one, not even that big “F” one. It’s the “W” one  – WAIT. Two things are certain: there’s no crying in baseball, and there should be no waiting in life.  At least not in mine!

Being stuck in traffic, put on ignore by customer disservice, or standing behind that lady with fifty items in the fifteen-item checkout can irritate anybody. But one time, my impatience went too far when I jeopardized a potential new job by making pestering phone calls only days after an interview. Well, our own hero of the War of 1812, Oliver Hazard Perry, did something similarly impatient on New Year’s Day 1813.

Just as today’s world, when 1812 became 1813, New York City hosted the most extravagant New Year’s parties. But New Yorkers that January were celebrating victory more than the arrival of a new year. Back in October 1812, the American frigate, United States, defeated and captured the British ship, Macedonian. The defeated vessel was escorted back to our shores and on New Year’s Day, it processed into New York harbor alongside its conquering ship. The event was cheered by deliriously happy patriots, who had lined the waterfront to see this tangible evidence that our young navy had matured. Americans’ confidence in the war effort suddenly skyrocketed.

All ships in the port flaunted huge U.S. flags from their masts. Artillery fired salutes. And the new year was literally rung in, as the clamor of all city church bells resonated for more than an hour. On New Year’s Eve, a grand ball occurred and  the newspapers noted that it was attended by more than 300 of the most beautiful and well-dressed ladies in the country. For days, elaborate dinners, theatrical performances and parades honored the sailors. Some reports claim that even some captured British musicians from the Macedonian played in lockstep with the American bands.

Earlier in December, well before their heralded entrance into New York, the Macedonian and United States and their crews first docked at Newport, R.I. There, Master-Commandant Oliver Perry was on-duty coordinating affairs of the moored U.S. flotilla. It’s possible that Perry was in this stagnant post because of his involvement in a serious mishap a year earlier while commanding the U.S. schooner Revenge. In a dense fog, that ship ran onto a reef and soon sank. An investigation cleared Perry of any wrongdoing, and actually gained him acclaim for rescuing the crew and valuables, but the stigma of losing a ship lingered in some influential naval minds.

When Lt. William Allen arrived in Newport, Perry applauded his close friend who had served so honorably aboard the United States. Perry fully expected Allen to receive a promotion for his heroics. However, when that promotion was to the post Perry had longed for, command of the brig Argus . Perry’s disappointment was impossible to disguise. Weeks earlier, Perry had already written a letter to the secretary of the navy, asking for a position in which he could prove his leadership. He waited, but no response came. Now, Perry dared to write another letter to the secretary asking him to rescind Allen’s commission and in-turn award it to him, reasoning that Allen had already proved his heroism. Again, Perry waited, but there was no reply. On New Year’s Day, his patience ran out again and he forced the issue by penning another letter, this time directly to Commodore Isaac Chauncey, commander of the lakes, requesting to serve under him.

Unbeknownst to Perry, the navy secretary and Chauncey had already determined that Perry was their man for the lakes. That news came two days after Perry had mailed his over-anxious and unnecessary third letter. In a few weeks, Perry would bid goodbye to his pregnant wife and toddler son living in Newport and proceed to the southeast corner of Lake Erie in order to direct the building of a new U.S. fleet. Months later, he would return home and be introduced to his newborn as the hero of the Battle of Lake Erie. His wait for promotion was certainly worth it.

Frank Kuron is author of the War of 1812 book, “Thus Fell Tecumseh.” Email him at kuronpubs@bex.net

Tags: Frank Kuron, Oliver Hazard Perry, War of 1812

This entry was posted on Sunday, December 23rd, 2012 at 11:16 am and is filed under 1812 Bicentennial.
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Ever feel like the world is against you? I think we all have. Oh, I’ve had unlucky days. Like the time I overslept for the trial on which I was juror No. 7. As I strode through the courtroom to my seat, two hours late, the stares of disdain from the lawyers and judge melted me into the woodwork. It was a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day.

Some of us get more than our fair share of those days; Capt. Robert Heriot Barclay of the British Royal Navy was one such unfortunate.

Who? Sure, you all have heard of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, the victor of the Battle of Lake Erie, but you probably haven’t heard much about his adversary Barclay. The battle was fought Sept. 10, 1813. Perry won; Barclay lost. As a result, Perry became a superstar, and Barclay, well, he faded into a history book.

Born in Scotland with an instinctive love of the sea, Barclay left his family at the tender age of 12 and proudly enlisted in the British Royal Navy. A note in a family album suggested that he was “ill-used” as a teenage midshipman and that seems to hold true as the good-hearted and hardworking young man was frequently taken advantage of. Despite stoic performances at sea, he just never seemed to get ahead.

In 1805, during the early Napoleonic Wars, it seemed he was on his way up with his assignment to serve on the Victory under the famous Lord Horatio Nelson. Soon he was promoted to lieutenant and assigned his own ship, Swiftsure, which he commanded successfully through the renowned British victory at Trafalgar. Instead of being promoted further, however, he was repeatedly assigned to lesser ships.

From 1809 on, the unlucky Barclay always carried a combination knife and fork utensil with him so he could cut his food one-handed, having lost his left arm in battle with the French that year.

After serving four more years in the Atlantic, he was sent to North America, finally as commander of all naval forces on the lakes. Ten days later, however, his title was usurped by his superior officer, Sir James Yeo. Commander Yeo in turn ordered him to Lake Erie as a mere senior officer, a post he was offered only because Yeo’s first choice for the position refused it as a demeaning assignment.

Because England was preoccupied with Napoleon in Europe at this time, Barclay had the daunting task of organizing a British fleet that was undermanned, underequipped and underfed into a competent force. He succeeded as well as anyone could have expected and aboard his flagship, Detroit, he boldly took on Perry.

Unfortunately, Barclay lost himself in the battle — parts of himself, that is. About an hour into the fight, a canister shot took out a chunk of his thigh. An hour or so later, his right shoulder blade was shattered by grapeshot (golf-ball sized metal, clustered like grapes and shot from cannons).

As if the wounds weren’t enough, Barclay soon faced a court martial for losing the contest. As he was escorted into the courtroom, his mutilated body brought tears to the men who served with him. He was acquitted of any wrongdoing, but, deeply depressed by his appearance, he offered his fiancée a release from their engagement. She responded that if there was enough of him left to contain his soul, than she would marry him, and she did. Finally, some solace came his way.

Ironically, just four years after Barclay’s death, his ship Detroit, which was decrepit but periodically used as a merchant ship after the battle, became the object of a publicity stunt. A number of businesses along the Niagara River, which runs over Niagara Falls, decided to send the old ship over the edge in order to draw customers to the area. The shores were lined with curiosity-seekers for this spectacle, which many felt was tasteless.

As it turned out, the boat was tossed and broken by the rapids, but became permanently lodged against an island. Like its former commander, the rest of its life was spent disfigured but in bittersweet peace, as life rushed by.

Frank Kuron is author of the War of 1812 book, “Thus Fell Tecumseh.” Email him at kuronpubs@bex.net

Bugle Call: Upcoming Events

—10 a.m. June 18: The River Raisin National Battlefield Park, 1403 E. Elm Ave., Monroe, will hold a commemorative ceremony marking the start of the War of 1812. The National Park Service will release the special edition commemorative passport cancelation stamp.

—June 18-24: Way Public Library, 101 E. Indiana Ave., Perrysburg, will hold several 1812 Bicentennial events. At 11:45 a.m.  June 18, there will be a commemoration ceremony with bells rung at noon. At 7 p.m. June 20, historian, author and Perrysburg native Douglas Brinkley will speak at the library about the significance of the War of 1812 in our area and about his new biography of Walter Cronkite. At 4 p.m. June 24, there will be a Fort Meigs Cemetery Walk featuring re-enactors at the gravesites of War of 1812 veterans.

Tags: British Royal Navy, Frank Kuron, Lord Horatio Nelson, Oliver Hazard Perry, Robert Heriot Barclay, War of 1812

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 17th, 2012 at 1:00 pm and is filed under Opinion.
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