Oliver Hazard Perry

American Commodore
1785-1819

Famous for his victory over the British at Lake Erie, Oliver Perry had been with the US navy since 1799 and had fought against the Barbary pirates.

In 1810, he took command of the Lake Erie flotilla and won resounding success in the 1813 clash that ended British domination of the waterway.

His flag may carried his motto: "Don't give up the ship," but during the battle of Lake Erie he was forced to scramble from his flagship before it surrendered and continue the fight on another vessel.

Despite the bad start, Perry won the battle and sent the famous despatch: "We have met the enemy and they are ours."

Perry's next command took him into the Mediterranean and then followed service in the West Indies, where his ships were on patrol duty to protect shipping from pirates.

Unfortunately for Perry, and the American navy, he caught yellow fever and died in Trinidad.