Editing Oliver Hazard Perry (section)

===Perry–Elliott controversy===
[[File:NH&HC43575.jpg|thumb|450px|Mural: ''Battle of Lake Erie, September 10, 1813.'' (1959) by Charles Robert Patterson and Howard B. French, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland. ''Niagara'' joins the battle. ''Detroit'' and ''Queen Charlotte'' at right.]]
While Nelson had [[Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood|Collingwood]], Perry had Jesse Elliott, and was considerably less well served. Elliott, while serving with [[Isaac Chauncey]] at Lake Ontario, was tasked to augment Perry's squadron with 11 officers and 91 men, "and none were sent but the worst."<ref name=altoff2>Quoted in {{cite book|last=Altoff|first=Gerard T.|title=Deep Water Sailors Shallow Water Soldiers: Manning the United States Fleet on Lake Erie – 1813|publisher=The Perry Group|location=[[Put-in-Bay, Ohio|Put-in-Bay, OH]]|year = 1993 | pages= 23–24| isbn = 978-1-887794-01-5}}</ref> Subsequently, detailed by Chauncey to command ''Niagara,'' Elliott stated "that if he could have foreseen that he himself should be sent to Lake Erie, his selections would have been different."<ref name=altoff2/> Elliott then appropriated the "best of the worst" for ''Niagara''; and Perry "in the interest of harmony" accepted the situation, though with growing ill-will.<ref name=altoff2/>

In his initial post-action report, Perry had praised Captain Elliott's role in the American victory at Lake Erie; and as news of the battle spread, Perry and Elliott were both celebrated as national heroes. Soon after, however, several junior officers publicly criticized Elliott's performance during the battle, charging that Elliott allowed ''Lawrence'' to suffer the brunt of the British fire while holding ''Niagara'' back from the fight. William Vigneron Taylor, Perry's [[sailing master]], in a letter to Taylor's wife, put it thus:

{{blockquote|The ''Lawrence'' alone rec'd the fire of the whole British squadron 2 1/2 hours within pistol shot—we were not supported as we ought to have been. Captain Perry led the ''Lawrence'' into action & sustained the most destructive fire with the most gallant spirit perhaps that was ever witnessed under similar circumstances.<ref>
{{cite book | last =Taylor | first =William V. | title =Logbook of the USS ''Lawrence'' | publisher =Newport Historical Society | year =1813 | location =[[Newport, Rhode Island|Newport, RI]]}}</ref>|William Taylor, September 15, 1813}}

The meeting between Elliott and Perry on the deck of ''Niagara'' was terse. Elliott inquired how the day was going. Perry replied, "Badly." Elliott then volunteered to take Perry's small boat and rally the schooners, and Perry acquiesced.<ref name=altoff/>{{rp|49}} As Perry turned ''Niagara'' into the battle, Elliott was not aboard. Elliott's rejoinder to history's criticism of inaction was that there had been a lack of effective signaling. Charges were filed, but not officially acted upon. Attempting to restore his honor, Elliott and his supporters began a 30-year campaign that would outlive both men and ultimately leave his reputation in tatters.<ref name=Skaggs/>

In Perry's report to Secretary of the Navy [[William Jones (statesman)|William Jones]], written three days after the battle, he mentioned Elliott in what, at first, seem to be complimentary terms, but, when read carefully, betray his disdain for Elliott.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}} Perry wrote, "In this action he evinced his characteristic bravery and judgement; and, since the close of the action, has given me the most able and essential assistance."<ref>American State Papers. Naval Affairs. Volume 1. p. 295.</ref>