At least fourteen ships are engaged in battle. Dark smoke billows up from the surface of the water on the left horizon line, spreading to either side of the sky and obscuring the entire top of the print. The horizon is low in this image, much like the horizon in Thomas Birch’s Battle of Lake Erie.The ships spew white puffs of cannon smoke toward their opponents; each side is clearly defined. There are no flags to identify the ships’ nationality. There is one row boat near the center that (according to the accompanying text) probably contains Commodore Oliver Perry. This text, “Perry’s Victory,” speaks of Perry leaving the disabled Lawrence and rowing towards the Niagra; coming aboard, he flies his flag and leads the rest of the fleet to victory over the British. 3At least fourteen ships are engaged in battle. Dark smoke billows up from the surface of the water on the left horizon line, spreading to either side of the sky and obscuring the entire top of the print. The horizon is low in this image, much like the horizon in Thomas Birch’s Battle of Lake Erie.The ships spew white puffs of cannon smoke toward their opponents; each side is clearly defined. There are no flags to identify the ships’ nationality. There is one row boat near the center that (according to the accompanying text) probably contains Commodore Oliver Perry. This text, “Perry’s Victory,” speaks of Perry leaving the disabled Lawrence and rowing towards the Niagra; coming aboard, he flies his flag and leads the rest of the fleet to victory over the British.
