Oliver Hazard Perry | Perry's 200th Birthday Celebration

Perry, Georgia is turning 200 years old in 2024 and we're celebrating all year long!

In this episode, Mrs. Ellie Loudermilk, President of the Perry Area Historical Society & Museum, narrates the story behind the namesake of Perry, Georgia – war hero Oliver Hazard Perry.

Visit www.perryhistoricalmuseum.org  for more about Perry's rich history.

For more information about the year-long celebration, visit www.perry-ga.gov/200.

If you like Inside Perry - subscribe and share the podcast with friends and family. The podcast is available on all major podcast platforms.

Visit us at perry-ga.gov.

We hope to see you around in our amazing community...Where Georgia Comes Together.

Transcript

Tabitha Clark: 0:00

Welcome to the Inside Perry, Georgia podcast. It's 2024 and we're celebrating the city of Perry's 200th birthday. This year we're partnering with the Perry Area Historical Society to give an inside look at the tales of Perry's past. We're delving into the archives to uncover the stories that truly make Perry a unique and special place. Today's tale is narrated by Miss Ellie Loudermilk, president of the Perry Area Historical Society.

Ellie Loudermilk: 0:32

Our story for today involves the War of 1812 and a hero known as the Hero of Lake Erie. We will also acknowledge a few of Perry's own heroes from that same war who helped to develop our town in its earliest years. But first, let's acknowledge Oliver Hazard Perry, for whom the town is named. He was known as the American naval officer in command. During the September 10th, 1813 victory of Lake Erie, one of the great American naval triumphs of the War of 1812, when the British fleet surrendered, Perry sent his famous dispatch to General William Henry Harrison. We have met the enemy and they are ours. Oliver Hazard Perry was born in 1785 in South Kingston, Rhode Island, as the son of Sarah Wallace Alexander and Captain Christopher Raymond Perry. He was the oldest of five boys. One of which was a younger brother, Commodore Matthew C. Perry, who led the American squadron in their expedition to the China seas and Japan. As a boy, Oliver Hazard Perry lived in Tower Hill, Rhode Island. Sailing ships in anticipation of his future career as an officer in the United States Navy. Perry came from a long line of naval men from both sides of his family. His mother taught Perry and his brothers to read and write and had them attend Trinity Episcopal Church regularly. Through his father's influence, Perry was appointed a midshipman. An officer of the lowest rank in the United States Navy, at the age of 13, he sailed aboard the USS General Green, of which his father was the commanding officer, on her maiden voyage in June, 1799. He first experienced combat in February, 1800, off the coast of the French colony of Haiti. which was in a state of rebellion. For the next nine years, he served aboard four Navy ships and then was placed in charge of the construction of gunboats in Newport and westerly Rhode Island. But beginning in April 1809, He commanded the USS Revenge, engaging in patrol duties to enforce Thomas Jefferson's Embargo Act to restrict foreign commerce. During this time, he made a successful raid to regain an American ship held in Spanish territory in Florida. But in January 1811, the USS Revenge ran aground off Rhode Island and was lost. Seeing fairly quickly that he could not save the vessel, he turned his attention to saving the crew. And after helping them down the ropes over the vessel's stern, he was the last to leave the vessel. The subsequent court martial exonerated Perry, placing blame on the ship's pilot. In January 2011, a team of divers claimed to have discovered the remains of Revenge. nearly 200 years to the day after it sank. And then, in 2017, the cannons from Revenge were salvaged by the U. S. Navy. Following his court martial, Perry was given a leave of absence from the Navy. In May 1811, he married Elizabeth Mason of Newport, Rhode Island, whom he had met at a dance four years earlier. They enjoyed an extended honeymoon touring New England. The couple would eventually have five children, with one dying in infancy. At the beginning of the War of 1812, Oliver Hazard Perry requested to be in command of the American naval forces on Lake Erie. And on September 10, 1813, his command fought a successful fleet action against a squadron of the British Royal Navy in the Battle of Lake Erie. At the outset of this battle, Perry famously said, If a victory is to be gained, I will gain it. Initially, the exchange of gunfire favored the British. Perry's ship was so severely disabled in the encounter that the British commander sent a small boat to request that the American vessel pull down his flag. But Perry was true to his claim, that if a victory is to be gained, I will gain it, and had his men row him a half mile through heavy gunfire to transfer his command to the USS Niagara. carrying his battle flag, which read, Don't give up the ship. Once aboard the Niagara, he dispatched his commander to bring the other schooners into closer action while he steered the Niagara toward the damaged British ships and broke the opposing line. The result became the first time in history that an entire British naval squadron had surrendered. On January 6, 1814, Perry was honored with a Congressional Gold Medal, the thanks of Congress, and a promotion to the rank of captain. He died in 1826 at the age of 41. Leaving such a legacy that towns, cities, streets, schools, and school districts have been named in his honor. But Perry, Georgia has its own war of 1812 veterans who are buried in Evergreen Cemetery. All of these patriots served in land battles where they too saw fierce fighting. And they served their country well. Those we know who have been honored with War of 1812 markers in Evergreen Cemetery are John Bell Killen and Simon Bateman. Both of these men were born in 1788 and came to Houston County as early settlers. John Bell Killen served Houston County in the legislature and the inferior court while Simon Bateman served in the local county offices. Another veteran buried in Evergreen who will soon be honored as a War of 1812 veteran is Bentley Outlaw who served under General Andrew Jackson in Florida. These veterans were true patriots who loved their country And fought for his independence from Britain. We are grateful for their service and for our freedom. And we remember them respectfully. And that concludes our story for today.

Tabitha Clark: 7:31

Thanks for joining us for the inside Perry, Georgia podcast. We're celebrating all year long in 2024. Visit the show notes to discover the. Exciting things happening this year. Special thanks again to the Perry Area Historical Society for their time, dedication, and passion for Perry's history. Visit the Perry Area Historical Museum. More information about that museum is in the show notes. If you like Inside Perry, subscribe and share the podcast with friends and family. The podcast is available on all major podcast platforms. Visit us at perry history. com. Go to sga. gov for more information about the city of Perry. We hope to see you around in our amazing community where Georgia comes together.