|
Made in USA
Commodore Perry Flag |
Oliver Perry's flag in
1813 bore the last words of James Lawrence, a hero of the War of 1812.
Lawrence, James (1781-1813), a United States naval officer, commanded
the Chesapeake in an attack on the British ship Shannon during the War
of 1812. The Shannon easily captured the Chesapeake, and Lawrence was
fatally wounded. After he was wounded, he gave the command, "Don't
give up the ship," which became a watchword of the U.S. Navy. Lawrence
was born on Oct. 1, 1781, in Burlington, New Jersey, and joined the
Navy in 1798. In 1812, he took command of the Hornet, which captured a
number of British ships. He died on June 4, 1813 at the age of 31. |
