Anecdotes of the Battle on Lake Erie (1814): Sailor Heroism and Race in Naval Warfare
Overview
This essay analyzes anecdotes from the Battle on Lake Erie in 1814, examining how the author portrays sailors—particularly Black sailors and Indigenous workers—as central to military victory. The paper argues that the author uses personal narratives and detailed descriptions to highlight the crucial contributions of enlisted sailors and marginalized groups, while questioning the glorified role typically assigned to commanders.
What this essay covers
- Introduction establishing the significance of sailors in naval warfare and Commander Perry's leadership
- Analysis of how the author employs narrative techniques and personal traits to represent battle events and sailor heroism
- Examination of race and slavery as themes, contrasting the roles of Black sailors in combat versus Indigenous workers in servitude
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Anecdotes of the Battle on Lake Erie (1814)
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Anecdotes of the Battle on Lake Erie (1814)
At this time of history, sailors were seen as the most important people to conquer and subdue foreign nations. From the article, Perry, one of the sailors and a commander, praises Negros very much due to their bravery. Sailors provided the platform to fight and win battles; it would be impossible to win these battles without the sailors. For example, Perry won the battle against the British fleet because of the Negros sailors who were part of the crew. Perry is seen arguing with Lawrence and pushing him to release his "brave boys," which reflects the significance of the sailors. Additionally, the sailors also went through many challenges. For example, most of them were shot dead on the ship. The article represents their death from a heroic perspective. The commander is not seen in most scenarios. He is only seen when victory is acquired. Furthermore, it shows that the sailors did the most significant part of the work compared to the commander (Emory & Mayer, 2018, p. 191). Throughout the article, there is more emphasis on the sailors and their brave actions.
The author uses different forms of language to present the work. For instance, the author does use sailors to show the source of victory for commanders. Typically, commanders are used to resembling managers; their work is to oversee the platoon's progress.