200 HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES 
naval victories on the Great Lakes. England had a fleet of a 
dozen vessels on the upper lakes, and the Americans, under the 
leadership of Oliver Hazard Derry, a brave young naval officer 
The fight between the Constitution and the Guerrikre. 
scarcely out of his teens, undertook to rid the lakes of the 
British ships. The American ships had first to be built. “The 
timber of the coming fleet was still standing in the woods; the 
ironwork, stores, canvas, and cordage were in New York and 
Philadelphia.” But sleds and wagons brought the necessary 
materials tlrough deep snows to the shores of Lake Erie, where 
the ships were to be built, and scores of wood-choppers and 
ship-carpenters were put to work. By July, 1813, five newly 
built vessels were ready to sail against the English vessels on 
the Jakes. Perry came upon the British at Put-in-Bay, off 
Sandusky, Ohio, and one of the hottest battles in our naval 
history followed, At one time Perry’s own ship, the Lawrence, 
was about to sink, The young commander made his way in a 
ittle boat to another vessei and kept up the fight until the