A Signal Victory: The Lake Erie Campaign, 1812-1813

by David Curtis Skaggs, Gerald T. Althoff

The Battle of Lake Erie on 10 September 1813 is considered by many to be the most important naval confrontation of the War of 1812. Made famous by the American fleet commander Oliver Hazard Perry's comment, "We have met the enemy and they are ours," the battle marked the U.S. Navy's first successful fleet action and was one of the rare occasions when the Royal Navy surrendered an entire squadron. This book draws on British, Canadian, and American documents to offer a totally impartial analysis of all sides of the struggle to control the lake. New diagrams of the battle are included that reflect the authors' modification of traditional positions of various vessels. The book also evaluates the strategic background and tactical conduct of the British and the Americans and the command leadership exercised by Perry and his British opponent, Commander Robert H. Barclay. Not since James Fenimore Cooper's 1843 book on the subject has the battle been examined in such detail, and not since Alfred Thayer Mahan's 1905 study of the war has there been such a significant reinterpretation of the engagement. First published in hardcover in 1997, the book is the winner of the North American Society for Oceanic History's John Lyman Book Award.

Genres: History, Military History, American History, Nonfiction, Naval History

264 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1997

About the author

An historian specializing in colonial America and the early Republic, David Curtis Skaggs, Jr is professor emeritus at Bowling Green State University.

Reviews

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very excited to finally find a copy of this book, and it proved to be worth the wait. I found the information inside to be plentiful, and logically presented (if sometimes a bit poorly expressed perhaps). The details of the events leading up to the campaign are thoroughly covered, and each of the main persona given a reasonable amount of coverage so the reader can get a sense of the individual's character.

The campaign detail were excellent, and I found these chapters to be very engrossing. I'm a bit of a nautical fan (ex-Navy), and greatly enjoyed the battle discussions. Skaggs could have invested in a bit better graphics to help the reader understand all the maneuvering and actions, though I admit it did not cripple my understanding much due to my other readings on the topic. I have been onboard the Niagara and it still blows my mind when I think about so many people fighting such an intense battle jammed into so small of a space. The casualties would have been horrific with every cannonball hit into such tight quarters.

This is not the finest writing and it lacks some polish and chrome like better pictures, but it met most all of my expectations and was a very enjoyable read. I highly encourage folks interested in sailing warfare and 1812 to give this a look, and especially pay the Niagara a visit in Erie, PA when it is in port. The museum there is topnotch, and the ship tour is eye opening.

Solid 4 Stars

[Chad Malkamaki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great account of the Battle of Lake Erie, still the closest official military engagement to Cleveland and part of the campaigns during the War of 1812 in Northwest Ohio, the Greater Detroit area, and the Battle of the Thames in Ontario. Great descriptions of the the buildup to the September 1813 Battle of Lake Erie, and the aftermath which saw more fighting between Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry and his second in command, which led the latter to eventually asking for a duel which the former declined.

As an added bonus, one of the books authors was a professor at BGSU, where I went to school!

[Alan Gerard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This an outstanding book describing the Battle of Lake Erie from both a historical and a storytelling perspective. Really enjoyed it, great read as part of a trip to the Lake Erie islands.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Curtis Skaggs' and Gerard Altoff's A Signal Victory is an impressive account of the Lake Erie Campaign. The authors are experts on Oliver Hazard Perry and the Battle of Lake Erie, Skaggs is a PhD in History and Altoff is a National Park Ranger at the Perry's Victory and Peace Memorial in Put in Bay Ohio. These two men have a unique insight to the battle and the events leading up to and after the battle. Their insights are interesting in that the interpretation I have heard is Perry's victory secured the Northern borders of the United States but Skaggs and Althoff describe that the campaign on the lakes was a way to divert attention from the St Lawrence River and the best way to attain the goals for the US to take over Canada.

The book focuses only on the campaign and does not pull any punches. They describe Perry as impetuous and give examples to support their statements when some books show him as cool and lucky. They don't shy from the controversy about Jesse Duncan Elliot and allow the reader to surmise his role in the Decatur/Barron duel in 1820 as a way to cover Elliot's conduct in the Battle of Lake Erie. At the end of the book I was left feeling that I understood the campaign better but there was only one loose end for me Perry's experience during the Battle of the Thames and if he did participate in the battle as reported in at least one book.

The book is highly recommended for anyone wanting to know more about Perry or the war on the lakes. Some other recommended books are
or For a better background on Jesse Duncan Elliot the following books are suggested A Rage for Glory: The Life of Commodore Stephen Decatur, USN and

[Zachary Atwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Book is a Fantastic depiction of the Erie campaign. It contains charts and lists that are handy for learning about the logistical portion and there are also primary sources to help you learn more about some of the people who were involved in the Battle of Put in Bay. You learn about the Great men like Perry but also the individual men who served. This book is not biased at all. You learn about the soldiers of both sides such as the bravery of the British soldiers and Canadian provincial Marine who were forced to serve on the British Brigs.

[Jerry Landry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though it goes into the weeds at time with details of ships, this was a fantastic read and very helpful in understanding not just the campaign on Lake Erie but overall American naval strategy for the Great Lakes in the War of 1812. Highly recommend for anyone interested in the topic.

[Steve Prahst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great historical account of the Battle of Lake Erie.

[Darren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must for any serious student of the Lake Erie campaign, and especially the Battle of Lake Erie 10Sep1813. However, the book started very slow & frankly did a poor job of setting the scene for the battle itself. I think primarily due to the writing being simply not that good. Walter Rybka's shorter book does a much better job of setting the stage to include excellent pictures, tables, and maps. Signal Victory does a poor job in illustrations throughout. I was forced to go to a map on my phone or computer to help visualize the area being described.

All that said, once the book made it one the actual battle and aftermath, it was excellent. This, and the Denouement chapter that described the events post-battle, alone made it worth the read.

[Darrel Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever wonder about the second war with Britain? Here is a very in-depth account of the war of 1812. A must read for anyone fascinated with US history.

[Mark Luongo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit drawn out with emphasis on the overall Great Lakes campaign (as the title implies) as well as the conflict between commanders on both sides. The battle chapter itself was well done.

[Douglas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative, but a little dry, occasionally became a dull recitation of facts.