H ero ▁of ▁Lake ▁Er ie " ▁for ▁leading ▁American ▁forces ▁in ▁a ▁decis ive ▁naval ▁victory ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Lake ▁Er ie , ▁receiving ▁a ▁Cong r essional ▁Gold ▁Medal ▁and ▁the ▁Thanks ▁of ▁Congress . ▁His ▁leadership ▁material ly ▁a ided ▁the ▁successful ▁out comes ▁of ▁all ▁nine ▁Lake ▁Er ie ▁military ▁campaign ▁vict ories , ▁and ▁the ▁victory ▁was ▁a ▁turning ▁point ▁in ▁the ▁battle ▁for ▁the ▁west ▁in ▁the ▁war . ▁He ▁is ▁remembered ▁for ▁the ▁words ▁on ▁his ▁battle ▁flag , ▁" Don ' t ▁Give ▁Up ▁the ▁Sh ip ", ▁which ▁was ▁a ▁t ribute ▁to ▁the ▁dying ▁command ▁of ▁his ▁colle ague ▁Captain ▁James ▁Lawrence ▁of ▁USS ▁Ch es ape ake . ▁He ▁is ▁also ▁known ▁for ▁his ▁message ▁to ▁General ▁William ▁Henry ▁Harrison ▁which ▁reads ▁in ▁part , ▁" We ▁have ▁met ▁the ▁enemy ▁and ▁they ▁are ▁our s ; ▁... " ▁ ▁Perry ▁became ▁em bro iled ▁in ▁a ▁long - standing ▁and ▁bitter ▁controvers y ▁with ▁the ▁commander ▁of ▁, ▁Captain ▁J esse ▁Elli ott , ▁over ▁their ▁conduct ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Lake ▁Er ie , ▁and ▁both ▁were ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁official ▁charges . ▁In ▁ 1 8 1 5 , ▁he ▁successfully ▁commanded ▁ ▁in ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁during ▁the ▁Second ▁Barb ary ▁War . ▁So ▁sem inal ▁was ▁his ▁career ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁l ion ized ▁in ▁the ▁press ▁( be ing ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁scores ▁of ▁books ▁and ▁articles ). ▁He ▁has ▁been ▁frequently ▁mem orial