Overview: At dawn on the morning of September 10, 1813, a lookout spotted six British vessels to the northwest of Put-in-Bay in western Lake Erie. Immediately Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry issued a flurry of orders and made preparations to sail forth to engage the British. What ensued would be one of the bloodiest naval actions in America's young history. By 3:00 p.m. the U.S. naval squadron had won a complete victory over its opponent with Perry writing the famous phrase to General William Henry Harrison: "Dear General: We have met the enemy and they are ours. Two ships, two brigs, one schooner and one sloop. Yours with great respect and esteem, O.H. Perry." The Battle of Lake Erie proved to be one of the most resounding naval triumphs of the War of 1812. The victory secured control of the lake, forcing the British to abandon its base at Fort Malden and retreat up the Thames River. General Harrison's land force pursued, decisively defeating the small British army and its allied Indian force on October 5, 1813 at the Battle of the Thames. Later, during the peace talks, the dual victories of Lake Erie and the Thames insured that the states of Ohio and Michigan would remain the sovereign territory of the United States of America.