Sailing on the Brig Niagara
We were organized into watches, we ate and slept with our watch, put often worked “all hands” or ‘general quarters.’ We had assignments for fire, man-overboard and abandon ship drills, and drilled daily when we were under sail. 
The Niagara became Oliver Hazard Perry’s flagship, after the British sunk the Lawrence in the Battle of Put-in-Bay. She flies Perry’s personal flag, the somewhat ironic “Don’t Give Up the Ship” which he rescued from the sinking Lawrence as he left her burning in Lake Erie to take the helm of the Niagara. She also flies the Pennsylvania State Flag (her homeport is in Erie, PA, and the state provides her essential but precarious funding) and the Ensign of the United States (1812)
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We were fortunate in all aspects: we had a good ship, a good crew, a gifted Captain, great weather, and plenty of wind, I have a lot more to say, and a few more posts to write for our school blog, but for now, home, and happy.
The Niagara became Oliver Hazard Perry’s flagship, after the British sunk the Lawrence in the Battle of Put-in-Bay. She flies Perry’s personal flag, the somewhat ironic “Don’t Give Up the Ship” which he rescued from the sinking Lawrence as he left her burning in Lake Erie to take the helm of the Niagara. She also flies the Pennsylvania State Flag (her homeport is in Erie, PA, and the state provides her essential but precarious funding) and the Ensign of the United States (1812)
.
We were fortunate in all aspects: we had a good ship, a good crew, a gifted Captain, great weather, and plenty of wind, I have a lot more to say, and a few more posts to write for our school blog, but for now, home, and happy.