What is the origin of the phrase "don't give up the ship"?
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foxy312005
ANSWERS: 1
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On June 1, 1813, the American frigate Chesapeake, commanded by Captain James Lawrence, fought the British frigate HMS Shannon in Boston harbor. The American ship lost the battle and Captain Lawrence was fatally wounded. As his officers gathered around him, he whispered, "Don't give up the ship!" Despite this, the British did capture the Chesapeake, repaired it, and made it part of the Royal Navy. Three months later at the battle of Lake Erie on September 10, 1813, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, commanding his flagship the Lawrence (named for Captain Lawrence), hoisted a battle flag with the words "Don't Give Up the Ship". The Lawrence suffered heavy damage and Perry had to transfer to another ship, the Niagara, taking his battle flag with him. He then charged toward the British ships and broke through their lines, raking them with heavy gunfire. In 15 minutes the British ships surrendered. "Don't Give up the Ship!" became the American battle cry of the War of 1812, much like "Remember the Alamo!" and "Remember Pearl Harbor!" in later wars.
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