Perry's decision to give and take punishment, no matter if it should cost him a ship or two, won him the victory.
The British force was inferior, both in the number of vessels and the weight of broadsides, but this inferiority was somewhat balanced by the greater range and hitting power of Barclay's longer guns.

Each had what might be called two heavy ships of the line: the British, the _Detroit_ and the _Queen Charlotte,_ and the Americans, the _Lawrence_ and the _Niagara_.

Next in importance and fairly well matched were the _Lady Prevost_ under Barclay's flag and the _Caledonia_ under Perry's.

There remained the light schooner craft of which the American squadron had six and the British only three.

Perry realized that if he could put ship against ship the odds would be largely in his favor, for, with his batteries of carronades which threw their shot but a short distance, he would be unwise to maneuver for position and let the enemy pound him to pieces at long range.