Matthew Calbraith Perry became a midshipman at sixteen, determined to be as good a naval officer as his father and famous brother, Oliver Hazard Perry. During this forty-eight years of service, he proved himself worthy of the Perry name to which he brought further honor and glory. He was the scourge of pirates; pioneer of naval education and sanitation; Father of the Steam Navy and a gifted diplomat who negotiated the first trade treaty with Japan.

This absorbing account of Matthew Perry's life and brilliant career shows how his indomitable spirit helped to bring our fledgling navy to a position of power, and how Perry himself influenced the course of history. His courage and devotion to duty were revealed in his first battle in the War of 1812. Although wounded, he brought aid to his crippled captain and remained at his post. Soon afterward he displayed daring and a gift for diplomacy when he was sent to Africa to help stop the slave trade and establish a colony for free American Negroes in Liberia.

One of Perry's greatest ambitions was to modernize the U.S. Navy. To achieve this goal he fought to convert it to steam warships, earning for himself the title of Father of the Steam Navy. He introduced new methods of education and sanitation on his ships. He foresaw the need for trained officers and helped establish the naval academy at Annapolis.

A gifted diplomat, he served in Russia and other countries, and the crowning achievement of his career—a momentous event in history—was breaking through Japanese isolation and affecting the first trade treaty with United States.

This biography of Matthew Perry is both an exciting chronicle of the exploits of a fighting man, and an inspiring story of how his wisdom and devotion to duty enhanced the greatness of his country.

From the book