The Civil War Navies Message Board

"Deadening the wind"

In an account of Perry's victory on Lake Erie during the War of 1812, a book published in 1898 makes the statement "The cannonade had the usual effect of deadening the wind, and for two hours there was very little air." The author seems to be very knowledgable about fighting sailing ships. Any of you sailing ship Naval historians ever heard of a heavy cannonading causing the wind to die down?