Cyrus Tiffany: African American heroism was not daunted by Captain Oliver H. Perry's opinion of African American sailors. A African American sailor, Cyrus Tiffany, was instrumental in protecting the life of Perry. When the USS Lawrence, the flagship of the American navy on Lake Erie, was sunk during the battle at Put-in-Bay in July 1814, Tiffany and others were rowing Perry to the USS Niagara, the new flagship, when the British began to shoot at the rowboat. Tiffany shielded his captain with his body and allowed Perry to escape safety to the new ship.