Matthew Calbraith Perry

Commodore Matthew Perry
Perry in the 1850s, in a photograph by Mathew Brady.
Birth name	Matthew Calbraith Perry
Born	(1794-04-10)April 10, 1794 Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.
Died	March 4, 1858(1858-03-04) (aged 63) New York, New York, U.S.
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1809–1858
Rank	Commodore
Commands held	USS Shark Africa Squadron USS Fulton New York Navy Yard USS Mississippi Mosquito Fleet
Battles/wars	Little Belt Affair War of 1812 USS President vs HMS Belvidera Second Barbary War Suppression of the Slave Trade Battle of Little Bereby Opening of Japan Mexican–American War Battle of Frontiera First Battle of Tabasco Tampico Expedition Siege of Veracruz First Battle of Tuxpan Second Battle of Tuxpan Third Battle of Tuxpan Second Battle of Tabasco
Spouse(s)	Jane (Slidell) Perry
Relations	Christopher Perry (father) Sarah Wallace (Alexander) Perry (mother) Raymond Henry Jones Perry (brother) Oliver Hazard Perry (brother) James Alexander Perry (brother) Nathaniel Hazard Perry (brother) Sarah Wallace Perry (sister) Anna Marie Perry Rodgers (sister) Jane Tweedy Perry Butler (sister)

Matthew Calbraith Perry (April 10, 1794 – March 4, 1858) was a Commodore of the United States Navy and commanded a number of ships. He served in several wars, most notably in the Mexican–American War and the War of 1812. He played a leading role in the opening of Japan to the West with the Convention of Kanagawa in 1854.

Perry was very concerned with the education of naval officers and helped develop an apprentice system that helped establish the curriculum at the United States Naval Academy. With the advent of the steam engine, he became a leading advocate of modernizing the US Navy and came to be considered The Father of the Steam Navy in the United States.

Matthew Perry was the son of Sarah Wallace (Alexander) and Navy Captain Christopher R. Perry and the younger brother of Oliver Hazard Perry. Matthew Perry received a midshipman's warrent in the Navy in 1809, and was initially assigned to the USS Revenge, under the command of his elder brother.

Perry's early career saw him assigned to several ships, including the USS President (where he served as an aide to Commodore John Rodgers (1772–1838)) which had been in a victorious engagement over a British vessel, HMS Little Belt, shortly before the War of 1812 was officially declared. He continued in this capacity during the War of 1812. Perry was also aboard President when it engaged HMS Belvidera when Rodgers himself fired the first shot of the war at this vessel with a following shot that resulted in a cannon bursting, wounding Rodgers and Perry and killing and wounding others. Perry transferred to the USS United States, commanded by the legendary Stephen Decatur, and saw little fighting in the war afterwards, since the ship was trapped in port at New London, Connecticut.