S.Res. 153 — Introduced in Senate

III 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 153 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 23, 2013 Mr. Toomey submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary RESOLUTION Recognizing the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Lake Erie. Whereas the 9 vessels in the United States naval fleet on the Great Lake of Erie during the War of 1812 were assembled and stationed at Presque Isle Bay, Pennsylvania; Whereas the American forces, under the command of 28-year-old Rhode Island native Oliver Hazard Perry, were tasked to subdue the enemy fleet on the lake and sever its vital supply lines to the northwestern front; Whereas the United States fleet met its adversaries a short distance from Put-in-Bay, Ohio, on September 10, 1813; Whereas during the intense fight that ensued, the flagship of Commodore Perry, the U.S. Brig Lawrence, was disabled and its crew suffered over an 80-percent casualty rate; Whereas Commodore Perry refused to surrender, courageously boarded a small rowboat, traversed a half-mile through hostile waters, and transferred his command to the U.S. Brig Niagara; Whereas the U.S. Brig Niagara steered back into the heart of the battle, outmaneuvered its foes, and forced the subsequent surrender of the entire British fleet on Lake Erie; Whereas 100 sharpshooters from the Kentucky militia stationed on board the flotilla provided devastating covering fire throughout the encounter; Whereas to communicate the conclusion of the engagement to Major General William Henry Harrison, Commodore Perry provided the historic and succinct battle summary: We have met the enemy, and they are ours—two ships, two brigs one schooner & one sloop.; Whereas the victory solidified American control of Lake Erie for the duration of the conflict, enabling United States forces to retake Detroit and win further battles in the Old Northwest and the Niagara Valley; Whereas the State of Pennsylvania to this day maintains the U.S. Brig Niagara as its State ship; Whereas the battle flag of Commodore Perry, Dont Give Up the Ship, is preserved in the United States Naval Academy Museum in Annapolis, Maryland; and Whereas the battle is immortalized in the United States Senate by the masterpiece painted by William Henry Powell in 1873: Now, therefore, be it That the Senate— (1) recognizes the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Lake Erie; (2) remembers with great pride this significant victory in the Second War of Independence of the United States; (3) commends the city of Erie, Pennsylvania, and the Perry 200 Commemoration Commission for their efforts to ensure the appropriate recognition of this historic event; and (4) expresses its deepest gratitude to all the sailors and marines who gave their lives in honorable service to the United States of America on the Great Lake of Erie 200 years ago.