Washington, DC – Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI15) made the following comments today on H.R. 1694, the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield Protection Act.  Located within Michigan’s 15th Congressional District is the River Raisin Battlefield, the site of a major engagement that occurred during the American campaign in the winter of 1813 to retake Fort Detroit from the British. 

“Madam Speaker:  I rise today as a cosponsor and strong supporter of H.R. 1694, the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield Protection Act.  I want to thank Congressman Holt for his leadership and efforts on this important legislation.

“Both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, often called the Second Revolutionary War, produced battles that had great influence on the evolution of our young Nation.  It is therefore incumbent upon the Federal government to protect the sites of these battles so their legacies may live on in perpetuity.  That is why we must support H.R. 1694, which provides grants to states to aid in the acquisition of battlefields from the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.

“The importance of preserving sites from both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 is certainly not lost on me.  Located within Michigan’s 15th District is the River Raisin Battlefield, the site of a major engagement that occurred during the American campaign in the winter of 1813 to retake Fort Detroit from the British.  Out of a force of nearly a thousand American Regulars and Militia, only 33 managed to escape either death or capture during the battle and its aftermath in what was then known as Frenchtown and today, Monroe, Michigan.  This bloody event, arguably the largest land engagement of the War of 1812, gave birth to the emotional rallying cry “Remember the Raisin,” which prompted thousands to volunteer for General William Henry Harrison’s spring 1813 campaign.  The citizens of Monroe, Michigan have undertaken enormous efforts to rehabilitate the site and restore the integrity of the Battlefield for its inclusion as a unit of the National Park system.  I am pleased that their goal was met with the enactment of the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act.

“Madam Speaker, H.R. 1694 would rightfully aid hundreds of other sites like the River Raisin Battlefield that deserve to be preserved for permanent installation into in our Nation’s rich history in its quest for independence.  I urge my colleagues to join me in voting ‘yes’ on H.R. 1694.”