I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 401 

To provide for the designation of certain sites in Monroe County and Wayne 

County, Michigan, relating to the Battles of the River Raisin during 

the War of 1812 as a unit of the National Park System. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 9, 2009 

Mr. DINGELL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To provide for the designation of certain sites in Monroe 

County and Wayne County, Michigan, relating to the 

Battles of the River Raisin during the War of 1812 

as a unit of the National Park System. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘River Raisin National 

5 Battlefield Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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•HR 401 IH

1 (1) The War of 1812, often referred to as 

2 America’s Second War of Independence, was a sig3 nificant event in the development of the United 

4 States in that the war helped forge a national iden5 tity for the country, retained and solidified the 

6 northern border with Canada, and finally settled any 

7 question of the permanence of American sovereignty. 

8 (2) In section 603 of division I of the Omnibus 

9 Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 

10 (Public Law 104–333; 110 Stat. 4172), Congress 

11 expressed its concern that ‘‘the historical integrity of 

12 many Revolutionary War sites and War of 1812 

13 sites is at risk’’. 

14 (3) The River Raisin Battlefield is the site of 

15 a major engagement of the War of 1812, and the 

16 battles and subsequent massacre at the River Raisin 

17 were some of the most significant military events of 

18 the entire war. 

19 (4) Out of the nearly 1,000 American Regulars 

20 and Militia who participated in the battle, only 33 

21 escaped death or capture, including some 65 de22 fenseless prisoners who were killed or burned alive 

23 the day after the second battle. 

24 (5) The defeat of the Americans at Frenchtown, 

25 now Monroe, Michigan, the subsequent massacre, 


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1 and the burning of the settlement was described by 

2 General William Henry Harrison as a ‘‘national ca3 lamity’’, and the outrage stemming from this catas4 trophe aided recruitment efforts for the successful 

5 American campaign in the Spring of 1813. 

6 (6) Soldiers passing through the ashes of 

7 Frenchtown the following summer on march to Can8 ada were so moved by the tragic scene that they 

9 were spurred on to victory at the Battle of the 

10 Thames, where they shouted the emotional battle 

11 cry, ‘‘Remember the Raisin!’’. 

12 (7) The events at the River Raisin remain a 

13 significant moment in United States history and the 

14 battlefield where so many Americans paid the ulti15 mate sacrifice for the defense of the United States 

16 deserves the highest degree of Federal protection 

17 and interpretation. 

18 SEC. 3. RIVER RAISIN NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD PARK, MON19 ROE AND WAYNE COUNTIES, MICHIGAN. 

20 (a) ACQUISITION OF SITES RELATING TO BATTLES

21 OF THE RIVER RAISIN.—If offered by Monroe County or 

22 Wayne County, Michigan, or other willing landowners in 

23 either County, the Secretary of the Interior shall accept 

24 on behalf of the United States the donation of real propVerDate Nov 24 2008 04:52 Jan 12, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H401.IH H401

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1 erty in either County relating to the Battles of the River 

2 Raisin on January 18 and 22, 1813, and their aftermath. 

3 (b) DESIGNATION OF ACQUIRED PROPERTY AS NA4 TIONAL BATTLEFIELD PARK.—Upon the acquisition of 

5 real property under subsection (a) of sufficient acreage to 

6 permit efficient administration, the Secretary shall des7 ignate the acquired real property as a unit of the National 

8 Park System to be known as the ‘‘River Raisin National 

9 Battlefield Park’’. 

10 (c) REPORT.—Not later than three years after the 

11 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall sub12 mit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House 

13 of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and 

14 Natural Resources of the Senate a report containing a de15 scription of the progress made in acquiring real property 

16 under subsection (a) and in designating the River Raisin 

17 National Battlefield Park. 

Æ 


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