Full Text of SR0552 93rd General Assembly
SR0552 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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SR0552 |
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LRB093 21995 KEF 51209 r |
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| SENATE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, In commemoration of Haitian people, this body | 3 |
| proclaims May 18th, 2004, as Haitian Flag Day as it has become | 4 |
| a source of pride and is synonymous with unity and individual | 5 |
| liberty; and | 6 |
| WHEREAS, In 1779, a regiment of soldiers of Haitian descent | 7 |
| called the Chasseurs-Volontaires made a crucial contribution | 8 |
| to our country when they fought on the side of Americans in the | 9 |
| Battle of Savannah, Georgia, one of the two bloodiest battles | 10 |
| of the American Revolutionary War; and
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| WHEREAS, The forces merged with 4,000 American troops led | 12 |
| by General Benjamin Lincoln, among them was a 12-year old | 13 |
| drummer boy named Henri Christophe; he later also fought | 14 |
| against the British in Pensacola, Florida, and survived both | 15 |
| battles as he was destined to become a foremost leader in | 16 |
| Haitian history, indeed the George Washington of Haiti; he was | 17 |
| a Freedom Fighter and fought for American Independence; and | 18 |
| WHEREAS, As part of his plan to regain control of Savannah | 19 |
| from the British, General Benjamin Lincoln summoned French | 20 |
| Admiral D'estaing's naval forces to blockade the coastal | 21 |
| Georgia port from British ships; among them were 500 to 800 | 22 |
| Haitian volunteers who had joined the Admiral's 4,000 men; and
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| WHEREAS, Once on land, Haitian soldiers fought fiercely | 24 |
| alongside some of the finest American officers, including | 25 |
| Lincoln, McIntosh, Pulaski, and Marion; and
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| WHEREAS, Indeed, the contribution of the French brigade on | 27 |
| land, composed mainly of Haitians, was crucial in protecting | 28 |
| the American soldiers as they retreated; even though this | 29 |
| battle was lost, the Americans were able to recover to fight | 30 |
| another battle thanks to the soldiers who provided their cover, |
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SR0552 |
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LRB093 21995 KEF 51209 r |
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| including the Haitians who died fighting for America's freedom; | 2 |
| and
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| WHEREAS, In these important ways and many more, Haitians | 4 |
| have contributed greatly to the history and development of our | 5 |
| country, making us who we are today and continuing to | 6 |
| positively shape who we will be tomorrow; therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL | 8 |
| ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we proclaim May 18, | 9 |
| 2004, as Haitian Flag Day to commemorate the contributions of | 10 |
| Haitians in the Battle of Savannah, Georgia, and thank the | 11 |
| Haitians today for the courage Haitian soldiers showed as | 12 |
| American allies during the Revolutionary War, and for the | 13 |
| contributions Haitians continue to make to our country; and be | 14 |
| it further
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| RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | 16 |
| presented to the representative of the Haitian Diplomatic | 17 |
| Mission accredited in the United States and to the National | 18 |
| Chairman of the Haitian/American Voters and Entrepreneurs | 19 |
| National Organization.
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