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_The Secretary of the Navy to George Harrison._

To
George HARRISON, Esq., Navy Department,
Navy Agent, Philadelphia. July 4th, 1814.

Sir: In order to have made the swords and medals contemplated by
the inclosed resolutions of Congress, I have to request that you
will engage artists for that purpose whose abilities and (p. 181)
taste will insure their being executed in the best manner.
You will perceive by the resolution that the device for the medal
for Captains Perry and Elliott must be emblematical of the action
on Lake Erie; and, it appears to me, that representations of the
several engagements are the most suitable devices for the others.
The best representations of those engagements yet engraved may be
seen, I understand, in the Academy of Arts at Philadelphia, where
the artists and amateurs might readily determine on the devices.
The number of dies for the medals will be as follows, viz.:

Capture of the Guerriere by the Constitution 1
" " Macedonian by the United States 1
" " Frolic by the Wasp 1
" " Java by the Constitution 1
" " Peacock by the Hornet 1
" " Boxer by the Enterprize 1
Victory on Lake Erie 1
--
Dies 7

The reverse of the medals will be properly appropriated to the
respective portraits of the several commanders, which, I believe,
have all been published. These, however, ought to be correct
likenesses. Of the number of medals of each kind to be struck,
you will be informed in due time.

As it will scarcely be possible to represent distinctly the
deeply interesting scenes of the memorable victory of Erie on one
face of the medal, it may be well to omit the portrait of
Commodore Perry, and divide the representation of the action into
two prominent and distinct parts which mark the crisis of the
battle, in the first terminating with the abandonment of the
Lawrence, and the passage of the hero in his gig, with his flag,
from that ship to the Niagara. Second, the bringing up of the
gunboats and small vessels by Captain Elliott,