Annapolis mayor invokes Naval Academy slogan as city grapples with flooding: ‘Don’t give up the dock’

The City of Annapolis, facing possible record levels of flooding, has a message for residents: “Don’t give up the dock.”

The phrase, a play on the iconic Naval Academy slogan, “Dont give up the ship,” is on a flag that’s been raised near Burtis House Friday afternoon. Burtis House is a waterman’s cottage that represents Annapolis’ maritime roots.

“I wanted to invoke the spirit of Captain James Lawrence,” Mayor Gavin Buckley said in a statement. “They were fighting for something bigger than themselves, for their freedom and for future generations. That’s exactly what we’re doing today. This year, we are on track for the most high water days in our city’s history. The urgency couldn’t be greater and the work is up to us: to save our historic downtown and create a resilient future for our city and the generations to come.”

The original “Dont give up the ship” flag, which does not have an apostrophe, is in the Naval Academy Museum. The phrase was Capt. James Lawrence’s last command on the USS Chesapeake during the War of 1812.  Lawrence, who was fatally wounded in a battle outside Boston Harbor, gave the command before being carried below deck and succumbing to his injuries. Ultimately, the USS Chesapeake surrendered to the British Navy.

Following Lawrence’s death, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, a friend, had a flag made in Erie, Pennsylvania to hoist as he sailed into battle against British troops on Lake Erie during the War of 1812.

The Academy has displayed the flag on its campus since receiving it in 1849.

“The victory there at Lake Erie has these important strategic implications for the War of 1812 but also this huge cultural impact on the U.S. Navy. [It] gives the U.S. Navy that confidence to think that it can grow in the world,” said Capt. BJ Armstrong, associate professor of war studies at the Academy.

Through the end of April, Annapolis has experienced 41 events of minor flooding at or above 2.6 ft, according to data provided to The Capital from the Office of Emergency Management. Preliminary analysis of these events indicates that if their frequency continues, the city is on track to having 120 flooding events this year, a record, said Kevin Simmons, director of OEM. In 2019, there were 65 minor flooding events, the most the city has experienced.