USS Constitution Engages the British
The USS Constitution, famously known as "Old Ironsides," played a significant role during the War of 1812, a conflict between the United States and Great Britain. At the onset of the war, the British navy was dominant, boasting numerous naval vessels that patrolled American waters. Conversely, the American naval forces were limited, comprising only a handful of frigates and warships. Despite initial underestimations of its capabilities, the USS Constitution, commanded by Captain Isaac Hull, achieved a notable victory against the British frigate Guerriere on August 19, 1812, marking a turning point in American naval pride and morale. This battle resulted in substantial British casualties and showcased the Constitution's resilience, leading to its nickname. Although the victory was a morale booster, the overall American navy remained outmatched throughout most of the war. After its active service, the Constitution faced periods of deterioration but was preserved through cultural efforts, such as Oliver Wendell Holmes's poem, and today stands as a historic symbol and tourist attraction.
USS Constitution Engages the British
The USS Constitution Engages the British
The War of 1812 pitted the young American nation against Great Britain, the mightiest sea power of the era. When hostilities between the two nations began in June 1812, 11 British ships of the line, together with 34 frigates and 52 smaller warships, patrolled American waters. In comparison, American naval resources consisted of only four frigates and about 12 other warships capable of fighting on the open sea. The addition of several hundred armed American merchant vessels, which harassed British commerce throughout the war, considerably aided the American effort. However, from the beginning it was clear that the American navy was no match for the British.
English newspapers reflected the contempt that the British felt for their adversaries. One paper described the USS Constitution, one of the four American frigates, as “a bundle of pine boards sailing under a bit of striped bunting” and claimed that “a few broadsides from England's wooden walls would drive the paltry striped bunting from the ocean.”
A few days later the Constitution's performance necessitated a reconsideration of these words. Under the command of Captain Isaac Hull, the Constitution sailed from Chesapeake Bay on July 12, 1812, to join forces with an American squadron then sailing off the waters off New York. En route a number of British vessels, including the frigate Guerriere, sighted the lone American ship and pursued it for three days and two nights. Hull was able to outmaneuver his adversaries, however, and the American frigate escaped to the safety of Boston harbor.
On August 12, 1812, the Constitution left Boston, and seven days later, while cruising 200 miles off the Maine coast, again met the Guerriere. This time a confrontation between the two vessels was unavoidable. The 30-minute battle that ensued on August 19, 1812, resulted in 79 British casualties and the destruction of the Guerriere. The Americans, however, suffered only 14 casualties and minor damage to their ship. In fact the Constitution's ability to withstand British attack was so great that one of its gunners allegedly exclaimed that “Her sides must be made of iron.” Although tradition holds that this is the source of its nickname, Old Ironsides, some claim that the incident merely confirmed its widespread usage. According to these sources, the name originated at the time of the ship's construction because the oak planking was bent into place without first undergoing the customary steaming and softening process.
A hero's welcome awaited Hull when he returned to Boston. On the other side of the Atlantic, the stunned London Times reported, “Never before in the history of the world did an English frigate strike to an American.” The Constitution's victory was a great boost to American morale, and an equally great blow to British pride. Aside from this, however, the battle itself had little long-range significance. The regular American navy was too weak to withstand the superior British fleet, and during most of the remainder of the war British ships kept the Constitution and the other frigates confined to their homeports.
The contribution of Old Ironsides to American history is not limited to the defeat of the Guerriere. The 44-gun frigate was one of the first six warships Congress ordered built when it reactivated the United States Navy in 1794. Launched on October 21, 1797, the ship served in the Tripolitan War of 1801 to 1805. Several times during the War of 1812 it escaped British surveillance to put a number of enemy vessels out of commission. In 1830 the navy declared it unseaworthy, and it would have been scuttled for parts had not Oliver Wendell Holmes's stirring poem Old Ironsides gained the ship a last-minute reprieve.
After extensive renovation, the Constitution returned to service in 1833. For another 22 years it saw active duty, but in 1855 deterioration again reached such an extent that it was retired to the Portsmouth Navy Yard. Partially restored in 1877, it made a final transatlantic crossing in that same year. The Constitution sailed only intermittently thereafter, and in 1897 returned to the Boston Naval Shipyard where it was used as a barracks ship until 1927. After its restoration in 1931, it became a popular tourist attraction.