| Show old ironsides greatest victa K y r M yaz ar by ELMO SCOTT WATSON isaac did BO maul and rake her that the decks of captain dacre were in such a pickle As it death with scythe and sickle with ahli sling or with his shaft had cut bis harvest lore and att thus in thirty minutes ended Mis chiefs that could not be mended mast and yards and ship descended all to david jones locker such ship in such a pucker old song the present nation wide campaign to raise funds for the restoration and preservation of the his frigate constitution it would be singularly appropriate prop if this patriotic ef fort were crowned with sue cess by august 19 for that Is the anniversary of old iron aides greatest victory the dav when she fought the terrific engagement with the english frigate guerriere off the coast of IS ova and in one halt hour raised the united states to the rank of a first class power in all the brilliant record of this wonderful old warship there Is no incident more thrilling than the story of her duel with the proud ship which bore on her sails in letters red words of warning warda of dread all who meet me have a care I 1 am england s guerriere on august 2 1812 the constitution commanded by capt isaac null sailed from boston in the hope of falling ta with some of the british war vessels which were supposed to ba lying in wait for american shipping along the atlantic coast from nantucket to hall fat null was especially anxious to meet the guerriere commanded by capt james richard dabrea who had sent word to american commanders that his ship was not the little belt a reference to the dispute between the two nations over who had been the aggressor in the engagement in which the american ship president almost destroyed the british ship lit tie belt before war had been declared after cruising about in northern wa for more than a week during which time he overhauled several small fry of british shipping hull still seeking big game finally turned old ironsides southward about two 0 clock on the afternoon of august 19 the bool out reported a sail on the null immediately gave chase to the stranger and at halt past three discovered that it was a british rig ate sailing to within a league to the leeward of the enemy hull shortened sail cleared decks tor action hoisted the american fang beat to quarters and bore down on the enemy to bring her to close combat seeing this action the enemy ship also prepared tor action and when the englishman had hoisted three ensigns hull saw to his joy that his adversary was the one ship he had been seek ing the guerriere captain dacres opened the engagement with a broad side of grapeshot filled away and sent in another broadside on the other tack on account of the distance which separated the adversaries however neither broadside took effect for the next hour the two vessels maneuvered much in the manner of two boxers each trying to get in a position to raap the other with its gunfire and at the same time avoid being raked finally the guerriere began to draw off with the constitution in close pursuit trying to bring the fight to close quarters at last about six 0 clock in the evening the englishman took a position that indicated he was will ing to engage in a yard arm to yard arm fight and hull closed in until the bows of the constitution doubled the quarter of the guerriere from the moment that the american ship had begun to close in on the enemy the fire of the english guns had begun to strike old ironsides lieutenant morris hull s second in command became impatient and going to his commander asked permission to open fire not yet was hull s quiet response nearer and nearer the two warships drew together and again morris repeated his request only to receive the same quiet not yet J at ehst as the bows of the american ship drew alongside the enemy hull shouted enow boys pour it into thema instantly old ironsides forward guns which had been double with grape and round shot poured forth a terrific volley which swept the guerriere and bathed her decks in the blood of her men but the men of the guerriere had not been idle the two ships were now within half a pistol shot of each other and the englishman s guns were pounding the american vessel but for every blow that he dealt he received two in return within fifteen minutes the guerriere s mizzen mast was shot away her main yard was in slings and her hull spars sails and were torn to pieces by the hall of metal from the constitution the brought up in the wind as the mizzen mast gave way and the constitution passed slowly ahead poured in a tremendous alre bluffed short around the bows of the enemy to prevent being raked but fell foul of the guerriere her bowsprit run nang into the larboard quarter of the enemy ship at this moment the cabin of the constitution was set on alre by the forward guns of the english man but the flames were put out quickly As the two vessels lay locked tor a moment each side attempted to board the other fierce volleys of musketry amid the roar of the big guns added to the horror of the scene ahe americans who were attempting to board the enemy were led by lieutenant morris master alwyn and lieutenant bush of the marines morris and alwyn were severely wounded and bash was shot down before the americans could accomplish their purpose the sails of the constitution were filled and she shot ahead and clear of the enemy ship As she did so the guerriere s foremast fore mast went down carrying with it the main mast leaving that proud ship a shattered wreck rolling in the trough of the sea null hauled off his vessel a short distance away made hasty repairs on the rigging of his ship and at sunset bore down to a position which would enable him to rake the calp pled guerriere but the englishman was through A jack that had been kept flying on the stump of the alz zen mast was lowered as a signal of surrender null sent aleut george C read to board the prize As read stepped on deck and asked tor the commander dacres appeared corn eodore null s compliments and he wishes to know it you have struck your flag said read dacres calmly looking over the wreckage that surrounded him replied dryly V ell I 1 dont know our mizzen mast Is gone our mainmast Is gone and upon the whole you may say we have struck our flag read then offered the ser vices of a surgeon or a surgeons mate well I 1 should suppose you had on board your own ship business enough for all your medical officers said dacres oh no replied read we have only seven wounded and they were dressed halt an hour ago one casualty which the alon had suffered but which read did not mention was one illustrative of those ludicrous incidents which so often accompany historic events in thosa days the uniform of american naval commanders was an affair of much gold lace and buttons as to the coat ruffled shirts and tight alnee breeches at the opening of the engagement hull after twice saying not yet to morriss request for permission to open alre had finally given the word and as he did so he twice bent forward almost to the deck when the smoke of that first thunderous volley cleared away it was discovered that hulls energetic movements had split his tight breeches from waistband to the knee 1 but there was no time to change then and in this lc costume he continued to direct his men throughout the battle the constitution kept near her prize all night at dawn the officer in charge of the guerriere Guerr lere reported that she was filling with water and in danger of sinking so hull sent his boats to bring off the and the prize crew and by three in the afternoon the ship was deserted she was too much damaged to be saved so she was set on anre and fifteen minutes later an explosion that scattered blazing brands far and wide over the waters marked the end of england s guerriere Guerr lere hull arrived in boston on august 30 and reported his victory to the secretary of war ahen the newa spread it was received everywhere with the wildest demonstrations of joy for it meant that england s reign as the mistress of the seas was beginning to wine hull was the hero of the hour especially since his victory dispelled the gloom that had been i caused by the surrender of his uncle general hull at detroit a short time s before the and his men were feasted at a great celebration in fan cull hall hull was voted a gold medal by congress and in prize money was distributed among his men other cities honored him and the name of isiac hull has come down in american naval history along with that of john paul jones as one of our greatest naval heroes thereafter the constitution was known as old ironsides and although she won other victories none was more brilliant than this one |
