Show eso os N M Mf I f ht tr t- t as a r A S i. i By gl 81 ELMO SCOTT WATSON at did ge 10 o maul and rake rak her er Ier of Ipso 8 v decks deck of Captain Dacre re e. e in wen luch s a pickle re in fD If Death Dath th with h scythe and sickle l y jJ l MI his sling or with his hll shaft t Iffert frith fore fo an and act tt I o cut jp ended 5 ra rao al 1 In thirty minutes tes that could coula not b be m mended n s a IS II and yards ards and ship descended David Jones Jones' I locker locker- to ja I. I rl a ship In ln such a pucker Old d sour to um URINO G the present nationwide nationwide nation nation- l wide campaign to raise rale t funds for tor the restoration u and preservation of ot the historic historic his his- 0 tonic frigate Constitution r It would be singularly appropriate appropriate ap ap- if It this patriotic effort effort ef et ef- ef fort tort were crowned with success suc sue 4 cess by hy August 19 For that 4 h Y the mth anniversary of Old Iron Iron- f tides tides' greatest victory the day when the she fought the terrific engagement t with the English frigate Guerrero ol ott t the tie coast of ot Nova o a Scotia and In ones one- one s tail hlf hour bour raised the United States to tollie 1 the ite tank rank of a class first power In ill ii the brilliant record of ot this wonder wonder- r f ft fa nj old war warship there Is no incident a BM more t thrilling than the story of her duel with the proud ship which bore borer r r- r lOi ee b her ber r tails sails In letters red t of warning words warda of dread I All An who meet me have a care care carel 1 1 lain alii im England's th th I C ads n t tit u ti on n Oa August U UL 0 a U U Commanded by Capt Copt Isaac Hull sailed t from Boston Roston In the hope of falling tailing In t ith lIb some Borne of ot the British war vessels t stick were supposed to be lying In ino o salt nit alt for American shipping along the Atlantic coa coast t from Nantucket to Hall Hall- A fa fet Dull flail was e especially anxious to toI I meet the commanded by Capt apt James Richard Dacres who had feat tut word ord to American commanders I that Ms his ship was not the Little Belt Beltt It t I reference to the dispute between I the tte two t nations over o who had hod been 1 the tie aggressor In the engagement In n nr r which the American ship hip President r almost destroyed the British ship LitIe Litte Lit Lit- lie Ie Celt Kelt before war had been declared de- de dared After cruising ab about ut In northern waI wafers wa wa- I tars fers for tor more than a R week during bleh time he overhauled several se small mill fry try of British shipping Hull trill seeking big game finally turned Old lId Iron Ironsides southward Ab About ut two I clock o'clock on the afternoon of August AugustI I 19 lithe out look reported a u sail on the Hull Immediately lately gave ave chase chaset t to lathe the stranger and at half past post three d that It was a n British frig frig- ate ae t Sailing to vv within thin a league to the leeward of ot the enemy Hull shortened oH all cleared decks for action hoisted the tie American Hag illig Bent to quarters Mil tad bore dow down n on the enemy to bring let her to close clove combat Seeing this action the enemy ship also Iso prepared for action and when the had hod hoisted three ensigns Dull BUll taw saw to his Joy that his Isis adversary WU the one ship he had been ben seek seek- to ins In the Captain Dacres Wed opened the engagement with a broadside broad broad- side life of ot grapeshot tilled filled away and eat at In another broadside on the other tact tick On account of ot the distance which Pirated the adversaries nd however howe neither either broad broadside took effect For the thee sent Den e hour the two vessels maneuvered touch much In the manner of ot two boxers each 71 Jingo l s 10 o get In Inh a position take rata the he other with h Its gunfire and ni ai nin n the same lame time avoid old being raked FInally rawly the began to draw o ort with Ith the Constitution In close purt pur pur- nit t It trying to bring the fight to close quarters At last about six sli o'clock to In the en e evening In the f Englishman took e a Position that Indicated he was willIne willI will will- I Ine to engage in a n yardarm yard to yard yard- J Ira ann and hull HUH closed In until the bows of ot the Constitution doubled doubted the quarter rt r of ot the From the moment that the American ship P fad ad begun to close In on the enel th the lire Ire of the English guns gun had i begun to m ro strike Old Ironsides LIeutenant tenant Morris Hulls Hull's second In me kt C to his Impatient and frO po- tuV con commander nander asked w to open fire Not Hulls Hull's yet was Iet w two No response Nearer and ne nearer nearer the u Ma warships drew w together her and again repeated his request t only to feve eive the same lame Quiet aulet Not yet 1 ri e t 71 At last Ilist as the bows of ot the American ship drew alongside the enell enemy Hull shouted Now bo boys bOJ's s pour It Into them I Instantly Old Ironsides Ironsides' forward forward for tor- ward word guns which had been ben double- double with grape and poured forth a terrific volley which swept the and bathed her decks In the blood of ot her men But nut the men of ot the had not been Idle The two ships were now within half holt n a pistol shot of ot each other and the J Englishman's guns were pounding the American vessel But Buttor for tor every blow that he dealt he received received received re re- two In return Within fifteen minutes the Guerriere's mizzen mast was shot away awny her main yard was In slings and ond her hull spars sails and ond rigging were torn to pieces by the hall hail of metal from the Constitution The brought up In the wind windas as the mizzenmast mast gave way and the Constitution passed slowly ahead poured In to a tremendous tire are lulled short around the bows of the enemy to prevent being raked but but fell foul of the her bowsprit running run running run ning Into the larboard quarter of ot the enemy ship At this moment the cabin cabla of ot the Constitution was set on tire lire by the forward buns guns ns of the Englishman English English- h- h man but the lames flames were lre put out quickly A As the two vessels lay locked for a moment each side attempted to board the other Fierce volleys of musketry amid the roar of ot the big guns added to the horror of ot th the scene The AmerIcans Americans Amer Amer- leans who were attempting to board the enemy were led IN by Lieutenant Morris Master Alwyn Alwn and Lieutenant Lieuten Lieuten- ant Bush of the Marines MarinIs Morris and Alwyn Alwn were severely wounded and ond Bush was shot down Before the Americans Amer Amer- could accomplish their purpose the sails of ot the Constitution were filled and she shot ahead and clear of ot the enemy ship As she did so the mast fore went down carrying car car- with It the mast main leaving lea that proud ship a shattered wreck rolling roiling In the trough of the sell sea Hull hauled hauld oft off his vessel essel a short distance away made hasty basty repairs on the rigging of ot his ship and at sunset bore down to ft R po position which would enable him to rake the crippled crip pled GuerrierI But the Englishman v w through A Jack that had been L L o t h the r dying on U the me stump slump iII u. u i r mast cn-mast was wa lowered ns os a signal of I surrender lull Hull sent George eorge C. C Head Bead to board the prize prim As Read Head stepped on deck and asked for the I commander Dacres appeared Commodore Commodore Commodore Com Hulls Hull's compliments and tie he wishes to Know If It you Jou have struck your flag flog said U Hond Ill I'll 1 Dacres calmly almly that surrounded surrounded sur sur- looking over o the wreckage rounded him replied repined dryly Well I dont don't know our mast mizzen Is gone gon our mainmast Is gon gone and upon the whole you may maJ sa say we WI have hare struck offered the services services ser ser- our flag fing Rend Head then st geon's s-i-geon's geons geon's vices of ot a II surgeon or a mate Well 11 I hould should suppose you had on board hoard your Jour 0 own n ship business enough for tor nil all your medical officers said Dacres Dacre Oh lii no replied Mend Bend and ond We have only seven senn wounded they were dres dressed ed ld half an on hour ago One casualty which the Con Constitution Constitution which Rend Bend did tion had hod suffered d but one Illustrative of not mention was those ludicrous Incidents which so often oft on en accompany historic events In those days the uniform of ot American naval nant commanders was an affair of ot much gold lace and ond buttons as 08 to the coat milled shirts and tight knee breeches At the opening of the engagement Hull after atter twice saying Not yet to Morriss Morris's request for tor permission to open fire 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 t was discovered that Hulls Hull's energetic movements had split spilt his hll tight breeches from waistband to the knee kneel I 1 But nut there was n no time to change then and In this costume he continued to direct his has men throughout the battle The Constitution kept near her prize all night At dawn the officer In charge of ot the reported that she was Oiling filling with water and andIn andIn andin In danger of ot sinking So Hull Hun sent his boats bonts to bring oft orr the prisoners and the prize crew and by three o'clock in the afternoon the ship was wa deserted She was too much damaged to be saved so she was set on tire lire and fifteen minutes later Inter an explosion that scattered blazing brands far and end wide over o the waters marked the end endot of ot Hull arrived in Boston on August 30 0 and report reported Id I'd his victory to the secretary secretory of war When the news new I spread it was received everywhere with the wildest demonstrations of 01 Joy for tor It meant that England's reign as ns the mistress of the seas was wa beginning beginning beginnIng be be- ginning to wane Hull was the hero of ot the hour espe especially since hl his victory victory victory vic vic- tory dispelled the gloom that had been caused by the surrender of ot his uncle General Hull at nt Detroit a short time before The commander and his men were feasted at nt a great celebration In hall ball Hull was vot voted d a agold agold agold gold medal by congress and In prize money was distributed among his men Other cities honored him and the name of ot Isaac Hull Hun has come down downIn In American naval history along with that of ot John Paul laul Jones as ns one of our greatest naval heroes Thereafter the Constitution was known as Old Ironsides Iron sides and although she won other victories none was more brilliant than this one I |