The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-02-24
g." OLD IRONSIDES."

As this famous old craft, ithe frigate
CONSTITUTIONAL has lately been placed i'll
commission at Philadelphia. under the
command of Commander Henry A. Adams,
I :. n, as IA "trainIug ship for young
meu destined To man the ships of the navy,
perhaps it will be interesting to at least
portion of your Icaders-the descendants
of some of her brave officers-to furnish
them at this late day with IA brief sketch of
her glorious record, as this ever to be cher
ished old craft gave name to the Ameri
can navy which has 10 this day never been
furnished by cUwardiCe or dlsuyalty.
She was originally modelled by Joshua
Humphries, and was built by MIR. Hartt, of
Boston, in 1891. Her construction was
commenced under an appropriation by the
Government, huT the sum not being sufli
Gent Tor her completion, the ladies of
Boston, by fairs, tea parties, &c., rai>t d
the necessary funds for that object. Had
it not been for failures to launch her, she
would have been the second vessel aiioat
under the new organization of the navy
known as the " Continental Navy Board
But few of her early exploits appeared
upon record until her celebrated escape
from the British fleet (off the capes of VIZ
ginia), consisting Of five famous English
rsnI- 800 C''ols;.rs o''n,,anded hy ,b,t
80 Ia .,Ilan, ,,fi,.sr C,nt D.cras of
the royal navy, which was the first single
frigate of the British navy that had ever
Welded to a ship of equal force.
1t was left to the gallant Hull. while in
command Of the Constitution, to teach our
naughty foe, that they were not iuvincible
even on their favorite element The Gen.
staution sailed from Annapolis on the 12th
I'r'oa h,n Sa;I v,s ,nsda tn iaarn be,.
ct srac,nr h,t in . sb,rt time fnnr other
S,;l hove in sioht These Sims moved ia
he The Brush sonadron Commodore Broke
,ha .o,,;o, ,t;,,r IN tho 1n,lout for
~, ia,,at;,,,,;a, soon C,n,,;, Unu f,,,d
tn was 1rtrInc into a hnrnet's nest and to
,,,o h;s shi, from c,ntrre il was neces
S,rv ia make his escane hv all means in his
nower Chasa WAS made nv the whole
sonadrnn and for several honrs they were
~ ,.,,,, shot DISTANCE of onr sinolc old Iron
sj5es hut Inv such strategy and consuu
,,,,a lin nayar hafore sho,rn in naval his
t,rv sbe was enabled tn elude them all
tarn,,,,,;r, 3, cl,,sa that has becone his
tor;n.I j., ,',yai circIas for its Ieno,b close.
rasS and ac,;vitv ON the mart IF the
En,,lisb mncb perseverance and seaman.
,Li' ,cara .vL;hi,ed. bnt tho ,,lorv of the
ial INV ha off, n1
"a''.,' H. Tala,;.,,,ion
cie , VI 'he .I,' "'E i,',, ,s u
o,,,,,.t.,,'nas ~ nobis +, ;,r,,a rS;n,' Nd
81 lately been the snbigct of the speers of
ENGLISH critics. maintained the highest
character Of avell. discontinued and thorouph
wan nfw,r and extorted the Constant ad.
n,;r,ti,n Of bar discontinued nursu.rs
C,llinu n short time at Roston tn fill IN
nor v.,iar and nrovisions she sailed on the
ond of AuouS; 1919 and On TN. 10Th n
s,il ,y,s r.nnrted ahead Sail was made in
ch,.e and tho vessel renorted soon nroved
~ hs ,, l,rra frio,t. nniar easy sa,i crnis.
80, tn fnd III. Tonstu,,t;o,, Ar : n n
tns str,nnsr diSni.yed three Enolish On
sims which nr,ved her character and
nationality Tuder the directions of Can't.
Hull and his gallant and efficient FIRST
I,eutena,t NnTris the Coystjtution was
,i.,y.d for actiou and Mt =, Httla after G
, o'clork the bo,vs of the American friuate
began IN d,ubIe the ouarter of her foe,
when sh. orened her brvads,de. and in ten
minntes the uizzeu mast of the ENGLISH
man was shot AWAY AT : o'clock. when
RI. Cousf,f.ijon was preparing to throw
ann,hrr h,otdsid.. the f.ps of the enemy
were struck their shin being in a siuk,ny
conGitinn She proved to he. The famous
/ G,errjsre the rrid, of the British navy
Thus was ended a gallant action on both
SIDES which cave the American navy a
Mace in the niche of fame. and in the
hearts of the American neople. never. IL il
! boo,i N bs erased
II is mn, easy AT This distant dav. to
conway tn th, reader the fuu force Of the
moral infuenrr and immersion ere #. Il
throughout rbe world by RMS victory, So
deem had bee, the effect produced on the
ruhIic mind. Inv the constant accounts of
! tb. success of the Enu,ish on their enemies
/ ~ sea that the oninion of their invincibillrv
was almost universal In this combat
the Cou,tit,,ion's loss was seven killed and
savan wounded and in three bonrs after
( - 80, ,,J,, fo,. ono,bar t,;.l f arms
,rh;ia I.r n,,rnnsnt w,s comnIata,v dis
r,..s,cd Md tnvanty.nine killed and wound
ed and had received no less than tbirtv-two
Shots below her water line c,nsinS her
s,,,, =, sinl
I C',t u,,u b,,.;,,, ,,orr,,r,,.d +loso +vo
great exploits, gave way to Capt. Balm
bridge VINO holsted ms nag on the o""%a-
t"tt"4 Oh 'ne toen u 9eptIinoet, Ioi5 ne
Siieu, ON ttie IN VI He'oee eel itom noS.on
ana on I'Vil Vi Dece'noei zen ~ WIN, anu
Jap'uieu' ,ie ia'rois sup 'uts' Iap'
tipbt: the crew of the Constitution having
again the satisfaction of seeing another
of Great Britain invinclble frigates strike
her colours to the >. Yankee ship built OF
white nine and carving a few striues of
In February, 1915, we again find this
grand old craft under the command of one
of PENNSYLVANIA favorite sons, Commo
month, engaged, single handed, two ships
gagement of a few hours. The manner in