, 1881-12-18
"0LD IRONSIDES" RETIRED.
The Fr1gate's Tattered Ensign
Down at Last.
The Story Of the Most Famous Of
Our Old War Ships.
Her Many Services in the War
Of 1872.
The Gallant Fight with the Guerriers-
Sentiment for the Old F1igate,

~r~AAeAAASAA" A~~ ~--
.Nr.c York Ttmes, Dec is.
The famous old trigate Constitution ws
formally pitt out Of commission at tie Drooh
lyn Navy Yard yesterday, Wien her ersis
was hauled down in the presence OF all til
officers uf the yard. She takes her plac
in what Is called Rotten Row" with til
SusqucI.;nlla and Ticon1eroga- and, u,llcs
broken uDa1ld sold for relics, will be aliowc
To fall gradually TO pieces The history .
the old fri@ste may bc appropriately recalle
now that this final scene in her career lla
been Witnessed. The Constitution, o
"Oht lronsides,'' Us she WAS fan,iliarl,
called, w:ls one of six 1rigates the keel
vi which were laid in ls93.~ She was th'
third vessel built for tile United States Navy
after the adoption Of the Constitution, thu
United States being the first and the Con
stcla1lon the second. Tic Constitution ,v:ss
built at llar1's shipyard in Boston, which
WAS situated where Constitution Wharf nuw
is, ut Il cost ut sS;0., IT'S She was made very
strong. l.er frame being of live oak, and Ilel
1lank> bent oA witl.0uJ steam, as it was be,
lieveti that The steau,iag process weakened
and sottcnel the wood Her tonnage was
l,;sS;, She was launched OIL the 2lst Ut Octo-
ber. l737, in The presence of great gather
ing nj people. ltwas because she was so
stallch ship that the l1atnc Of 1'Ironsides -
was given Ile:. AMI her subsequent service in
the war Vi 1s2 fully entitled her to the
1la,1lc- She was The lIost famous ship
in our navy. and has been made the
tl,c,ne If story and of sony. She started
u, her first cruise in July, l7!E, under
command of Capt .]ames Nicholson. hut she
did nut come into active seryice until 1904,
TIA $frs
l'rcblt in the war between this country and
the IIars'try Powers. in the :.nll of Angus
the bo,utnlrun1en1 Of Tripoli was renewed
Tor the third tine, and the Constitution luade
her first historical record. She ran in to
withilla short distance of the castle and bat
t<.rt:s, and poured in destructive ttiscAa rses
OF round ami grape Shot She silenceu tile
guns Vi the castle aii4 spread destruction
:inung the gunooa1s of the enemy. Tile
squadron finally withdrew after dung great
damage to the town. After this exploit the
Constitution w:s engaged in cruising Until
the war vi ISL, during which ste made her
alOlions record, and proved to the world that
etcn 81 yontly a Nation as the United States
could produce !, navy able to cope with that
Of Great Eritaisl.
The Constitution, carrying forty-four guns
and under command of Capt. Isaac Hull, re-
turned from foreign service about the tine of
the declaration Ut war, and, having shipped Il
new crew, sailed from Annapolis OH q cruise
10 tie norttward July II, 1872. 1t | O'Clock
in tile afternoon OH The 18th, while she was
sailing easily along Will, !: light breeze, Capt
Hull found himself neariy surrounded BY
Erokcs British squadron. The Constitution
was not strong enough tu fight the powerful
1leet that was closing around llcr, and her
safety depended OH her speed One of the
ln,,t remarkable naval retreats aid pursuits
''st-f recorded now be:.as. The sea WAS ilt
almost !. dead calln and sails were Of little
u.e. The bouts were lowered and attached
To the ship by Ion" lines, aiut the sailors
hnliel win VII 1e tow ti,s ffisate ont Of
example Of the Americans, and the flight |
ant pursuit had become most exciting when
might settled down over the waters. All |
nt.ht lung the race continued. On the scc-
Tie breeze was blowing and the Constitution
was gaining slowly OH her purs,iers. By |
nlshttall she was fur nilcs ahead Of the j
foremost Ut the British squadron. the Guer-
l1efe, anu ut S:l5 tlilt night the Enslislmen
abandoned the chase and drew otF Ia the
llorthWard. The Constitution, after her es-
e:ps. ran not far from the shor: To the Bay
aI fuitt:y without meeting Il single vessel.
taW; nnit theh turned her lrow TO the
!naal-oi,war wes discovered from the mast
hcad. which aftcrwar,l proved TO be the f;uer-
litre, from which 'O]d lronsilesn had so
narrowly escaped I. month before. Capt. Hull
at once gave chase to the stranger, aud when
aboilt i league to the leeward uc..an to short
=: sail !nd prepare fnr action. liz cleared
MS SHIP Deaf to quarters, i0lsted the 1Auleg-
san colors, and bore down E;,!lan1iy on
the enemy, iniendin. to bring her lnt.,
close combat immediately. The G,,t.rricre
W:ts perfectly willing To fight, and the com
,naA1er, coinprelnalng 1InH's movement,
lrlsfel thNs. national ehsigl.s, fired Il broatl-
side Of grapeshot. filled away, aud gave an
other hinauside OH the other tack. but with
ont effect, As the missiles I'LL fell short, The
Constitution pressed all sail to get alongside
LIZ loe ainl cn:se ~ fair y:lrd;rn and
yas!;fm lsht. :lta little after in the t.vell-
double the quarter of the English. -. Now, |
DoyS, pour it into thcm!" shouted Capt.
IL iuii; II; aud the Constitution opened her for /
sion OF the broadside was tremendous. it
cas1 tile men Ill the cockpit Of 1he ellculy'
ship trol'i one side Of the room 10 tile other
a anu tH1ore they could adjust themselves the J
u n,.ir se r,',,9 s,lei: 1r1,n ah9vt aln! many
NnTe banded <oWR t. the surgeons $
ne enemy at the sa1lle time were pouring
heavy metal into 1lle Constitution. Tie YES
'ci, were only half pistol-sliot from each | :
'1her; and the destruction Wrought hy thu j
'roadsidcs was terrible. Within fifteen min ,
itcs after tue tight began The E,lerrieip's !
''lAzehf!ast was Shut away, her main YARD | 1
yas la stings, and her hui!s sIars, sails. and !:
'ls:ln;S wcU: torn i'll pieces. At this stare
II the contest the Constitution ran foul If | l
ler enemy, her bowsprit running into the Y
iueslIelcs 5 iarl,oard quarter. I,oth ,Gtriirs | S
l"w :ltteMbteta to buard, but before this | Il
:ould bc done the sails of the Constitution Y
llled. ana she shot ahead ami clear ut her
ntasohlst, whose foremost fell. carving y
with il tile 1uainlnast amt leayin. Tie l5rit. :
oh irlH;tfc q HELPLESS wreck rolling like 4 I
or III the trough of the sea- Cuut. Dacrcs q
commander Of the Gucrriere, now hauled II
Town the jack. which had been kent living Z
t l1e: STUMP Ut the mizxen1nas.. il, tokci, Of 81
urre!der, and prize crew was sent M 81
loafd. ol'e was too greatly damaged, how q
YER TO l'c saved, and us it was evident that
he would sink, Capt Hull gave orders lie e
cSt day to set her OIL fire. and fifteen min
tes afterward she blew up The iinuvr- | Il
ancn OF tliis victory 10 The Americans tt
I this per1oi Of The war can hardly y
e o:elcstiuatcd. For the first time IN | Il
l,.e ~ History OF the world. us the London | u
tmts expressed it, Ibid an Enslisl, friw.1c lc
ftlSt: to All Americana Up to Ills time thr "
had little faith in the power vt st
nelr navy, ,iild they looked upon Enyiand:s III
w""ien walls - as almost im,,lygnabi. 81
~ victory OF The Constitution gave a new G;
lSof 10 the war in this country ard had a til
!, depressing effect III Great Ill
{3s4 | FtY