The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-12-31
Our 0lio.
The End of Old Ironsides.
The FriSate Constitution to be Broken
Up After EiShty.fOur Glorious Years.

The End of Old Ironsides.
Up After Eish1y.foar Glorious Years.
The New York World December 18,
says On Thursday last the frigate Con-
stitution, the "Old Ironsides' of glorious
memory, was put out of commission and
laid up in ordinary at the Brook lyn Navy
Yard after an eventful existence of eighty
four years. She now takes her place in
"Rotton raw, where she will drop to pieces
in slow decay unless it should be resolved
to break her up and convert her timbers
into relics. AS to this, it may be well to
say that the "Old Ironsides' of to-day is in
reality modern vessel, the only remains of
the original ship of 1897 being the mizzen-
sheet bitts-two pieces of live oak, hard as
iron. The Constitution was built under
the order of Congress of March p, 1874,
providing for the construction of SIX YES
sells, three of them to be of very heavy
class. This was the foundation of the pres
ent navy, the vessels of the Revolution
having been disposed of in 1888. The
Constitution was built at Hartts yard, in
Boston. where Constitution Wharf now
stands, at cost of $302,718, her frame
being of live oak and her planks bent on
without steam, as it was thought that pro-
cess softened and weakened the wood. Her
keel was laid in 1894, and it was intened
that she should be the first vessel Of the
new and permanent navy, but the United
States DESTROYED at Norfolk, April 20,
1861 and the Constellation (broken up in
1854, but now, we believe, represented by
a razee ship of the same name) preceded
her, being launched July 10, 1897, and
September Z. 1897, while the Constitution
did not leave the ways till the 21st of Dc
tober. She was modelled by Joshua Hum
phries and built by George Claghorne and
MIR. Hartt. Admiral Preble, in his His
tory of the Flag says that Commodore
Samuel Nicholson, who had superintended
her construction, left the ship-y yard to go to
breakfast, leaving express orders not to hoist
any flag over her until his return, intending
to reserve that honor to himself. But
shipwright and caulker, one of the work.
men employed on her, named Samuel Bent
ley, with the assistance of another artisan
named Harris. went on and hOisted the Stars
and Stripes to the intense disgust of the
Commodore, who had, however, says
Preble, 1.-The satisfaction of being the first
to command her, and she was the first OF
the new frigates to carry the fifteen stars
and fifteen stripes under canvas upon the
deep blue sea- (Mr. Lossing's error on
this point was corrected in the World in
January, 1879, but its contemporaries have
followed the earlier and inaccurate version }
The Ironsides, as she was soon dubbed from
her stanchness, went on her first cruise In
July, 1898, but did not see active service
until August %, 1904, when, as the flag
ship of Commodore Edward Preble, she
took part in the bombardment of Tripoli,
lying for three-quarters of an hour within
musket-shot of the Mole, and pouring a
destructive fire upon the town batteries,
She was also in the action of September 3
when she was severely pounded by the
seventy guns trained on her. Thereafter
the Constitution was engaged in cruising
until the war of 1872 broke out, when
July 12-she sailed from Annapo
lis under the command of Captain Isaac
Hull. On the 18th she was almost sur
rounded by the British squadron under
Broke, and had to run for it, only succeed
ing in getting away the next night, the
chase having been unusually exciting
owing to the lightness of the breeze, botf
pursuers and pursued had to put out thei
boats and tow the vessels along. Run
ming in to Boston for few days, Hui
again set sail on the I'd of August, and on
the 10Th met the Guerriere, Capt. Dacres
which hove to to wait an engagement At!
the Guerrero opened fire at long range; tn
Constitution closed with her soon after 6, anC
in half an hour the English vessel surrender
ed, having lost 50 men to Hull's IA. Th'
Guerrero was so terribly mangled that mex
day she was abandoned and blown up. Th
Constitution carried the heavier meta
81 guns, "a and 81 Founders, to th'
Guerrieres 40, 19 and 81 Founders. Hull
picture is in the Governors Room at tn
City Hall. The late Ogden Hoffman, VIII
was midshipman with him, used to tell al
odd story of the engagement. He said tina
as the ships drew near to each other an OF
ficer came in haste to Hull to ask for order
to fire. ''Not yet, was the quiet response
As they came still nearer and the British
vessel poured in her fire the First Lieuten
ant of the Constitution came on the poo
and begged permission to return the broad
side. saving that the men could not be re
strained much longer. "Not yet, was tn
reply. Still nearer the British ship came
and the American prisoners who were IL
the cockpit of the Guerrero afterwards SAT-
that they began to believe that their owl
countrymen were afraid to measure thel
strength with the enemy, and this though
gave them more pain than than the wound
which some of them were suffering from
In moment the Guerrero gallantly cam
forward, showing her FURNISHED sides, AM
as the swell carried her close to the yer.
muzzles of 'Old Ironsides," Captain HUI
who was then quite fat and dressed in flu
tights. bent himself twice to the deck, anC
with every muscle and vein throbbing wit
excitement, shouted out: ''Now, boys, pou
it into them" That broadside settled thei
opponents, and when the smoke cleare
away their commanders tights were to b
seen split from waistband to heel. HUI
nothing disconnected, gave orders with pei
: feet coolness, and only changed his tight
when the British commanders sword wa
given up. The effect of this victory coul
not be over-estimated, as it was the first fgh
of the war and won single-handed by th
representative of new naval power agains
that of power deemed invincible at ses
1t should always be borne in mind, howevel
that Yankee shrewdness was never mol
conspicuously displayed than in the col
! ! struction of these "frigates'' of superic
, strength to the average vessels of the
class. On October 26, 1912, the Constitr
ton again sailed from Boston, this time ul
! der the command of Captain William Bair
! ! bridge, and on the 29th of December, o
! San Salvador, encountered the British frigat
: Java, 38, Captain Henry Lambert, whic
n ! L.