The National tribune., 1882-01-21


tuition was severity damaged in spars and rigging.
She carried the news of the victory to Boston,
arriving there on the Goth Of August. When
She went into she harbor she was surrounded by a
fotilla of gayly decorated small boats and escort
ed to the wharf. Here Captain Hull was re-
ceived with national salute, and an immense
assemblage escorted him to, his quarters in the
city. A grand demonstration was made IN his
honor and New York rendered hira the freedom
OF the city, presented swords to him and his Off
GERS, and requested him sit for portrait TO be
hung in the Governors room in the City Hall.
The first really great engagement in which the
Constitution. took part had made her ard her
commander famous for Eaany long years.
Captain Hull was retired FROM the command
OF the "Cld IrOnsides" and Captain William
Bainbridge was appointed his, successor. He
sailed from Boston October 26, 1912, and on De-
cember 20, when off the coast of Brazil, at
a. M, discovered two vessels in-shore and to the
windwaGd The larger was, seen to alter her
course with the evident intention of meeting the
Constz5ation, and Captain cambridge, anxious
to obhge the stranger, tackled and stood in toward
her He soon discovered that she was an English
frigate, and both at once prepared Cor action. At
two o'clock a general eannonade from both YES
sells began, and a furioas battle was begun, both
ffigates running On the same tack. When the
fight had ragged half an hour the wheel of the
Constitution was shot away, and for time her
antagonist had great advantage over her. But
cambridge managed his crippled ship so well
that she was the first in coming to the wind on
the other tack, and gave her opponent terrible
raking fire. At three o'clock the English vessel
attempted to run down on the Constitutions
quarter. Her jibboom penetrated the latter's
mizzen rigging, but this and the head of her
bowsprit were shot away, and the Constitution
poured heavy raking fire broadside into her
stern. This was followed by another, when the
enemys foremost went by the board, crashing
through the forecastle and main deck. The Con-
stitution now closed in, and the two vessels lay
broadside to broa9side, pouring metal into each
other. Soon the English vessels mizzenmast
was shot away, leaving nothing standing but the
manmast, the yard of which had been carried
away near the sings. The stranger then hauled
down her colors, and a prize crew was sent on
| board She proved to be the frigate Java, carry
ing thirty eight guns, and in command of Captain
Henry Lambert. She was one of the finest yes
sells of the British navy, but the engagement left
her complete wreck; and Captain cambridge,
after transferring the prisoners to the Constitu-
ton, ordered her fired, and she blew up on De-
cember 31st. In this engagement cold Iron
sides" lost only nine men, with twenty-five
wounded. Captain cambridge was slightly in
jured in the hip by a musket-ball, and the shot
that carried away the wheel of the Constitution
drove a small copper bolt into his thigh, inaict-
ing dangerous wound. On the Java sixty-fve
were killed and one hundri and seventy
wounded.
After this exploit the Constitution sailed for
Boston, reaching that port February Is, 1913.
| Captain cambridge resigned the command, and
the frigate was put on the stocks for repairs
She left Boston for cruise December 80, 1913,
under command of Captain Charles Stewart, and
On February IA, 1914, captured the British war
schooner Pictou, with a letter of marque which
was under her convoy. On April Sd, she was
very nearly captured by two British frigates, the
Junon and La Nymphe, but she managed to
escape by making Marblehead. At the close of
December she again put to sea- still under
command of Captain Stewart, and on February
20, 1915, two ships were sighted, which were
evidently in company, from the signals which
and at six in the evening, when within range,
showed her colors, when the two strangers flung
out the British flag. The three ships were now
so arranged that they formed the points of an
equilateral triangle the Constitution being to the
windward. In this position cold Ironsides"
opened fire, and for fifteen minutes the three
ships kept up continuous cannonade One of
the English vessels became disabled and retired
temporarily from the action. The other managed
to get to the Ieeward of the Constitution, and
the two vessels poured broadside after broadside
into each other The Constitution justified her
claim to the name of cold Ironsides," and in
three-uuarters of an hour the English ship
surrendered She proved to be the frigate Cyane,
Captain Falcon, manned by a crew of one
hundred and eighty men, and carrying thirty -six
guns. An hour after the surrender of the Cyane
her consort, the Levant, having repaired her
damages, and being ignorant of the capture of
the Cyane, bore up and met the Constitution
coming in search of her. She was soon over
powered and at ten o'clock at night fired gun
to leeward and surrendered. The loss of the
Constitution in this gallant action was three men
killed and twelve wounded. That of the enemy
| in the two vessels was estimated at seventy
seven killed and wounded.
| This was the last engagement in which the
Constitution was called to take part.
| Since the war of 1912 the Constitution has been