Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-01-04

| rak1ng brOads1de into her stern. Ibis
was followed by another, when the enc
my's foremost went by the board, crash
ing through the forecastle and main
deck. The Constitution now closed in,
and the two vessels lay broadside to
broadside, pouring metal into each other.
Soon the English vessels mizzenmast
was shot away, leaving nothing standing
but the mainmast, 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 SO guns, and in command of Captain
Henry Lambert. She was one of the
finest vessels of the British navy, but
the engagement left her a complete
wreck, and Captain cambridge, after
transferring the prisoners to the Consti-
tuition, ordered her fired, and she blew
up on December 81. In this engage
ment cold Ironsides'' lost only nine
men, with twenty five wounded. Capt.
cambridge was slightly injured in the
hip by musket ball, and the shot that
carried away the wheel of the Constitu-
ton drove small copper bolt into his
thigh, infioting a dangerous wound.
On the Java IS were killed and ITO
wounded
After this exploit the Constitution
sailed for Boston, reaching that port
February Is, 1918. Capt. 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 Capt. Charles
Stewart, and Oh February IA, 1914, cap
tured the British war schooner Pictou,
with letter of marque which was under
convoy. OnApril 3 she was very nearly
captured by two British frigates, the
Junon and La Nymphe, but she man
aged to escape by making Marblehead.
At the close of December she again put
to sea, still under command of Capt.
| Stewart, and on February 20, 1915, two
ships were sighted, which were evident
ly in company, from the signals which
they exchanged. The Constitution gave
chase, and at 6 o'clock in the evening,
being 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 Constitu-
ton being to the windward. In this
position cold Ironsides" opened fire.
up a continuous cannonade. One of the
English vessels became disabled and
retired temporarily from the action.
The other managed to get to
the leeward of the Constitution, and the
two vessels poured broadside into each
other. The Constitution justified her
claim to the name of odd Ironsides, :"
and In three-quarters of an hour the
English ship surrendered. Size proved
to be the frigate Cyane, Capt. Falcon,
manned by crew of $50 men and carry
ing 36 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 o'clock at night fired
a gun to leeward and surrendered. The
loss of the Constitution in this gallant
action was men killed and II wounded.
That of the enemy in the two vessels
was estimated at " killed and wounded.
This was the last engagement in which
the Constitution was called to take part.
A long period of peace followed the war
of 1872, and when the United States was
next called on to take part in naval bat
ties iron-clads and steamships had taken
the place of wooden frigates and sailing
vessels, of which cold Ironsides" was
so worthy a representative. In active
war she became practically useless, but
she held place In the affections of the
country which no other ship has ever
held. Her name and her exploits were
| familiar to every school-boy. It is not
too much to say that the glorious vic
tories which she achieved during the
second war with England fastened the
termination of hostilities by many
months, while they certainly inspired
this nation with fresh courage and
caused the enemy the greatest humilia-
ton. So thoroughly was this realized
by citizens of the United States that
when the administration, just before the
civil war, proposed to dismantle the old
ship and break up her battle-b beaten hull
on the ground that it was of no farther
value, a storm of Indignation arose
throughout the land to which the govern
ment was forced to yield. The proposal
called forth stirring protest from
Oliver Wendell Holmes in the following
poem, which has since been recited in
every school-room and lyceum in the
land and has become a standard piece of
American literature:
Ay, tear her tattered ensign down.
Long has it waved on high,
And many eye has CHANGED to see
That banner in the sky.
Beneath it rung the battle-shout
And burst the cannon's roar:
The meteor of the air
Shall sweep the clouds more,
Her deck once red with heroes blood
Where knelt the vanquished foe,
| When winds were humming DER the food,
And waves were white below
No more shall feel the victors tread,
Or know the conquered knee;
The harpies of the shore shall pluck
| The eagle of the sea
| Oh better then her shattered hulk
| Should sink beneath the wave;
| Her thunders shook the mighty deep,
| And there should be her grave
| Nail to the mast her holy flag,
| Set every threadbare SAIL
| And give her to the God of Storms,
| TIE lightning and the gale!
Since the war of 1872 the Constitution