Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-01-04
VOL. xxx.
Old IrOnsides' Retired.

last week her ensign was formally pulled
down, at the Brooklyn navy yard. and she
has now taken her place in the portion oI
the ward called "Rotten Row, to be brok.
en- up for relics, or to drop to pieces and
decay. She was one of the first vessels
built for the United States navy after the
adoption of the constitution. She was
built in Boston, and made as strong as the
best resources of naval architecture at that
time could make her, her staunohness Civ
ing her the name OF "Ironsides," long be-
fore iron plated ships were thought of.
She started on her first cruise in July. 1898.
In 1904, she was the flag ship of Commo-
dore Preble In the war between this coun-
try and the Rsrbary powers and took the
chief part in the bombardment of Tripoli.
She ran into within short distance OF the
castle and batteries, and with destructive
discharges of round and grape shot
silenced the guns of the castle and spread
destruction among the gun-Doats of the
enemy. After this the Constitution was
engaged in cruising until the war of 1872,
during which she made her glorious record
and proved to the world that our young
Republic dare cope with the mistress of
The seas, in her own watery domain.
The Constitution, carrying Al guns and
under command ,,i Cant Isaac Han, sailed
rom AnnnupIi. IN .ruise 10 The north
yard inv l2t..lSl2.O the II h.Ctpt. Hall
| und himself near, SUI rounded uv -
British sou ,dron rh, sea was in aim y,
a If. nd dolm. ant sails wIe OF littl"
n-e. The boat, Of he institution were
uU. red md attached to the snip 10y long
inrs, and tho sailors pulled with a viii 20
Nv the irigALe uul of the en"my's ~ ich.
rle Brush followed The exa'npI" nt he
Americans, ana the Il Int AN pur>ul, NJ
,tt"me most xci my wien nigh s. tt"Hl
foWn over The Va'"'s All nghl lon h"
r,cr continued . the ser,'nd dnV |
,ail ware in sight. nut a gentle breeze WA
lowing and the Constltull n w's gtInln9
slowly on her pur>uers. By nigh f'i' sh"
IS four miles ahead Of III" foremost OF
he Brush ,qnllrou, the g ierrlere, and
II S:l5 that NIGHT TIE Engllsnlnen tbln
| ned the chase Afer cruise to tn"
Bay of Fundy, Capt Hull then 'urn"a her
PROV to the sruthw lrd. and on the g Ii of
August man-nt war wa~ discovered from
tn. masthead, which proved 10 be the
Guerrere, from which odd 1ronsIdes,
htd so narIowl, escaped Il month before
Capt Hull at once gave chist, cleared his
ship, no sled the American colors, and hure
lown CALAMITY on the enemy. rne Glrr
,iere was perfectly willing to fghL, and
the Two vessels were soon side hy side
Now, boys, pour it into them" shouted
Capt Hull. aud the CunSlltuio opened
nrr guns with terrible effect rhe vessel
were " hall pistol shot aparl. and tn"
-esrruction wrought by the brotd,idrs was
t, rribe. Within nnern minures af er the
fight began the Guerrero M zzrnma,'
was shot away, her main yard was i'll
sings, and he, hun, sptrs, sails, and IIg
yIng were torn in pieces At this stage ul
the ontesl the Cunstilu ION ran foul of her
enemy. her bowspli running INTO the
GuerrIere's larbuar, uutrter. Both par
les ATTEMPTED TO board, but before this
could BIZ done he sails of the Cons tuition
flied, and she shot ahead and clear of her
mt ponist. whose forcmpst fell, carrying
with it the mainmast and leaving the
British frIo,te a HELPLESS wreck, Captain
Dacres. COM ander of the Guerriere, now
hauled down the i.ck, which had been
kept fying at the stump of the mzzenmast,
IN token OF surrender, and prize crew
was sent on board. She was too greatly
damaged, however. to be saved, and as 1t
was evident she would SINK, capt. Hull
gave orders the next day to set ner on hre'
and in fifteen minutes atterward she blew
up. The Importance OF thus victory TO the
Americans at this period OF the war can
hardly be overestimated. For the hrst
time in the history ot the world rs the
London Itn1eS expressed IL did, an Eng
,lsh frlgate strike TO an American Inc
victory OF the CONSTITUTION gave ne"
Vl9or 10 Ine war IN Iliis country anu n"o
correspondlngly depressing enect in Urea
Britain. The American loss IN the en-
| gagement was seven kiiied anu seven
wounded, while the BRUSH loss was niteen
Killed, "A wounded, ana "a missing Inc
Consultation was severely damaged
She carried lhe news Oh 'he victory 10 DOS
ton, arriving there on lhe ooth OF August
when Capt. Hull was received WIN haIloha
salute ahd an immense as9elloi"Se oSoo'. :,
ed him to his quarters IN the Guy. a
grand demonstration was maue Ill us
honor, ana Ne" 1ork IenueIeu MN tL'
freedom OF the CITY, presented s"o US u
him and his "fhcers' ana requested MN u
sit ior MS pnrlrall W oe huis III 'no SoF
einoI room IN lle ci'y hal
G pl. Huh WIS retired from the com
M nj Of "Old lronsIdes" and Captain
William cambridge was appointed hi
suctr-sr III sailed from Boston, and "l
Dee 20 when otf the coast oi b n, fe
Il W tn Ia gc EuIllsh nlgate, and IA fu
l. Us baD lie ~as begun. When me tign
nd ragged hall an hour the wheel Of III
c. ,ustiu,lou was snUt away But BAN
orldge M 'naSen MS cr'ppl"o sup 50 "''
'ti'l sne was lht hrsI III O. III * 10 'nt "ln'
on TIE other tack ana gave n'f oPp'neh
a terrible r"kl-g hre' Al c'ocA ti'