Morris tribune., 1883-02-07

that the Constitution gained considera-
bly, upon her pursuers before the lnge-
NOUS device was discovered.
On the 18th of Augustine Constitution,
while cruising in the Gulf OF st. Law
renee, fell in with, and after stubborn
resistance captured, the British frlgate,
Guerrero, Capt. Dacres, one OF the yes,
sells which had for SO many days held
the Constitution in chase. 49,,
Our frigate was the heavier ship, and
mounted four or five more guns than her
onnonent: but very remarkable was the
disparity of execution, the American
loss being seven killed and seven wound
ed, while the British admitted a total
loss af seVenty-nine killed, wounded and
missing.
Capt. Dacres had been accustomed, be-
fore the war, to speak contemporary OF
the Constitution, as bunch of pine
planks sailing under piece of striped
bunting" 1t is related that when he
came on board the victorious ship, Capt.
Hull, advancing to greet him, said,-
Capt. Dacras, am glad to see you'll"
Eyes" responded the British COM
mander, with an oath, Il should think
you might be-"
The Guerrero was so terribly shat
tered that she could not be brought into
port and was therefore burned.
The Constitutions next encounter with
the enemy took place on the 29th Of De-
cember, 1912, when she captured the
British frigate Java, a vessel of the same
class as Guerrero. The Constitution was
then commanded by Commodore Balm
bridge, who was severely wounded.
Capt. Lambert the British commander,
though not before he had received the
most considerate attention from the cap
tors.
The Constitutions last battle was fought
on the goth Of February, 1915, when he
was commanded by Capt. Rear-Admiral
Stewart. Her uniform good fortune at
tended her, and he encounter resulted
in the capture ofthe British ships Cyane,
of thirty-four, and Levant, Of twenty
one, guns. Capt. Stewart carried both
his prizes into Port Praya, and here, for
the third time n the course OF the war,
the frigate made her escape from the
enemy.
4 little after noon on the 18th Of
March. Lieut. Sbubrick. while pacing lis
quarterback, discovered the top-sai.S ~
large ship rising above the bank Of
mist in the offing, which his practised
eye trld him was a Inan-Of-War. The
Constitution and her prizes Immediately
got under way to meet the stranger.
Scarcely hal the harb0r been cleared,
when two other strange sails were OBJ
served. The three vessels constituted
squadron Of heavy frigates, sent out from
England expressly to capture "Old iron
sides"
An exciting chase ensued. Though
the Constitution was at one time so close
to her pursuers that the officers could be
plainly seen standing on the ham
mock-cIOths, she outsailcd, or Outman-
euvred, them all. The Cyane also eS-
capped, but the Levant, less fortunate,
was driven back into Port Praya and fell
into the hands of the enemy.
So ended the Constitutions services
during this memorable war, IN the course
of which she had captured two frigatesy
one frig tie built ship, one corvette, and
one Tnan-Of-war schooner, besides many
rich merchant vessels.
From this time forward the services
Of the Constitution we're those ordInarI-
IL performed by a lDan-0fwar IN times
of peace. About 1892. q proposition was
made to break up the time-honored
frigate II is scarcely necessary to say
that it called forth a storm Of popular IN
dignation.
The old ship which had become the
theme of hun, reds OF nautical songs some
ofEhich are sung to his day. was near to
the people, and IN view OF the strength
IF the popular feeling, the government
decided to rebuild her
She was accordingly locked at CnarIeS~
town and thoroughly renullt.
But when the old ship once more ap-
peared upon tie waters of the bay, the
BostCniaus were disguised tosee III place
of the ola familiar tigure-hcad, inquire
of President jackson, whose p0ltlcsL
course had made him excessively diS-
astefIl to New Englanderss
Threats were openly made that the
! ficure-head would be removed, despite
the precautions with which Commodore
Elliot TOOK care to surround it.
On the night of July ,, 1888, during
the darkest hour Of a heavy thunder
storm, a skitf containing young man
named Dewey put off from one Of the
| North End WhaTves and made stralGht
Tor the Constitution. then moored be
! tween the seyenty-tours, Columbus ana
Independence.
The former ship was full Of men, ant5
upon the fgure-head Of the Constitu-
ton. Sentries enjoined to keep
IN unceasng watch on tbs figure, were
posted in plain sight.
Despite all these precautions, OeWeE
got alongside the frigate unobserved, an@
worked his way forward to the PROV
Protected by the head-bpards, he
stretched himself fat on his back and lIE
that constrained position sawed off the
head of Jackson. The steady rolling Of
the thunder drowned the noise Of the
saw and lulled the vigilance of the sent
| ries.
Dewey, with great difficulty, got bacis
20 the city unobserved, carrying with
him the wooden head, and it was lonI
before the perpetrator of the act was
discovered.
The weather-beaten, battle-stainsd
Constitution still fioats-the pride OF our
| navy and the object Of national venera-
CIon. Not invulnerab e always, bnt al
ways invincible, she has well earned the
| title, lovingly given her by the Sailors
Of "Old Ironsides."
We are glad her fighting days are over
| and that in serene Old age her errandS
are the amenities of peace. Her deeds
have become part OF her country's his
tory, aud one of our greatest poets. OH
yer WendeM homes, f5s eh4balmed her
name in the lines beginning
Aye, tear her tattered ensign down,
are familiar to every schooEboy in the
| and.