The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1896-08-13
OLD IRONSlDES AND HER
VICTORIES

/ the l IUIltu IDldItS navy were iduuCufb
There were three OF them the United
States. Constellation and Constitution.
They all did brilliant work for then
country One of them especially dis
tinguished herself The Constitution,
atfectiOnately called by sailors "Old
Ironsides." is never mentioned by
Americans without feelings of rever-
ence and pride Her history IS as
glorious as is the history of the 0un
try whose flag she flies. Neither dis
aster nor disgrace ever befell this
noble frigate. She has been com
manded by such famous naval cap
tains as Hull, Preble, Decatur, Rogers,
and Bainbridge Naval history can
show no other ship that has done SO
| much for the glory of the country she
| fought for as has ''Old Ironsides."
The Constitution sailed on her first
cruise in 1893 with orders to look out
for Frenchmen, the United States
then being in Il hostile position to
wards France But the French war
ships were busy looking after the
English and none of their vessels ap-
peared on the American coast. BY a
singular fortune the only two naval
actions of this short war We're fought
by the Constellation, which took the
French frigate LInsurgente and beat
| off La Vengeance.
The only adventure that occurred to
the Constitution in this war was the
"cutting out" of a French ship from
a neutral Spanish port. This action,
though decidedly wrong, was gallant
| ly executed under the command OF
Lieutenant Isaac Hull afterward
captain. 1t cost the men dear, how
| ever. as on their arrival in America
they had to forfeit all their prize
money to satisfy the demands of the
| Spanish Government.
The next duty of the Constitution
| was the punishment of the pirates of
Tripoli After four years of valiant
work subduing this nation of robbers
treaty of piece was signed. The en-
gagements in this war were mostly
with shore batteries and, as far as the
Constitution was concerned, devoid of
general interest. When vessel was
taken there was scarcely any resist
ance made, as none Of The pirate ships
were strong enough to cope with the
! Constitution.
After the close Of the war with Tip
| oil nothing of moment III the history
of the Constitution occurred until 1911.
In that year while lying in the Eng
| lish harbor off Spithead among a
| squadron of between thirty and forty
| English war vessels q sailor deserted
to the English. Captain Hull was
| then at London and Lieutenant Nor
ris was in command of the ship. He
| Immediately demanded the return of
| the deserter. The United States and
| Great Britain were quite hostile to
ward each other at that time and his
| demand was refused as it was claimed
the runaway was an English subject.
! Lieutenant Morris then announced
that he would give protection to any
American who was sailor on board
any of the English ships and would
desert The first night after this no
| tItication man swan to the Constltu-
ton from an English frigate and
claimed that he was an American and
had been impressed by the British.
| His return was at once demanded by
the English and promptly refused.
Captain Hull heard Of the excite
ment and returned in haste to his
ship. He approved of everything
that had been done The British for
bade him to leave the harbor with the
man. Hull cleared his ship for action
and drew her ont from amidst the
English fleet He was followed by
the heaviest frigate in the harbor
which anchored alongside the Consti
, tuition. Captain Hull put his men at
the guns and exercised them for half
an hour so that in case the British
should fire INTO him his men would be
warmed up to a fight and all at their
stations. Then, with every thing IN
shape for Immediate action he hoisted
his sails and left the harbor. The
Admiral Of the British fleet, finding
that Captain Hull was not to be fright
ened into yielding up his man, let him
depart in peace. This was brave
display of nerve on the part of Cap
tain Hull as the two countries were
on the verge of war and the affair OF
the Chesapeake had shown that the
English commanders were not afraid
TO fire into an american man-Of war
After this incident the Constitution
returned home and went into drydock
She was thoroughly overhauled anC
put in the fine condition which enabl
led her to take the glorious part she
did in the war of 1912. She was the
first vessel to teach the British thai
they were not invincible on the ocean
July ). 1912. sixteen days after The
declaration of war against Grea
Britain. the Constitution put to sea
On the twelfth day out, about 2 o'clocl
in the afternoon, four sails were dis
covered apparently men ofwar. A
Captain Hull was expecting to rul
across Commodore Rogers with th
2 American fleet he supposed that thes
might be his vessels and SO made sal
: to come up with them. Two hour
: later another sail was discovered com
I ing upon the Constitution from tn
a other side. Captain Hull change
n his course so that be would meet th
;. new conner. Night came on before th
two vessels We're near enough to max
). each other out At 10 O'Clock the tw
s ships were about six miles apart an
d Captain Hull made private signals t
the stranger.
\ Receivining no Intelligent reply til
captain concluded that the fleet wf
e. British and put his vessel about to e
- cape The wind was very light an
the vessel barely moved. Just
dawn the ship that Captain Hull ha
n. ne signaled threw rocket and fired tv
he shots at the Constitution. The bal
6Sea fell short. When day broke the Co
er stitution was seen to be in an alarmir
n. n situation. Directly astern of her we
n; a ship Of the line, two frigates, br
IN IN and schooner, and off to one sit
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