The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1896-08-13

f'iCis N'ii lis dli lN al lit " uS ItiiCN Cti
of the command of the Constitution
by Captain Bainbridge. his senior off
Ger. The people were wild with Ell
thusiasm over this victory and Captain
Hull was honized everywhere. He
was at once appointed to the command
of the New York Navy Yard. an i'm
portant position.
Captain BainbridGe put to sea as
soon as possible He met with no
adventure of moment until the 10Th
day of December. 1872 On that day
off the coast of San Salvatore, two
sails were discovered between the
Constitution and the land One made
shoreward, and the other, large YES
sci, came ont to look at ''Old Iron
sides " The Americans soon made
ont that the oncoming vessel was an
English frigate and decided to stand
ont to sea In order to draw the enemy
away from the shore The English
vessel followed in chase. At one
O'Clock in the afternoon the COnstitu-
enemy, which was afterward found to
be the British frigate Java.
On her coming mp Captain Balm
bridge ordered gun discharged
ahead of her to make her show her
colors bnt the order was misunder
stood and a whole broadside fired.
The enemy Immediately hoisled the
British ensign and returned the fire.
A general action with round and
grape shot then commenced, the en-
emy outsailing the Constitution and
keeping her distance trying to rake.
This continued for about an hour
when the ships came within good ef
Ter This action then became very
furious and at 2:30 O'Clock the Con
stitrtiCn's wheel was shot entirely
away. This was serious. Not liking
the outl~ ok Captain Bainbridge de
termired to board. even if he Was
raked. In closing he was fortunate
enough, thro' a mistake in sailing the
Java, to gain a position from which
he severely raked the enemy. The
Englishman then also determined to
try boarding. and the two vessels were
soon close together. In the maneu-
Hering at close quarters the Java's
jibhOom became tangled up IN the
Constitutions mizzen rigging and the
British vessel was exposed to very
I. we're raking fire Her bowsprit was
shot away and almost Immediately
afterward her foremast fell. Then
the ships became separted and fought
side by side. Soon the Javas mizzen
mast came down and she was com
plete wreck with only her mainmast
standing. Her colors were shot away
and Captain Bainbridge thought she
had surrendered. He therefore drew
off to repair damages, which were
quite serious. After an hours work
the Constitution was in good condi-
ton, and as the enemy's flag was again
flying. Captain Bainbridge oore down
upon her Upon the Americans ship
getting a raking position, as in the
case Of the case Of the Guerrero, the
English commander struck the flag
The.java was rated 3S ton frigate
but carried forty-nine, with crew OF
426 men. Her loss was As killed and
102 wounded. Among the mortally
injured was the Java's commander
Captain Lambert. brave man and al
admirable officer.
The Constitutions force was fifty
two guns and 475 men. Her loss was
nine killed and twenty five injured, &
very much larger loss than in the ac
tlnn with tha Gnprriprp
The Java was so much damage,
that she had to be blown up.
In this action the Constitution wa:
again a tritie superior to the enemy
in force though not SO much so as II
the conflict with the Guerriere.
On the arrival of the Constitution il
port Commodore Bainbridge was a
once transferred to the command of {
new a gun ship then on the stock:
building. and Commodore Stewar
was given the Constitution. On hi:
first cruise he captured the Pictou, ;
hard pressed by a British fleet, from
which he escaped by RAINING int
Marblehead.
On February 20, 1915, near the Eur
opean coast. "Old Ironsides" fell il
with two English ships, the Cyane
rated 20 guns, carrying thirty four
and the Levant rated Is guns an,
carrying twenty two. The Britisber
decided they were stronger than tn
Constitution and determined to Civ
battle, but resolved to wait until dark
ness, SO that the Constitution woul
have more trouble in keeping track c
them both. Accordingly they keI
away. Stewart thought they wer
afraid to fight and made up his min
to bring on conflict himself He &
once gave chase and pressed sail 8
hard that an accident happened to b
, rigging. The enemy consequent
kept their distance until they wei
ready to fight. About 5 O'Clock tt
English ships were close together an
, Captain Douglas, the senior Brltis
officer and commander of the Levan
signaled to the Cyane that the 'enem
T. is superior to one. but inferior to l
both" The Englishmen then cleare
their ships and formed IN line fl
battle
The Constitution came up rapid
and at 6 o'clock Stewart hoisted Il
Il Stars and Stripes. He passed Il
Cyane. and when equally distant fro
both ships fired his broadside into Il
two vessels, receiving theirs in retur
The conflict thus begun continu'
!, fast and furious for twenty minute
!. The greatest danger the Constitute
II had to avoid was that of being rak
by one or the other of the enem,
ships Several times the firing had
4 be stopped to allow the smoke to ri
SO that Captain Stewart could S
10 what the English vessels were doiI
Of He handled his ship so well that dr
d ing the entire action she was not ra