Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1897-11-05

aeafaring people OF the east thought that
the many trials were an omen of i'll
luck. In point Of fact she was the luck
lest ship perhaps ever floated, consider
ing the dangers passed through, and,
Ghalzy with age, will help celebrate her
own centenary. She was never dismast-
ed, never aground Although she fought
some Of the fercest battles on record,
there were no serious slaughters aboard
of her. She came out Of the war Of
1912, where she won the nickname Old
Ionsides, with reputation Of being q
lucky ship. It was because the enemy g
ahot failed to injure her that she was
called Old 1ronsidea n. .s
When the war Of 1919 broke out, the
Constitution was already renowned
i She had fought the French in 1859,
under Oommodo lore Barry, and also made
q gallant record as Commodore Preble's
flagship in the Barbary war.
In her first fight, in 1912, the heroic
Hull was on her deck. It was only an
accident, however, that this gallant tar
won first honors with the frigate III that
war. After an adventurous cruise to
France Hull reached Q ,ston with the
Constitution and instructions were sent
on from Washington that he remain
there. Tho orders were not received by
Hull until his return from q "frigate
hunting cruise, = during which he had
sent his Britannia lnajesty's famous
Guerrero Of A. gums to the bottom. He
put to sea without orders on Aug. 2, and
cruised in the north Atlantic, meeting
no strange sail until Aug. 10. Very late
that day stranger that had been under
surveillance for some hours was made
out to be an English frigate.s With coll
ors flying and his crew ut the guns, all
double shotted, Hull bore down on the
enemy.
The Constitution was received with a
steady discharge Of broadsides from the
Englishman. Some Of the British shot
took effect, and all on board tho Ameri-
can frigate, excepting Hull, We're anx-
ious to open fire. Toievery appeal the
captain said, "Not yet, sir When
within SO yards Of her opponent the
Constitution fired her first broadside.
This was followed up and in 80 min
utes' time the English fore and main
mast went by the board. Tho mizzen
mast had already fallen over and the
flag floating there came down.
The prize proved to be the very ship
that Hull was looking for, the Guer-
riere. Her commander, Commodore
Da@es, had sent; out q challenge asking
to meet an American frigate for the
purpose Of having q few minutes tete-
a-tete.' Hull had granted 30 minutes
and took him captive guest to Boston
In the Constitution, for tho Guerrero
had been SO badly used up in the fight
that she could not float. The stanch
American ship came off with so few
injuries that the sailors called her Old
1ronsides.
While Hull was absent with the Con-
stitution upon the cruise which finished
the Guerrero Captain William Balm
bridge reached Boston to take command
Of the Constitution and go upon south
ern cruise. cambridge ranked Hull,
aud tho Constitution was assigned to
him as the flagship Of small squadron
thon in southern waters. He sailed for
the West Indies, and one day late in
December found himself alone with his
flagship in the presence Of an English
ship Of war, the Java, carrying A guns
cambridge wasa bold fighter. He greet
ed the show Of English colors with .
heavy broadside. They were about even