The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-17
OUR MOST FAMOUS SHIP
FRIGATE CONSTITUTION, WHOSE
CENTENNIAL WILL BE OBSERVED.
Saved from Being Broken Up Sixty
Years Ago by Oliver Wendell
HOImes-The Vessels History.

Years Ago by oliver Wendell
HOImes-The Vessels History.
New York Advocate.
nae centennial of the launching of the
United States sInl, Constitution will be cele-
brated With much pomp and ceremony in
Boston next week. The most conspicuous
factor in the celebration will be the old ship
itself. For many years the Constitution has
been lying in ordinary" at the navy yard
at Portsmouth. n. II. Retired from active
service. the gallant old ship has been falling
into decay; but it seems likely now that a
new lease of life will be given it.
With the approach of the centennial of
the launch Of this ship the people of Boston
began to manifest a new interest in its
welfare. This was natural for at least two
reasons. The Constitution was launched at
Boston, at what is now known as Constltu-
ton wharf a large bronze tablet on the
wharf shed giving the proud information
to the passer-by; and, then, it was a little
Boston man who saved the Constitution
yCars ago, when it was proposed by lot
Of unsentimental officials TO dismantle the
ship and sell it's remains to the highest bid
der Sixty-one years ago Oliver Wendell
Holmes performed a remarkable feat with
these thrilling lines, which have been de-
claimed by many schoolboy throughout
this land:
'Ay, tear her tattered ensign down!
Long has ii waved on hien,
And many an eye has dimmed to see
That banner in the sky;
Beneath it rung the battle shout,
And burst the cannon's roar
The meteor of the ocean air
Shall the clouds M mi
'IIer deck, once wet with heroes blood,
Where knelt the Vanquished foe,
When winds were hurrying Ger the flood,
And waves were white below,
No more shall feel the victor's tread,
Or know the conquered knee;
The harpies Of the shore shall pluck
The eagle Of the sea!
20 better that her shattered hulk
Should sink beneath the wave;
Her thunders shook the mighty deep,
And there should be her grave.
Nail to the mast her holy flag,
Set every threadbare sail,
And give her to the god of storms,
The lightning and the gale!
A REMARKABLE VESSEL.
A few weeks ago this venerable ship was
towed from the Portsmouth navy yard to
the Charlestown navy yard. Thousands of
visitors have walked the quarter deck of
this historic craft since its arrival at
Boston.
The Constitution was a remarkable ship
in its day. Some of the most distinguished
men Of our navy have commanded it-Tal-
bot, Nicholson, Preble, Decatur, Hull, Balm
bridge, Stewart and others. The victories
won by the Constitution were marvellous
when all the conditions are considered At
the bombardment of Tripoli, in 1904, under
command of Preble, the ship performed con-
spicuous service, but its first action, and
perhaps its most memorable one, was with
the English ship Guerrero, off Halifax, on
Aug. 49, 1872, when Captain Hull succeeded
IN annihilating his adversary in forty min
Etes. The Constitution was in charge of
Captain cambridge when its next llustrious
action occurred This was the contest with
the Java, OF the coast of Brazil, on Dec.
90 1872, which lasted one hour and fifty
two minutes A third brilliant engagement
Was that in which the Constitution was at
tackled by two English ships together-the
Cyane and the Levant-and succeeded in
capturing both. This gallant deed was per-
formed on Feb. 90 1916 while the Consti-
tuition was under the command of Captain
Stewart. These three encounters stand out
prominently in career that is beStudded
with brilliant deeds.
The Constitution captured a large number
OF prizes, and was one of the most fortunate
vessels OF the navy. That is seen from the
remarkable way in which the ship ESCAPED
the clutches of its enemies on more than one
occasion. The most noted of these expert
ences the Constitution had when Captain
HUI was its commander 1t occurred in
July, 1872 On the 18th of that month Hull
was sailing up the Atlantic to join Cap
tain Rodgerss squadron at New York, when
he fell in with Captain Brokes blockading
squadron. The entire British fleet was too
much of a match for the Constitution, so
Hull, concluding that discretion is the bet
ter part OF yalor. attempted to escape.
What happened then is briefly told as fol-
lows;
A FAMOUS CHASE.
''All night long the vessels kept close to
each other, and in the morning the wind,
which had been light died away entirely.
The enemy was too close for comfort, and
Captain Hull resorted to various means to
increase the distance between himself and
his pursuers. The small boats were ordered
out, and the sailors began to tow the big
ship. Guns were placed in the stern of the
Constitution and in the cabin, to be used
as stern ehasers. With sails set and boats
Juggling hard, the Constitution gradually
drew away from its pursuers, who were
mystifled by this performance. It was not
long, however, before the Britishers dis
covered Captain HulFs scheme, and then
they Immediately resorted to it. Then the
American captain tried various other meth
DDS to increase the speed of his ship, but
gradually the foremost ship of the enemy
drew nearer, and when 1t opened fire upon
the Constitution the Americans thought the
end was at hand. But at this critical mo-
ment Lieutenant Morris, of the Constitution,
suggested the trial of hedging, and Captain
Hull gave orders to splice all the spare
mile long-with a small anchor attached to
it, was carried ahead of the vessel and drop
ped into the water The men on board
hauled the line in, and the ship moved on
again in a manner mysterious to her pur-
suers. The hedging was kept up for a
time and then the puzzled Englshmen saw
through the new scheme and put out their
Hedges So the chase continued for three
nights and two days, and the Constitution
escaped only by the exercise of strategy at
last. Captain HILL when leading his pur-
suers by about three miles, saw squall
coming AS it would strike his ship first
he arranged his sails as to give the
enemy the impression that storm of un-
usual severity was approaching. The enemy
followed Captain Hulrs precautions, as he
thought they would AS soon as the squall
which was Ight-struck the Constitution
and shut the ship off from the enemy's
view, all said was made and the gallant
vessel went bowling along at an eleven
knot rate. After forty-five minutes the
enemy was so far astern that the chase was
given up, and Captain Hull put about for
Boston and reached that port in safety"
LEADS ALL THE REST.
The Constitution had another serious race
with the British in 1915. On March 10
Captain Sewart, having whipped two Brit
ish ships. the Cyane and the Levant in one