The San Francisco call., 1897-10-17

Constitution owed her escape from the
two frigates to the excellent seamanship p
and indomitable perseverance, and skill Of
her com ander and officers.
The celebrated fight and capture OF the
Guerriere is the next stattling event in the
log of the Constitution. Captain Hull
sailed from Boston on August 2 1912. a
few days after leaving, orders arrived for
him to remain in port until further or
ders. and ''had the Constitution been cap
tured on this cruise" remarked Rear-Ad-
miral Bell, 'HuIl would have been hanged
or shot for sailing without orders"
When out sixteen days the Constitution
sighted British frigate. which her crew,
who well remem bered the renowned chase,
easily recognized as the Guerrero The two
vessels at once prepared for battle. Captain
Hull showed remarkable patience ar the
commencement of the action by waiting
until several shots from the enemy had
struck his vessel before he would permit a
gun TO be fired. He coolly paced the
quarterback, and even after two of his
men had been Killed he motioned to the
first lieutenant and said mot yet, sir.'
The crew was impatient, and three
times the lieutenant asked if he could
open fire, and three times he received
calm, Not yet, SIR" At last, having
gained the position for which he had been
striving. Capt. Hull gave the order to fire.
Instantly a frighttul storm CT iron hail
carried death and destruction into the
enemy's ship. The effect of this short
range broadstde was terrific, and it fairly
staggered the Englishman. Firing was
kept up on both sides. and a careful shot
from the American brought down the
enemy's mainyard. At the same moment
another shot cut the Engiishman's miz-
zen-mast few Feet above the oeck Down
it came, and as its effect on the steering
was to expose the Britisher's beam, the
Americans got in TWO raking broadsidez.
The frigates came so close together that
both sides prepared to board. At this
stage the sharpshooters aloft picked off
several officers on both sides, and the
hand-to-hand battle was brave ard deadly.
The rolling of the vessels prevented board.
ing, and as the Britisher could not fire
single broadside gun. owing to his disa-
bility, the Constitution could do as she
pleased, until the Guerriere, paying off
little, was enabled TO Ieturn some of the
shot.
So close were they that some of the
burning wads from the British guns were
blown into the CONSTITUTIONS after-cabin,
and for a moment Old Ironsides was
threatened with FIRE. The two ships
came together again. The enemy's bow
spirit struck the taffraiI of the Constitu-
tion, but so slackened the forestays of the
Guerrero that the foremast went over the
starboard SIDE and the sudden wrench
that the mainstays gave the mainmast
carried it overheard also, leaving the
enemy totally dismasted. She fell into
the trough OF the sea perfect wreck, and
forty minutes after the first shot was fired
the American victory was complete.
Captain Dacres of the Guerriere was
greatly humiliated at being captured by
the Am erican friEate that he had so fire.
quently ridicuIed. The lesson that
bravery and skill are more effective
weapons than ridicule was very bitter
one for the English commander to learn.
The next engagement of the Constitu-
tion was the capture and destruction OF
the British frigate Java, which surren.
dered TO the stars and stripes off the coast
of San Salvador on the 90 h of D. Gem Der,
AoA-. ueu aDOut ten leagues OH shore
on tnat memorable day, Com m cd ore Balm
bridge. who then commanded Old Iron.
sides, sighted vessel sanding in shore to
windw 1t was an i'd deal day for a test
of seamanship, for the wind was steady
from the eastward and there was but little
sea- 1t was such day on which every
extra sail that could be spread could be
safely hung aloit, and the race would be
10 the fastest.
About noon cambridge was satisfied
that his windTard stranger was a British
frigate. He at once ran up his colors and
the stranger responded with the British
ensign. 1t was a direct invitation 10 an
attack and Bainbridae quickly grasped it.
He took in his mainsail and royals and
tackled directly toward the frigate. The
Englishman also came to the wind and
away they went on the port tack close
hauled. The Constitution gradually
forged ahead, and though the Britisher
kept jack flying he hauled down the en-
sign.
Balm bridge opened the proceedings by
hiring shot ahead of his enemy to INDUCE
him TO show his colors anew. This
brought on general fire. and early in the
afternoon both vessels were sending forth
a furious cannonade. The enemy sailed
best 10 the light wind and tried hard to