The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-12-16
BELL OF THE CONSTITUTION.
Taken from the GuerRiere Just After
the Great Battle.

Taken from the GuerRleFe Just After
the Great Battle.
About two years ago Capt. Henry d.
Smith, Of the United States revenue
service, wrote series of II articles en-.
titled ION the Deck of Old Ironsides,"
which were published in the columns Of
! weekly journal of this city-the Bos-
ton ''True Flag" The articles were
very interesting and embodied every in
cident known to have occurred to this
famous old fighting frigatc. One Of
the incidents is headed: "How the Frig-
ate Lost and Gained Bell.''
During the memorable battle between
the Constitution and Guerrero q shot
from the British ship carried away the
bell of Old Ironsides. As the Guerrero
was rolling in the trough of the sea, her
masts shot away, her bell tolled re-
sponsively to the movements Of the
shattered craft. The tones were re-
markably clear and melodious, and at
tracted the attention of a midshipman
on the forecastle of the Constitution,
who had been ordered to hold him
self in readiness to go on board the
Guerrero and superintend the transfer
of the prisoners. Bearing the fact in
mind that Old Ironsides no longer had
Il bell with which to mark the time,
he resolved to transfer the sweet-sound-
ing bell of the captured craft to the
deck of the victor.
The bell of the Guerrero was trans.
ferred to the deck of the Constitution
by the enterprising young gentleman,
and did good service for many years.
This bell must have had long history
before it found its way into the Brit
ish navy, and just how it came to per.
form duty on a man-of-war is not so
plain. It may be that the bell was on
board the Guerrero when she was cap
lured from the French in 1906 by the
Blanche, an English frigate of 80 guns.
No one was killed on board the Blanche.
and but one officer and three men
wounded, while the Guerrero had ~
men killed and 30 wounded.
During one Of the many overhaulings
experienced by Old Ironsides, the bell,
together with other valuable trophies,
was removed, became misplaced and
forgotten. In this way the silver-toned
bell lost its identity, was sold at auc'
ton and passed into the possession of
& gentleman who placed it in a fac
tory near the village of Saylesville, II.
l., where it is now. We echo the words
Of the author of the interesting account
when he says: IF the venerable relic
could be recovered by the government
and placed in position on the deck OF
Old 1ronsides it would be fulfilling a
mission certainly more appropriate
with it's past record and in keeping with
spirit of sentiment that should jeal-
ously guard and preserve trophies of a
grand old type of fighting vessels that
have forever passed away
Around this bell, about four inches
from the crown, is the following in
scription: "Peter Seest, Amsterdam,
ammo 1868, me fecit." The figures carved
thereon indicate that the bell was long
used on a convent in England, and
was sequestered during the reforma-
ton, or it may have done duty on some
continental house of worship, and thus
have found its way on the deck of the
Guerrero before her capture from the
French Transcript.