Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-12-22
Hood,. D;Ilo are purely vegetable, re-
aAOoA . AAAo LIABLE beneficial. 25c.
OLD IRoNsIDEs.
The Constitutions Fierce and Successful
Fight With the GUERRERO.

The Constitutions Fierce and Successful
Fight With the GUERRERO.
Hull ran down before the wind to
take Al look at the stranger and
found him with his main topsail
aback, waiting for the Constitution
to come up. Both ships cleared for
action, and when the Constitution
was still far astern the Guerrero
began firing at long range Only
two or three shots were fired in re-
turn, and then the American bore
down upon the Englishman in ST
lence. Nothing shows more forci-
bly, the perfect discipline of the ship
than this hour of waiting, with men
standing at quarters and their COM
rades falling around them. Even
Mr.. Morris, the first lieutenant,
found it hard to restrain his impa-
thence, and he asked to be allowed
to fire. Not till the ships were fair
ly abreast and within pistol shot of
each other was the word finally
given. The effect was almost instan-
taneous as a whole broadside struck
the Guerrero, followed quickly by
second staggering blow. Her miz
zenmast went overheard, and the
Constitution was able to pass around
the Guerriere's bow, where she de
ivered a raking fire which cut
away the foremost and much of the
rigging. In wearing to return across
her bow the Guerriere's starboard
bow fouled the port quarter Of the
Constitution.
1t was while in this position that
both sides tried to board, and Lieu
tenant Bush of the marine corps
was killed, and Lieutenant Morris
was dangerously wounded. Two
guns in the bow of the Guerrero
were Esod point blaak into the cabin
of the Constitution and set fro to
the ship The danger was grave,
but the wind and sea swept them
clear, and Lieutenant Hoffman put
out the fire. AS the ships separated
the Guerriere's foremost and main
mast went by the board, leaving her
helpless hulk in the trough Of the
sea.
Captain Dacres' much desired ''in-
terview' was over, having lasted,
from the first broadside of the Con
stitution, just 80 minutes. He was
wounded, 70 of his men out of a
crew of 272 were killed and wound
ed, and not stick was left standing
on his deck. There was no need to
haul down the flag; it was gone with
the rigging. and Captain Dacres sur
rendered perforce The Constitu-
ton had lost IA men and sustained
comparatively small injury. Within
few hours she was ready for an.
other fight The Guerrero was SO
cut to pieces that she could not be
taken into port, and Hull burned
her
The last act, after removing the
prisoners and wounded, gives one a
glimpse OF the Christianity and
chivalry of these two captains who
spoke the same tongue and in whose,
veins flowed the same blood. Cap.
tain Hull asked Captain Dacres if
there was anything he would like to
save from his ship. He said Eyes,
his mothers Bible, which he had
carried with him for years. An Off
Ger was sent to get it. Thus began
a friendship between these enemies
which lasted till Hull's death in
1843. Tradition has it that in this
fight the Constitution obtained her
sobriquet "Old Ironsides. When
struck by a shot from the Guerrero,
the outside planking did not yield,
and the shot fell into the sea One of
the seamen shouted: "Huzza! Her
sides are made of iron !''--Ira N.
Hollis in Atlantic.