Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-12
entitled "Bainbridge's Victory" in which
the ships company Is addressed:

And twice attained the goal!
| Again DER the mafn
shall your conq,serine thunders roll
And your banners float. Eictoriously
And your cOnQusfE.ins tAanden roll
Fame, wreath asain thy l.urels.
Such gariands onils manly brow
| Shall noble Bainbridgeswear
The same their bannersi and their deck,
The same their daring soul.
And thy banners aoat vigorously
| While their condhering ,thunders ROLL" etc.
In Yankee Tarsss a4ssung to the tune Of
| Mrs. Casey -,
1.-THE veteran B6inhridke next prepared
In quest Of foes he boldly steered
And drove the Java UNDER
| This event Is noted in the song Of Seven
Naval Victories" as follows:
'John, stung with disaster and threefold disgrace
| In Indias fair climate sought for safety and peace
| He met him in Java. and logged him to boot"
Again in Search of Enemy.
| Again did the Constitution put to sea in
search Of the enemy. sailing December 3,
1913. for the Guinea coast and West Indies.
! This time Capt. Charles Stewart was in
| command, and soon she sent in a number Of
| prizes, among them an armed schooner.
| February 10 following.
After a stay at Boston the Constitution
| again sailed, December II. 1874 and re-
tuTHeQ III May. "A treaty OI peace ndO DeeH
signed at Client December "a. but the news
| did not reach this country till February.
| The Constitution on this last named cruise
took as prizes two merchant ships, and off
| the coast of Madeira, February 90. encoun-
| tered the British vessels-of-war Cyane and
| Levant. a remarkable conflict-one vessel
| Of war attacking two-took place, ending
| in victory for Stewart and his ship. The
| Levant was subsequently recaptured.
This closed the brilliant course of "Old
| 1ronsides' in the war Of 1872. and when she
again reached her home port she was
| heartily welcomed. the Bostonians lining
| the warves and minging their cheers with
the salutes being fired in her honor and in
| honor of her three commanders-Hul,B Balm
bridge and Stewart-whose names had been
| indelibly linked with her own. Peace had
| reigned a few months, but the return of the
ship was the signal for a repetition of the
rejoicings in mary cities of the land
! At one OF the many dinners to Capt.
Stewart and others-that in this city on the
first anniversary Of the Battle of New Or
| leans-the gallant commander, who died
rear admiral at over ninety years Of age in
by the following:
with 'Ironsides' brave Stewart slips
| To on her third cruise sir
| And, tired Of logging single ships,
She drubs them now by twOs, SIR.
Splendid Record.
Thus, having sailed from the Potomac d.
rectly after Madisons proclamation Of war,
|
a conspicuous position among the naHies
Of the world. and placed the names of her
| commanders indelibly on the roll of the ma
tons heroes; and while officially she re-
| tanned the name of Constitution" ever
| after she was popularity known "Old
| IronsideS."
Fer years she was engaged in cruising,
and she was several times repaired and
was once rebuilt. This was over fifty years
after her launching, when the cost was
nearly 100000 more than that incurred in
| tuilding her. When, during the admins
| tration OF Jackson. she was being over
| hauled at the Boston navy yard, an Incl
dent happened which created much excite
ment. Commodore Elliot had ordered as
| figurehead for the craft bearing the name
of the Instrumental which the President
was SO much attached, a figure of the old
| general. When this became known in Bos-
| ton 1t occasonedya howl of indgna ton
| among the wings 0of that city, and every
| effort was used to prevent what was
| termed a Dissertation of "Old Ironsides"
| Offers were made 40 parties to destroy the
! figure; some Of the papers openly urged its
| destruction. and the carvers were guarded
| as they went to and from their work. The
| commodore. however, had the work to pro-
| coed to compietion., and the wooden repre-
sentatlon Of "Old Hickory" took its place
/ on its bow This, act added fuel to the
/ flames and thyeats were publicly made that
from the prov Jackson would never face
| the ocean. A band of nearly fifty. some Of
! them said to have been leading citizens. was
] organized to ,thwart the design of the au-
! thor!tes to have her sail with Jackson's
| figure. Commodore Elliot, as matter Of
precaution. had her moved into the stream
and a marine guard placed aboard while
| her refitting was being completed. At this
| tuncture the fishing smack of one Dewey
arrived. and the captain. learning what had
| been done. joined in the opposition to Jack
son going to sea. and vowed to cut his
| head off. One dark night a terrific storm
| came up and Dewey taking advantage Of
| the darkness and the noise Of the elements.
| set out alone in his yawl, taking a hand
| saw.
Dewey's Exploit.
Climbing to the figure he set to work and
the noise of the saving being drowned by
the wind. he in few moments had sew
cred the head with which he made back
| to his vessel. 90.
| This act caused much excitement, natur-
ally. the authorities. and the friends of the
administration, being very indignant. but
the majority Of the people Of Boston were
| exultant.
! dinner was given by the committe
| when Captain Dewey exhibited the head
| and the proposition was made to cut it up
| and distribute the pieces as mementoes
1t to Washington, and several weeks after
| he appeared at the Navy Department.
| Being admitted to the Secretary, he bluntly
announced:
head off. Here 1t is.' and placing a bundle
| on a table wrapped in a handkerchief, UNI
| tied 1t and the head rolled out to the as
| tonished gaze Of the Secretary. The latter
recovering, exclaimed. You Internal
| scoundrel. I'll have you arrested"
Dewey coolly replied that he was able
| to no law here. but II the Secretary desired
| he would return to Boston and await the
| service of a warrant there. The Secretary
| then started to the President. directing
Captain Dewey to follow with the messen-
| ger. and having reported to General jack
| son, Dewey was called in. and Jackson de-
| string to see the head it was produced. Az
| ter looking at 1t the President evidently not
| satisfied with the likeness, remarked: Why
| the man has done me a favor. l think he
| did right thus ending the controversy
1t was afterward said that Dewey regard
| ed Jackson as his friend, and that he re-
ceived an appointment as postmaster at
his hands.
1t was in the fifties that the old Constttu-
| ton. having served as a man-of-war and
receiving ship. and having performed yeo-
| man service. was thought to have outlived
| her usefulness and her destruction was de-
| termined upon. The public, remembering