Norwich bulletin., 1921-11-19
ODD INCIDENTS IN AMERICAs
HISTORY
our GREATEST NAVAL VICTORY.


The proudest achievement to which the
American points. when the glory of the
sea is being discussed. is to the naval
victory gained by the infant American
navy over the seasoned British masters
of the seattle fight between the Con-
stitution and the Guerrero in the War
Of 1912. In commenting on the result
the London Times said Never before in
the history Of the worlG did an English
frigate strike to an American under
equal circumstances"
Proudest among the trlurnphs Of the
American flag will forever be associated
the career of that noble old frigate. the
Constitution, which was re-christened, by
popular acclaim, Old Ironsides- This
great triumph came at time when the
whole nation, deeply wounded by the Ill
successes of their arms on the frontier.
were suddenly thrilled by an action bril-
liant beyond all precedent in its results
IN the annals Of naval warfare.
The memorable sea battle occurred on
| August 10. 1912. Capt. Hull, on board
! the Constitution, was cruising off the
coast. of Massachusetts, when a sail was
| discovered from his masthead He i'm
| mediately gave chase. It was plainly
perceived that she was a man-ofwar,
| and it was soon learned that the vessel
was the Guerriere, commanded by Capt.
| James A. Dacres.
| Eager for battle and hopeful for vic
tory, Hull cleared his ship for action.
He started for the enemy, and on the
Constitution coming within gunshot, the
Guerrero fred broadside, but the shot
j fell far short. Hull waited patiently
| and nanoeuvred his ship until he got il
| within the right position when at five
minutes before o'clock in the afternoon
he ordered a brisk firing to be COM
menced from all the Constitution guns
So admirably directed and so necessarily
was this fire kept UP that in fifteen min
utes the mizzenmast of the Guerrero
went by the board and her main yard II
her sings.
Thirty minutes after the commence
ment of the contest the mainmast an6
the foremost of the Guerriere came
down, taking with them every spar ex
cept re bowspirt. Seeing her condition
and Capt. Dacres then struck his col
ors. which had been fastened to thu
} stump of the mizzenmast.
At in the evening Capt. Hull sent
3 boat to the enemy, which shortly
returned with Capt. Dacres on board
It was learned from lieutenant WHIT
| accompanied the captain, that tn
Guerriere was an unmanageable wreck
} with four feE of water in the hold, ant
. | in a sinking condition. AS soon, there
fore, as all the crew were removed sh
) was abandoned and her shattered hull
: set fire to and blown up.
During the whole period Of the en-
, gagement the total loss on board tn
t Constitution amounted to seven kille,
and seven wounded, and as soon as sh
: had drove new rigging, applied tn
necessary shoppers and bent a few
) sails, she was ready to engage an
other frigate. Capt. Hull, in the tribut
: | to the crew, says: "They all Tough
7 with great bravery from the smalles
boy on the ship to the oldest seaman
and not look of fear was SEEM
$ The news of this brilliant and une1
4 | pected victory-the first, in fact, of an
I importance as yet obtained by the Unite
n States in the War OF 1S12-was pecognis
q ed by rapturous applause by the Amer
: can people, especially in view of the viz
e tory having been achieved on the waite
an element upon which scarcely any Ell
ropean nation dared to cope with Ens
! lish prowess The event was, therefor
= SO mortifying to English pride as ca
). possibly be imagined.
. The Constitution arrived in Boston hal
J Dor the last of August. Never did an
event spread such universal joy over d
whole county, and such astonishmel
+. Throughout Europe as this complete an
= magnificent victory.
# Adonday-First Serious Clash in Coz
~~A~-A