Old Ironside Gave First Victory in War of 1812
USS Constitution Earned Famous Nickname in Battle With HMS Guerriere
Aug 12, 2009
Moored in Boston Harbor, the USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned vessel in the U.S. Navy. Thousands of visitors come to see the grand old ship with the legendary nickname Old Ironsides. But few of those visiting know the origin of that nickname or how during the battle where it was christened with that moniker, it brought the United States navy from a second-rate naval power to on par with the Britain, the greatest maritime force in the world.
The Ship’s Design
The 44-gun USS Constitution was one of the original six frigates that made up the beginnings of the United States navy. Built in Boston, the Constitution was built according to the design of the other five vessels created by Philadelphia shipwright Joshua Humphreys.
Humphreys design created frigates that were faster than regular British frigates but still had enough fire power to battle their English or at the time of the design French counterparts. It was in Humphreys’ choice of materials to build the ships out of that lead the Constitution on the road to its nickname Old Ironsides.
The United States was blessed with all the raw materials needed for ship building including prize white oak which was in abundance in the large forests of the American interior. But it was Humphreys insistence in using American Live Oak for the framing that made the American frigates so sturdy. American Live Oak, found only in the southeastern United States, is an extremely hard and dense wood. So hard, in fact, it was said that an axe would simple bounce off the tree so saws had to be used to cut them down.
The Start of the War of 1812
Constitution was launched in 1798 and saw its first action fighting French privateers during the Quasi War until 1800 and later against pirates in the Mediterranean.
When hostilities broke out between the United States and Great Britain in 1812, the Constitution was called into the service again. Captain Isaac Hull decided to take the Constitution out to sea without orders to prevent having the ship blocked in by a British blockade.
Hull, who planned to rendezvous with Captain John Rodgers, spotted a squadron of five ships off the coast of New Jersey. When Hull realized the squadron was not Rodgers but rather a British contingent, he turned to out run the vessels but the wind died away.
As the British pursuers closed in on the Constitution, Hull order the crew to move the boat by a maneuver called kedging. Kedging was taking an anchor about a mile away, dropping it in the ocean and then pulling the boat up to the anchor. The desperate maneuver worked and Hull was able to save the shape and escape his pursuers.
Battle with the HMS Guerriere
Following his narrow escape from capture, Hull turned his ship northward toward the British naval lanes near Nova Scotia. There he discovered an English warship, the 38-gun HMS Guerriere.
After a brief attempts to outmaneuver the other ship, both vessels closed to within 25 yards of each other a fierce battle ensued. Within 20 minutes the Constitution had blasted the hull of the Guerriere and a collision between the two ships, left the British vessel without its foremast or mainmast.
The Constitution's cannons wreaked havoc on the deck of the Guerriere, killing 49 men in the battle. The British cannons in turn did not have as much effect on the American boat. Watching one of the cannonballs bounce of the side of the ship, an American seaman exclaimed “Huzzah, her sides are made of iron!” Widely reported in the media, the name Old Ironsides stuck.
At the end of the battle, the Guerriere was destroyed beyond saving and was sunk after the crew had been taken aboard the Constitution.
Building Morale
Returning to Boston, the Constitution was given a hearty welcome and Hull was hailed as an American hero. News of the victory had preceded the ships arrival and in 1812, it was the first piece of good news during a war that had seen little success so far on the American side.
The news of the defeat had the reverse affect on those in England. Thinking the British navy to be indestructible, the British people now knew they needed to take the American navy seriously.
Source:
Toll, Ian W., Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of The U.S. Navy (W.W. Norton, 2006)
