How a Poem saved the World’s Oldest Warship
Signed into law by President George Washington, the Naval Act of 1794 was a measure taken by the United States to deal with the ever-growing problem of piracy. In 1793 alone, pirates captured 11 American ships.
The Act called for and funded the construction of six frigates, one of which was rolled out on October 21, 1797: the USS Constitution.
The USS Constitution first saw action under Captain Samuel Nicholson when she was used in capturing the Niger. The Niger was sailing with a French crew; all were imprisoned by Nicholson. The Niger turned out to be operating under Britain’s orders, which led the American government to pay $11,000.00 in reparations to Britain.
Later, Nicholson used the Constitution in a sailing duel against his friend, Captain of the HMS Santa Margarita, and won. He was relieved of his duties shortly after.
Not much happened until in September 1803 when, under Captain Edward Preble, the USS Constitution came upon another ship in the darkness. The unidentified craft refused to answer Preble’s first hail and later responded evasively. This led Preble to warn, “I am now going to hail you for the last time. If a proper answer is not returned, I will fire a shot into you.”
The unidentified ship responded with a threat to broadside the USS Constitution. After some insistence from Preble, the stranger identified his ship as the Donegal — an infamously powerful British ship — then demanded Preble send his boat on board.
Now, the mysterious ship was actually the HMS Maidstone, a ship far less threatening than the Donegal.
“This is the United States Ship Constitution, 44 guns, Edward Preble, an American commodore, who will be damned if he sends his boat on board of any vessel.”
A boat from the HMS Maidstone then arrived with a British lieutenant who explained the situation and delivered his captain’s apologies.
What really transpired was that the USS Constitution had been so stealthy in her approach that the crew of the HMS Maidstone didn’t notice her and were caught by surprise. The Maidstone took to delaying her answer to Preble in order to buy some time to ready her guns.
In the following year, the Constitution aided in the bombardment of Tripoli. She was then sent for repairs but returned in 1805 for the blockade of Tripoli. On June 3, 1805, a peace treaty with Tripoli was signed aboard the USS Constitution.
The Constitution did not see much action in the following years, though she underwent substantial repairs, priced at around $100,000.
The Constitution would only see serious action again during the War of 1812 under Captain Isaac Hull. One of Hull’s first achievements was the evasion of pursuing British vessels.
Later in the war, the Constitution encountered the HMS Guerriere, which opened fire but caused little damage. Hull then maneuvered the Constitution and broadsided the Guerriere. After the two ships pulled apart, the Guerriere foremast collapsed, bringing down the mainmast.
The Guerriere surrendered shortly after.
The Constitution would go on to meet another British ship, the HMS Java, in combat on December 29, 1812. Although the Java fought harder than the Guerriere, Hull managed to defeat her using similar tactics.
The USS Constitution saw some more action before the Navy decided to scrap her in September 1830 — she was in terrible condition.
The news of the Constitution’s scraping had a great impact on Oliver Wendell Holmes, who wrote a poem named “Old Ironsides,” in honor of the USS Constitution. The poem was published to the Boston Advertiser, and it blew up, bringing about public outrage and efforts to save the ship.
Old Ironsides, by Oliver Wendell Holmes
(09/16/1830)Ay, tear her tattered ensign down!Long has it waved on high,And many an eye has danced to seeThat banner in the sky;Beneath it rung the battle shout,And burst the cannon’s roar;—The meteor of the ocean airShall sweep the clouds no more!Her deck, once red with heroes’ bloodWhere knelt the vanquished foe,When winds were hurrying o’er the floodAnd waves were white below,No more shall feel the victor’s tread,Or know the conquered knee;—The harpies of the shore shall pluckThe eagle of the sea!O, better that her shattered hulkShould sink beneath the wave;Her thunders shook the mighty deep,And there should be her grave;Nail to the mast her holy flag,Set every thread-bare sail,And give her to the god of storms,—The lightning and the gale!
The cries of the people did not go unheard, and the Constitution was sent for repairs once again. A new ship was even named after the Constitution, the USS New Ironsides.
There were Confederate threats against the USS Constitution during the Civil War, none of which led to anything. She was used as a training vessel during the war.
Throughout the following decades, the Constitution was repaired multiple times — the most comprehensive of which was her reconstruction in 1995. She did not sail independently for 116 years until her 200th anniversary in 1997 when she took to the seas without need for towing.
Today, the USS Constitution has become the oldest commissioned ship in the world. Her mission is to “promote understanding of the Navy’s role in war and peace through educational outreach, historical demonstration, and active participation in public events as part of the Naval History & Heritage Command.”
