Old Ironsides

by Elaine Marie Cooper

I first met her when I was a young teenager and I’ve never forgotten her beauty. Her nickname is “Old Ironsides” and she is the world’s oldest commissioned naval vessel still afloat.

For years now she has been berthed at the Charlestown Naval Yard in Boston but her anchoring has not kept her from occasional voyages to celebrate her greatness. She sailed under her own power in 1997 to celebrate her 200^th birthday.

Her official name is the USS Constitution and she was one of six vessels authorized for construction by the newly formed United States Navy, enacted by the Naval Act in 1794. She was given her name by none other than President George Washington in honor of this nation’s Constitution. Her launching in 1797 was attended by then-President John Adams. She and the other frigates were built larger than traditional ships of that day: They needed to be strong enough for war.

The Constitution did not have to wait long to fulfill her purpose. She was assigned to protect American merchant vessels from pirates along the Barbary Coast of North Africa in the early 1800’s.

She is most well known for her involvement in the War of 1812 as we, once again, fought against Great Britain, following our victory in the American Revolution. She defeated five British warships, including HMS Guerriere. That was the victory that earned her the name, “Old Ironsides.”

During the Civil War, she was used for training purposes by the United States Naval Academy. Old Ironsides was retired from active service in 1881.

For years, the love of the American people has kept her from the scrap heap that is the burial ground for most naval vessels that have served their country. Affection has kept her afloat and today, she is a museum ship visited by thousands every year. In August of 2012, she did a victory sail to commemorate the 200^th anniversary of her victory over the Guerriere.

Her mission today—for she is still a fully commissioned US Navy ship—is to promote understanding of the Navy’s role in both war and peace. The USS Constitution is staffed by a crew of sixty active-duty officers and sailors. Their assignment is to participate in special events and educational programs.

From the moment I stepped aboard Old Ironsides so many years ago, I fell in love with her. She stirred both an affection for history and a pride in our country that has never left my heart. She will always remind me that, although the Constitution may go through many a battle, she can stay afloat in the storms, with God’s help.

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Oliver Wendell Holmes

This poem, written by Oliver Wendell Holmes, first appeared in the Boston Daily Advertiser on September 16, 1830. It was in response to a proposal to break up the old ship as unfit for service.

OLD IRONSIDES

Ay, tear her tattered ensign down!
Long has it waved on high,
And many an eye has danced to see
That banner in the sky;
Beneath it rung the battle shout,
And burst the cannon's roar;--
The meteor of the ocean air
Shall sweep the clouds no more.
Her deck, once red with heroes' blood,
Where knelt the vanquished foe,
When winds were hurrying o'er the flood,
And waves were white below,
No more shall feel the victor's tread,
Or know the conquered knee;--
The harpies of the shore shall pluck
The eagle of the sea!
Oh, better that her shattered bulk
Should 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 threadbare sail,
And give her to the god of storms,
The lightning and the gale!

Elaine Marie Cooper grew up in the Boston area, visiting the historical sites of our nation's founding. She has written Fields of the Fatherless, a young adult novel based on a true story from the American Revolution. You can visit her website/ blog here.

It's WAR! June 18 marks the 201st anniversary of the Declaration of the War of 1812

"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That war be and is hereby declared to exist between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the dependencies thereof, and the United States of America and their territories; and that the President of the United States is hereby authorized to use the whole land and naval force of the United States to carry the same into effect, and to issue to private armed vessels of the United States commissions or letters of marque and general reprisal, in such form as he shall think proper, and under the seal of the United States, against the vessels, goods, and effects of the government of the said United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the subjects thereof."

Fort Macinack by Seth Eastman

So reads the Declaration of War signed by President Madison. The ink was barely dry when eager troops launched into Canada from New York's border to attack British forces. That early confidence proved premature when the British capture Fort Mackinac, and Fort Dearborn is abandoned that summer.

General Van Rensselaer, in command of 500 New York Militia troops, attempted to eradicate the British from the Niagara Peninsula when he crossed the Niagara River into Queensland Heights. They succeed in driving the enemy from the top of the heights, but when the small contingent calls for reinforcements, they are met with two obstacles: other NY militia members are hesitant to leave their home state undefended and refuse to go. And then, politics interfere when General Smythe of the regular army wouldn't send his force stationed at Buffalo to help the militia. America loses the Battle of Queensland Heights.

A shaky start to the war did not mean all hope was lost. "Old Ironsides" takes British frigate the H.M.S. Guerrière in the epic battle depicted in this print. 600 miles east of Boston, the USS Constitution meets the British vessel and delivers its first broadside. The battle went on for 20 minutes' bombardment until the British man-of-war lost its mast. The Constitution by contrast incurred little damage. The victory galvanized the new country and made Commander Hull a household name.  Old Ironsides earned its name, going on to defeat or capture seven more British vessels. It also ran the British blockade of Boston twice.

New York State would play a vital role in the war, as naval battles on the Great Lakes would be launched from several points along the New York/Canadian border. In this war, Watervliet, NY became the site of America's oldest continuously used arsenal, positioned along the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers and able to supply both the northern and western fronts. The Niagara Frontier increases in importance and stages some of the worst fighting in the War. New York Harbor and the St Lawrence River also set the stage of wartime drama. In future posts I hope to explore each of these a little closer. 

Kathleen L. Maher writes about NY history. Her novella Bachelor Buttons is part of a Civil War sesquicentennial collection released through Helping Hands Press. She won the 2012 ACFW Genesis contest, and  is represented by Terry Burns of Hartline Literary Agency. She and her husband live in a 100-year-old farmhouse in upstate NY with their three children, two Newfoundland dogs and a tuxedo cat.