In 1794 Congress authorized the construction of six frigates including the USS Constitution. The Constitution was built in Boston of resilient live oak held together by copper spikes and bolts forged by Paul Revere. The USS Constitution was first put to sea in July 1798 during the Quasi-War with France. Several years later, she became flagship vessel under Captain Edward Preble against the Barbary States of North Africa. Then, in 1809 as America began preparing for war with Great Britain, the USS Constitution was recommissioned as the flagship of the North Atlantic Squadron under Commodore John Rodgers. In 1810, she was placed under Captain Isaac Hull as commanding officer.
In early 1812, the US Navy began preparing for war with Great Britain, and the Constitution was sent out to sea without specific orders to prevent being blockaded in port. On July 12th, Captain hull set out to join the squadron of five ships under Commodore Rogers. Five days later, the Constitution sighted five enemy ships off Egg Harbor, New Jersey. One of the vessels, the Gueirrier took chase against her. Being a large frigate stuck in calm waters, the enemy ship would easily gain on her. So Hull put his long boats into the water and ordered the crews to bend their backs and row as hard as they could to tow the Constitution forward. But the enemy ships followed suit. Then, one of Hull's officer's had an idea. Since they were only in about 130 feet of water, they could try kedging, which is to row an anchor ahead of the ship, drop it to the bottom and then winch the ship forward by pulling in the slack. Meanwhile, one of the enemy ships the Gueirrier was inching closer and closer. It was like a tortoise race in the still waters. The Gueirrier fired a broadside, but it fell way sort. After three days, a light breeze began that hit the Constitution first and she began to pull away. The USS Constitution escaped a very close call. She then pulled into the Boston harbor to be re-supplied. The crew was spent after four days in grueling July heat fighting for their lives.
About one month later, the USS Constitution left the Boston harbor and heard reports of a British frigate in the area. On August 19, the crew was on the lookout and raised cries of "Sail ho" as they pointed out a sail bearing east-southeast. Captain Hull and his crew's pulses quickened and they gave chase. As they closed in on the frigate they found that it was the very same Guerriere that fired a broad side on them in July. Now they would get their revenge. The British ship fired the first shot at the Constitution and continued firing. Hull patiently held his fire, as the British cannonballs struck the Constitution, they bounced harmlessly off doing little damage. One of the crew member was reported to have exclaimed, "Hurrah, her sides are made of iron" , and the Constitution earned the name of 'Old Ironsides'. The USS Constitution then opened fire from within very close range and as stated by James Madison Old Ironsides "completely disabled and captured" the British frigate.
In his 1812 annual address, President James Madison shared news about the "cool exertion of commanding talents which, giving to courage its highest character" demonstrated by Captain Isaac Hull.
"On the coasts and on the ocean the war has been as successful as circumstances inseparable from its early stages could promise. Our public ships and private cruisers, by their activity, and, where there was occasion, by their intrepidity, have made the enemy sensible of the difference between a reciprocity of captures and the long confinement of them to their side. Our trade, with little exception, has safely reached our ports, having been much favored in it by the course pursued by a squadron of our frigates under the command of Commodore Rodgers, and in the instance in which skill and bravery were more particularly tried with those of the enemy the American flag had an auspicious triumph. The frigate Constitution, commanded by Captain Hull, after a close and short engagement completely disabled and captured a British frigate, gaining for that officer and all on board a praise which can not be too liberally bestowed, not merely for the victory actually achieved, but for that prompt and cool exertion of commanding talents which, giving to courage its highest character, and to the force applied its full effect, proved that more could have been done in a contest requiring more."In 1830, Oliver Wendell Holmes authored a poem in dedication to Old Ironsides. The USS Constitution which was once slated for decommission, is now the oldest commissioned ship in the world still afloat. With this poem about setting her out to sea until every sail is threadbare by Oliver Wendell Holmes played a role in saving the ship.
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!
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29454
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/nav_legacy.asp?id=192
1812 The War That Forged A Nation, Walter R. Borneman 2004 pg 82-84
http://www.ibiblio.org/eldritch/owh/oldiron.html
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/James_Madison_Portrait2.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/USS_Constitution_vs_Guerriere.jpg
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