- For similarly named ships, principles of government, and other uses, see Constitution (disambiguation).
USS Constitution under sail in Massachusetts Bay, July 21, 1997. |
| Career |
  |
| Ordered: |
1794 |
| Laid down: |
Summer 1795 |
| Launched: |
October 10, 1797 |
| Commissioned: |
October 21, 1797 |
| Status: |
Active, in commission |
| General Characteristics |
| Displacement: |
2,200 tons |
| Length: |
175 ft (53 m) bp,
204 ft (62 m) total |
| Beam: |
43.5 ft (13.3 m) |
| Draught: |
14.3 ft (4.4 m) in hold |
| Propulsion: |
Sail (three masts, ship rig) |
| Speed: |
13 kt (24 km/h) |
| Complement: |
450 officers and enlisted, including 55 Marines and 30 boys |
| Armament: |
30 × 24 pounder (11 kg) long gun
20 × 32 pounder (15 kg) carronade
2 × 24 pounder (11 kg) bow chasers |
| Nickname: |
"Old Ironsides" |
USS Constitution, known as "Old Ironsides," is a wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy. Named after the United States Constitution, she is the oldest commissioned ship afloat in the world.
The Constitution was one of the six original frigates
authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794 and was launched in 1797.
Joshua Humphreys designed them to be the Navy's capital
ships and so Constitution and her sisters were larger and more heavily armed than the standard frigates of the
period.
In 1917 she was renamed to Old Constitution, to free the name for a new Constitution, a Lexington class
battle cruiser that was never completed. She resumed the name Constitution in 1925
after the new hull was canceled. In early 1941, Constitution was assigned the hull classification symbol IX-21[1] (the "IX" hull code stands for "Unclassified Miscellaneous"), but was
reclassified to "none" on 1
September 1975.[2]
History
Construction and early service
Constitution was built at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston,
Massachusetts from the resilient lumber of 2,000 live oak trees (specifically
Southern live oak) cut and milled at Gascoigne
Bluff in St. Simons, Georgia. Constitution's planks were up to seven
inches (178 mm) thick. The ship's design was also unique for its time because of a diagonal cross-bracing of the ship's skeleton
that contributed considerably to the ship's structural strength. Paul Revere forged the
copper spikes and bolts that held the planks in place and the copper sheathing that protected the hull. It took several abortive
attempts to launch Constitution in 1797 before she finally slipped into Boston Harbor. Armed, Constitution first
put to sea 22 July 1798 and saw her first service patrolling the
southeast coast of the United States during the Quasi-War with France. During her service in the conflict,
Constitution's sailors and Marines took part in the amphibious
operation against Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo
wherein the French privateer Sandwich was cut out and
guns from the local Spanish fort were spiked.
In 1803 Constitution was designated flagship for the Mediterranean Squadron under Captain Edward Preble and
went to serve against the Barbary States of North
Africa, which were demanding tribute from the United States in exchange for allowing
American merchant vessels access to Mediterranean ports. Preble began an aggressive campaign against Tripoli, blockading ports and bombarding fortifications. Finally Tripoli,
Tunis, and Algiers agreed to a peace treaty.
Constitution patrolled the North African coast for two years after the war ended, commanded by Stephen Decatur and two other captains between 1803 and 1805, to enforce the terms of the treaty.
She returned to Boston in 1807 for two years of refitting. The ship was recommissioned as flagship of the North Atlantic Squadron in 1809 under Commodore John Rodgers.
War of 1812
By early 1812, relations with the United Kingdom had deteriorated and the Navy began preparing for war, which
was declared 20 June. Captain Isaac Hull, who had been
appointed Constitution's commanding officer in 1810, put to sea 12 July, without orders,
to prevent being blockaded in port. His intention was to join the five ships of Rodgers' squadron.
Constitution sighted five ships off Egg Harbor, New Jersey,
July 17. By the following morning the lookouts had determined they were a British squadron that
had sighted Constitution and were giving chase. Finding themselves becalmed, Hull and his seasoned crew put boats over the
side to tow their ship out of range. By using kedge anchors to draw the ship forward, and wetting
the sails down to take advantage of every breath of wind, Hull slowly made headway against the pursuing British. After two days
and nights of toil in the relentless July heat, Constitution finally eluded her pursuers.
Locked in combat,
Constitution brings down
Guerriere's mizzenmast
But one month later on August 19, she met with one of them again—the smaller
frigate HMS Guerriere off the coast of
Nova Scotia. The British frigate opened fire upon entering
range of Constitution. Captain Hull held his ship's guns in check until the two warships were a mere 25 yards apart, at
which point he ordered a full broadside. Over the course of the engagement, the ships collided three times but musket fire from
the Marine complements on both Guerriere and Constitution prevented boarding parties from being sent. During the
third and final collision, Guerriere 's bowsprit became entangled in Constitution 's rigging. When the two ships
pulled apart, the force of extracting the bowsprit sent shockwaves through Guerriere 's rigging. Her foremast soon
collapsed and it took the mainmast down with it shortly afterward. At the conclusion of the engagement Guerriere was a
dis-masted hulk, so badly damaged that she was not worth towing to port. Hull had used his heavier broadsides and his ship's
superior sailing ability, while the British, to their astonishment, saw that their shot seemed to rebound harmlessly off
Constitution's strong live oak hull—giving her the nickname "Old Ironsides".
Under the command of William Bainbridge, "Old Ironsides" met HMS Java, another British frigate, in December. Their three-hour engagement left Java
unfit for repair, so she was burned. Constitution's victories gave a tremendous boost to the morale of the American
people.
Despite having to spend many months in port, either under repair or because of blockades, Constitution managed eight
more captures under the command of Charles Stewart, including a British
frigate, HMS Cyane, and a sloop, HM Sloop Levant, sailing in company which she fought and defeated simultaneously, before she
returned to port in 1815 to find the war had ended. After six years of extensive repairs, she returned to duty as flagship of the
Mediterranean Squadron. She sailed back to Boston in 1828.
1835 Service after reconstruction
An examination in 1830 found her unfit for sea, but the American public expressed great indignation at the recommendation that
she be scrapped, especially after publication of Oliver Wendell Holmes' poem
"Old Ironsides". Congress passed an
appropriation for reconstruction and in 1835 she was placed back in commission. She served as flagship in the Mediterranean and
the South Pacific and made a 30-month voyage around the world beginning in March 1844.
In the 1850s she patrolled the African coast in search of slavers, and during the
American Civil War served as a training ship for midshipmen. But Constitution,
along with all ships of her type, was becoming rapidly obsolete as a fighting vessel. As early as 1838, steamships had begun to make regular transatlantic crossings (see steamboat) and the Civil War's Battle of Hampton Roads had
shown the impotence of wooden-hulled warships when faced with ships made of (or clad in) iron.
Even when restricted from front line duties, however, Constitution continued to serve the Navy and the country, and
after another period of rebuilding in 1871, she transported goods for the Paris
Exposition of 1877 and served once more as a training ship. Decommissioned in 1882, she was used as a receiving ship at
Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She returned to Boston to celebrate her centennial
in 1897.
1925 restoration
In 1905, public sentiment saved her once more from scrapping. In 1917 she was renamed Old Constitution, to free
her name for a planned new Lexington-class battlecruiser, USS Constitution (CC-5).
Constitution (CC-5) was canceled in 1923 (only 14 percent completed) due to the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty. In 1925 the ship, once again bearing the name Constitution, was
restored through the donations of schoolchildren and patriotic groups. After being recommissioned on July 1, 1931, she set out under tow for a tour of 90 port cities along the
Atlantic, Gulf,
and Pacific coasts.
More than 4.6 million people visited her during the three-year journey. Having secured her position as an American icon, she
returned to her home port of Boston. In 1940, she was placed in permanent commission, and an act of Congress in 1954 made the Secretary of the
Navy responsible for her upkeep.
On July 11, 1976, as part of her Bicentennial Visit to the United States, Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh came to Boston and toured the ship with Commanding
Officer Tyrone G. Martin. Secretary of the Navy J. William Middendorf presented the queen with a sea chest made from original wood that had been
removed from the hull of Constitution during refurbishment in the early 1970s.
1992-95 refit and return to sail
From 1992 to 1995, the Constitution underwent a 44-month refit and overhaul that returned the ship to fully sailable
condition. Her refit was far less extensive and intensive than Constellation's, as Constitution was in much better shape. The refit restored
many of her original hull design elements that had been omitted to save time and money in previous refits, including Humphreys'
unique diagonal riders which resist hogging.[3]
On July 21, 1997, as part of her 200th birthday celebration,
Constitution set sail for the first time in 116 years. She was towed from her usual berth in Boston en route to an
overnight mooring in Marblehead. The visit to Marblehead marked the first time
since 1934 that the ship had been absent overnight from its berth in Charlestown. Embarked dignitaries among the approximately
450 personnel onboard included the Secretary of the Navy,
Chief of Naval Operations, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps (General Richard I.
Neal), Senator Kennedy, and the venerable Walter
Cronkite, an avid sailor. A little more than five nautical miles offshore, the tow line was dropped, and the commanding
officer (Commander Mike Beck, USN) ordered her six sails set -- (jibs, topsails, and driver). Constitution then sailed unassisted for 40
minutes on a South South East course. With true wind speeds of about 12 knots, the ship attained a top recorded speed of six and
a half knots. (See infobox picture at top.) While under sail, her modern naval combatant escorts, USS Ramage (DDG-61) and USS Halyburton (FFG-40), rendered Passing Honors to Old Ironsides. The ship was
overflown by the Blue Angels, honoring the ship's first sail in over 116 years. Inbound to her permanent berth at Charlestown the
following evening, she rendered a 21-gun salute to the nation, abeam Fort Independence (Castle
Island) in Boston Harbor.[4]
Present day
The modern day role of "Old Ironsides" is that of "ship of state". USS Constitution is today considered the most famous
vessel in American naval history. Her mission is to promote the Navy to millions of visitors and observers each year. The crew of
55 sailors participates in ceremonies, educational programs and special events (including sail drill) while keeping the ship open
to visitors year-round and providing free tours. The crew are all active-duty sailors and the assignment is considered special
duty in the Navy. Traditionally, the duty of captain of the vessel is assigned to an active duty Navy commander.
While Constitution is the oldest fully commissioned vessel afloat, she is not the oldest commissioned. HMS Victory holds the honor of being the oldest commissioned warship by three decades, however
Victory is permanently drydocked.
Constitution is one of only two presently commissioned ships in the US Navy known to have sunk an enemy vessel. The
other is USS Simpson (FFG-56). No others are still in service.
Constitution is berthed at Pier 1 of the former Charlestown Navy Yard at one
end of Boston's Freedom Trail. She is open to the public year round. However, as a
commissioned US Navy ship, a visit to "Old Ironsides" is subject to Navy provisions and the fact that she occasionally puts out
to sea. Consult her official website for schedule and provisions. The private USS
Constitution Museum is nearby, located in a restored shipyard building at the foot of Pier 2.
Timeline
- October 21, 1797 - USS Constitution launched and
christened at Edmond Hartt's Shipyard, Boston.
- August 1798 - Ordered into action in the Quasi-War with France.
- 1803–1806 - Flagship, Mediterranean Squadron, Barbary Wars.
- 1812–1815 - War of 1812 with United Kingdom.
- August 19, 1812 - Defeats 38-gun British frigate
HMS Guerriere. Crew bestows her with "Old Ironsides" nickname because of
cannonballs bouncing off her sides.
- December 29, 1812 - Captures British frigate
HMS Java and five smaller vessels.
- February 20, 1815 - Captures British frigate
HMS Cyane sailing in company with HM Sloop Levant.
- 1828–1830 - Laid up at Boston and condemned by naval commissioners, she was saved by the poem "Old Ironsides" by Oliver Wendell Holmes.
- March 1844 - Begins 30-month voyage around the world.
- 1920 - Renamed Old Constitution in preparation for the construction of a brand new all-steel battlecruiser to be named
USS Constitution (CC-5).
- 1923 - Constitution (CC-5) is canceled before completion and scrapped. The word "Old" is dropped from the name of
Old Constitution, restoring her to her original name.
- 1931–1934 - National cruise takes "Old Ironsides" to 90 American cities, returns to her place of honor in Boston harbor.
- 1957 - Norwegian cadet sailors of the Christian Radich came aboard
Constitution in Boston during summer filming of the wide-screen motion picture "Windjammer". The movie was released in America in 1958. Scenes of the movie were also filmed in
Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
- December 19, 1960 - Constitution designated a
National Historic Landmark.[2]
- 1972–1975 - A restoration of Constitution takes place in preparation for the Bicentennial celebration of the United
States; some original wood is removed from the hull.
- 1976 - Queen Elizabeth II tours "Old Ironsides" during the U.S.
Bicentennial.
- March 1996–1997 - Completes 44-month restoration.
- July 21, 1997 - Underway on sail alone for the first time in
116 years.
Specifications
USS Constitution Specifications
| Specification |
Data |
| Builders |
Col. George Claghorn, Edmond Harrt's Shipyard, Boston, Massachusetts. |
| Cost |
$302,718 (1797 dollars) |
| Materials |
Wood from 2000 trees |
| Propulsion |
42,710 ft² (3,968 m²) of sail on three masts |
| Mast heights |
foremast, 198 ft (60 m) |
| mainmast, 220 ft (67 m) |
| mizzenmast, 172.5 ft (52.56 m) |
| Displacement |
2,200 t |
| Speed |
13 kt (24 km/h) |
| Boats |
one 36 ft (11 m) long boat |
| two 30 ft (9 m) cutters |
| two 28 ft (9 m) whaleboats |
| one 28 ft (9 m) gig |
| one 22 ft (7 m) jolly boat |
| one 14 ft (4 m) punt |
| Anchors |
two main bowers 5300 lb (2,400 kg) |
| one sheet anchor 5400 lb (2,400 kg) |
| one stream anchor 1100 lb (500 kg) |
| two kedge anchors 400-700 lb (180-320 kg) |
Constitution in literature, film, and popular culture
USS
Constitution underway for her annual turn around cruise
Constitution is portrayed by a sea-going replica in the 1926 silent film Old Ironsides, which features a
dramatized version of the actions in the First Barbary War. Noteworthy scenes include
Stephen Decatur's raid on the captured USS
Philadelphia, Richard Somers' destruction of the ketch Intrepid, and the on-screen sinking of the three-masted barquentine S. N. Castle
(representing a Tripoli raider).
In C. S. Forester's novel Hornblower
and the Hotspur, HMS Hotspur, in port in Cádiz, Spain, is briefly berthed next
to Constitution, which is visiting there during her service against the Barbary
pirates.
Constitution's action against HMS Java appears in Patrick O'Brian's book The Fortune of War.[5]
In the movie, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the
World, the fictional French frigate Acheron was computer modeled after the
Constitution, using a stem to stern digital image scan of the real Old Ironsides.[6] The fictional Acheron was built in Boston by the Americans. In the novel The Far Side of the
World, Acheron did not appear; Surprise's quarry was the fictional American frigate USS Norfolk,
based on the actual USS Essex.
An episode of the G.I. Joe animated series featured
sailing the Constitution after Cobra Commander used a device to render his
flagship, the fictional battleship USS Montana, invulnerable to modern warships with
electronic devices.
The WizKids Game "Pirates of the Revolution" features the
Constitution as a playable ship.
Author Clive Cussler's novel Fire Ice involves the USS Constitution in a
battle scene.
The Enterprise in the science fiction television series Star Trek is a Constitution class
starship, named as such after the USS Constitution.
Urban legend
On August 6, 1997, Secretary of the Navy John H. Dalton
gave a speech about the Ironsides.[1] He described in detail a journey as part of the War of
1812, that took her from Boston to Jamaica to the Portuguese Azores to England, defeating five
British men-of-war and scuttling 12 English merchantmen, before heading, unarmed, up the Firth
of Clyde in Scotland to raid a whiskey distillery, and finally returning to Boston Harbor on February 23. The point of the story was that the Navy
and Marine Corps had "spirit", and weren't much for drinking non-alcoholic beverages. However, despite the seemingly specific
details, and the fact that the story is often forwarded around the internet via email, and appears in several personal "naval
history" websites (often suffixed with the traditional "Go Navy!" or "Beat Army!"), it is
almost certainly false. There is no historical record of the ship sailing anywhere near Scotland, nor of engaging in battle with
that many warships. Additionally, the legend would have required each crewman to consume over two gallons of alcohol per day.
Some versions of the story have the journey 1812-1813, some have it 1779-1780 (especially unlikely, since the ship was not
launched until 1797). The exact origin of the story is not clear. Some reports say that it was printed in a periodical of the
Oceanographer of the US Navy, Oceanographic
Ships, Fore and Aft, although this may have simply been an embellishment on the urban
legend.[2] Another source is quoted as "U.S. Atlantic Command, Joint Training, Analysis and
Simulation Center."
See also
References
This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
- ^ IX-21 Constitution. Retrieved on 2007-02-11.
- ^ a b USS CONSTITUTION. Naval Vessel Register. Retrieved on 2007-02-12.
- ^ USS Constitution Rehabilitation And Restoration. Retrieved on 2007-07-15.
- ^ Sail 200. Retrieved on 2007-02-11.
- ^ Patrick O'Brian (1980). The
Fortune of War. ISBN 0393308138.
- ^ Now
Playing at a Theater Near You: Old Ironsides. The Washington Post (2003-11-16). Retrieved on 2006-07-01.
- Thomas P. Horgan, Old Ironsides (Burdette & Co., 1963)
- Tyrone G. Martin, A Most Fortunate Ship 2nd edition (Naval Institute Press,
1997)
- Undefeated (Tryon Publishing Company, 1996)
- "The Great Ships - Frigates" (The History Channel, 1997)
- [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/*
A Signal Honor (Tryon Publishing Company, 2003)
- "A Call to the Sea: Captain Charles Stewart of the USS Constitution"
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
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Coordinates: 42°22′20.88″N 71°03′23.68″W / 42.3724667,
-71.0565778
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