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USS Constitution
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USS
Constitution is a United States Navy frigate
which is normally berthed at the former Charlestown
Navy Yard, Boston. She is a three masted,
wooden hulled, heavy frigate and is the
oldest floating commissioned naval vessel in
the world. USS Constitution was named after the United
States Constitution by former United States
President
George Washington. Built at Edmund Hartt’s shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts,
USS Constitution was one of six frigates to
be constructed under the Naval Act of 1794.
Affectionately known as ‘Old Ironsides’ she
is best known for defeating five British
ships and capturing several merchant vessels
during the War of 1812. USS Constitution is
currently a museum ship but is crewed by
U.S. Navy Personnel.
Why
Was USS Constitution Built?
Towards the end of the 18th century the
Barbary pirates were operating in the
Mediterranean Sea and capturing American
merchant vessels. In response, the Naval Act
of 1794 was passed by Congress and signed
into law by President George Washington.
This act
authorized the construction of six frigates
which would mark the birth of the United
States Navy. USS Constitution was one of
these frigates. In 1796 a clause in the act
led to the build being temporarily halted
because peace had been agreed; however
Congress agreed to fund the completion of
the three ships whose build had progressed
the farthest, these included USS
Constitution.
Who
Designed USS Constitution?
Philadelphia born ship builder Joshua
Humphreys was chosen to design the six
frigates. It is believed that the French
built frigate South Carolina inspired his
design. His unusual design, incorporating a
narrow beam and long keel, was to give these
vessels the power to overcome other frigates
of the time but be fast enough to escape
from ships of the line.
Where was USS Constitution Built?
The keel of USS Constitution was laid
down at Edmund Hartt’s Shipyard in Boston,
Massachusetts, on November 1, 1794. USS
Boston - 1799, USS Argus - 1803 and USS
Independence - 1814 were also built at this
shipyard in the North End of Boston.
USS Constitution's Launch
USS Constitution was set to
launch on September 20, 1797, with
Massachusetts Governor Increase
Sumner and U.S. President
John Adams
in attendance. When she was launched
USS Constitution only slid 27ft down
the slipway as it settled under the
weight of the ship. She slid a
further 31ft two days later, however
her launch into Boston Harbor wasn’t
completed until October 21, 1797,
after the slipway had been rebuilt.
How Big was USS Constitution?
When built, USS Constitution was
304ft in length with a beam of 43ft
6ins and a draft of 23ft. Her
hull was 21ins thick and she
displaced 2,200 tons of water. USS
Constitution
had three masts;. the foremast was
198ft, the mizzenmast 172ft 6 ins
and the main mast was 220ft. The
42,710 sq ft of sail across her
three masts could take USS
Constitution to a speed of 13 knots.
What Armament did USS Constitution
Carry?
USS Constitution’s armament
usually exceeded it’s 44 gun rating.
She was known to carry thirty two 24
pounders on the gun deck, fifteen
down each side and two as chasers;
and twenty two 32 pounders, eleven
on either side of the spar deck. All
the guns that are currently aboard
USS Constitution are replicas.
USS Constitution and the
Quasi-War
USS Constitution put to sea on
her maiden voyage on July 22, 1798,
with Captain Samuel Nicholson in
command. Her role was to patrol the
eastern seaboard during the
Quasi-War with France. Twice during
this period USS Constitution had to
return to Boston for repairs to
storm damage. The first time was to
have the bowsprit repaired, the
second was to repair the rigging.
After recommencing her patrols, USS
Constitution managed to recapture
the American sloop Neutrality before
capturing the French ship Carteret a
few days later.
USS Constitution Resupply and Change
of Captain
USS Constitution arrived back in
Boston on May 14, 1799, for a change
of captain, repairs and resupply.
Captain Nicholson was replaced by
Captain Silas Talbot and on July 23,
1799, she left Boston and headed for
Saint-Domingue to continue
patrolling against the French. In
April 1801, USS Constitution was
recalled to Boston where she
remained until she was mothballed in
July 1802.
USS Constitution and the First
Barbary War
When President
Thomas Jefferson
sent squadrons of frigates to
protect American merchant ships in
the Mediterranean, USS Constitution
was re-commissioned as a flagship by
Captain Edward Preble on May 13,
1803. USS Constitution led the third
squadron and arrived in Gibraltar on
September 12. After being involved
in a captured ship exchange with
Sultan Limane of Morocco, taking
part in the Second Battle of Tripoli
Harbor and being involved in a
collision with USS President, USS
Constitution was sent to Malta for
repairs.
Signing of a Peace Treaty Aboard
USS Constitution
While undergoing repairs in
Malta, Captain John Rodgers assumed
command. On April 5, 1805, USS
Constitution returned to Tripoli and
resumed the blockade. Following the
capture of Tripoli by U.S. Marines
on April 27, a peace treaty was
signed aboard USS Constitution on
June 3, 1805. USS Constitution then
took part in a blockade of Tunis
which led to a peace treaty with
them as well.
USS Constitution and the Tripoli
Monument
In 1807, under the command of
Captain Hugh G. Campbell who had
replaced John Rodgers, USS
Constitution arrived at Livorno,
(also known as Leghorn) Italy, where
the dismantled Tripoli Monument was
loaded on board. Having set sail on
September 8, USS Constitution
arrived back in Boston with the
Tripoli Monument on October 14,
1807.
USS Constitution and Joel Barlow
Captain John Rodgers took
command, once again, in December
1807 and oversaw a major refit. USS
Constitution then carried out
ordinary duties and training runs
for approximately two years before
Captain Isaac Hull took command in
1810. On August 5, 1811, USS
Constitution set sail for France
with Joel Barlow, the new
Ambassador, and his family. USS
Constitution remained in the area
during the winter before arriving
back in Boston on February 18, 1812.
USS Constitution During the War
of 1812
On July 2, 1812, after the
declaration of war on June 18, USS
Constitution put to sea and ran into
five British ships off Egg Harbor,
New Jersey. The British ships
spotted her and gave chase, however
USS Constitution managed to evade them, despite
becoming becalmed and having to
lower boats to pull the ship, and
returned to Boston to where she
replenished her supplies.
USS Constitution Earns the
Nickname ‘Old Ironsides’
On August 19, 1812, USS
Constitution engaged with the
British ship HMS Guerriere roughly
400 miles from Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The engagement resulted in an
exchange of broadsides and a brief
collision. HMS Guerriere lost all
her masts during the engagement and
surrendered to USS Constitution.
Captain Hull decided to burn HMS
Guerriere as she was so badly
damaged. It was said that during the
gunfire some British cannonballs
bounced off USS Constitution's hull
and an American sailor exclaimed
that her sides were made of iron.
This event led to USS Constitution
being nicknamed ‘Old Ironsides’.
USS Constitution Defeats HMS Java
On December 29, 1812, under the
command of William Bainbridge, USS
Constitution came across HMS Java in
the British shipping lanes near
Brazil. In the early exchange of
broadsides, HMS Java managed to
severely damage the rigging and
destroy the helm of USS
Constitution. However HMS Java’s
bowsprit became snarled in USS
Constitution’s rigging which allowed
Bainbridge to launch a barrage of
broadsides into her. After
withdrawing to make emergency
repairs, USS Constitution returned
to HMS Java. She was little more
than a wreck and surrendered.
Bainbridge took Java’s helm to
replace his own before ordering her
to be burned. USS Constitution
returned to Boston where she arrived
on February 15, 1813.
USS Constitution Awaits Repair
Following her recent
engagements, USS Constitution was in
need of major repairs which included
her copper bottom, beams, decking,
masts, rigging and sails. Due to
shortages of crew and supplies, USS
Constitution remained in Boston for
most of 1813. Under the command of
Charles Stewart, she finally set
sail for the West Indies on December
31, where she captured the British
Schooner HMS Pictou as well as five
merchant ships.
USS Constitution Escapes from the
British
On April 3, 1814, USS
Constitution encountered the British
frigate HMS Junon with the fifth
rate ship HMS Tenedon. As her main
mast had split, USS Constitution did
not engage but headed for Boston,
however the British ships set off in
pursuit. To gain speed, Stewart
ordered food and drinking water to
be thrown overboard. This allowed
USS Constitution to make her way to
Marblehead, Massachusetts, where the
British abandoned their pursuit. USS
Constitution arrived back in Boston
in April 1814, where she stayed
until December 18.
USS Constitution Captures HMS
Cyane
While sailing off the coast of
Spain in February 1815, USS
Constitution encountered HMS Levant
and HMS Cyane. After a series of
broadsides, HMS Levant backed off to
carry out repairs and HMS Cyane took
the full force of USS Constitution’s
guns, leading to her surrender. On
returning to the battle and seeing
that Cyane had surrendered, HMS
Levant tried to make her escape. USS
Constitution overtook her and forced
her surrender, however while heading
for America, the British recaptured
HMS Levant.
USS Constitution Placed in Ordinary
Following the end of the War of
1812, USS Constitution returned to
the United States on May 15, 1815,
and later to Boston. In January 1816
USS Constitution was placed in
ordinary. Placed in ordinary being
an English naval term for a ship
that is removed from service for
maintenance, repair or for storage.
In April 1820 she underwent a refit
in preparation for service with the
Mediterranean Squadron. As part of
the refit she was fitted with manual
paddle wheels, however they were
removed by her commander Jacob
Jones.
USS Constitution in the
Mediterranean Squadron
USS Constitution left Boston on
May 13, 1821, and headed for the
Mediterranean. Her tour was mainly
uneventful however Jacob Jones
earned the reputation of being a
slack commander because of his
crew’s behaviour in port. Jones and
USS Constitution were ordered to
return to Boston where they arrived
on May 31, 1824. On October 29, with
Jones replaced by Thomas Macdonouagh,
USS Constitution returned to the
Mediterranean. In August 1826, under
new commander Daniel T. Patterson,
USS Constitution put in to Port
Mahon for temporary repairs to her
decaying spar deck. She returned to
Boston on July 4, 1828, and was
placed in ordinary.
Major Repairs to USS Constitution
Suffering from 30ins of hog in
her keel (hogging is when the centre
of the keel or hull of a ship bends
upwards), repairs to USS
Constitution were estimated to be in
excess of $157,000, putting her
future in doubt. The timely
publication of the poem ‘Old
Ironsides’ by Oliver Wendell Holmes
raised public interest and led to
approval of the repair bill. USS
Constitution went into dry dock for
a year, emerging on June 21, 1834.
During the refit a figurehead of
President Andrew Jackson was fitted
beneath the bowsprit. Shortly
afterwards the head was removed, due
to a wager, by merchant captain
Samuel Dewey. In March 1835, USS
Constitution sailed to New York,
where the figurehead was repaired,
before transporting Minister Edward
Livingston to France and returning
to Boston on June 23.
USS Constitution in the Pacific
and Home Squadrons
On August 19, 1835, under the
command of Captain Jesse Elliott,
USS Constitution sailed from Boston
to Port Mahon to become Flagship of
the Mediterranean Squadron. After
two years of unremarkable patrols,
USS Constitution sailed to Norfolk
where Elliott was replaced by
Captain Daniel Turner who sailed her
to the west coast of America as
Flagship of the Pacific Squadron, on
March 1, 1839. USS Constitution
spent two years patrolling the area
before returning to Norfolk at the
end of October 1841. On June 22,
1842, USS Constitution was
re-commissioned for duty with the
Home Squadron under the command of
Foxhall A. Parker. In December 1842
she spent three weeks at sea before
placed in ordinary once again.
USS Constitution Sails Around the
World
After serving as a receiving
ship and undergoing repairs in
Norfolk, Virginia, USS Constitution
set sail under the command of
Captain John ‘Mad Jack’ Percival on
May 29, 1844. She carried Ambassador
Henry Wise to Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil, before sailing to
Madagascar, Mozambique, Zanzibar,
Sumatra, Singapore and Cochinchina
(now Vietnam), where she arrived on
May 10, 1845. USS Constitution then
sailed for China, Manila, Honolulu
and Mexico, before arriving back in
Boston on September 27, 1846. During
these voyages, USS Constitution lost
several members of her crew to
dysentery. On October 5, USS
Constitution was, once again, placed
in ordinary.
USS Constitution Returns to the
Mediterranean
Following a refit, which
included a replacement figurehead of
Andrew Jackson, in 1847, USS
Constitution headed for the
Mediterranean under the command of
Captain John Gwinn. She travelled to
Tripoli on her way to Gaeta, Italy,
where, on August 1, 1849, she was
visited by King Ferdinand II and
Pope Pius IX. Captain Thomas Conover
replaced Captain Gwinn, who had died
from chronic gastritis, on September
18. USS Constitution continued to
patrol with the Mediterranean
Squadron until December 1850 when
she headed back to the United
States.
USS Constitution Sinks the
British Brig Confidence
On her journey back to the
United States, USS Constitution
collided with the British brig
Confidence. As a result, Confidence
was cut in half and sank, taking her
captain with her. USS Constitution
took the survivors to the United
States. In January 1851, USS
Constitution was mothballed in the
Brooklyn Navy Yard.
USS Constitution and the African
Squadron
Under the command of John Rudd,
USS Constitution was re-commissioned
on December 22, 1852. She left
Brooklyn Navy Yard on March 2, 1853,
and carried Commodore Isaac Mayo to
Africa for service with the African
Squadron. On November 3, 1854, USS
Constitution took the American slave
ship H.N. Gambrill as her final
capture. After a largely quiet time
with the African Squadron, USS
Constitution set sail for Havana,
Cuba, before sailing on to
Portsmouth Navy Yard where she
arrived and was decommissioned on
June 14, 1855. This marked the end
of her front line duties.
USS Constitution During the Civil
War
Following the decision that USS
Constitution was to become a
training ship, she was moved to a
dry dock in Portsmouth Navy Yard in
1857. Classrooms were added to her
gun and spar decks and her
compliment of guns was reduced to
16. Re-commissioned on August 1,
1860 as a 2nd rate ship, she was
moved to the Naval Academy. When the
Civil War broke out in April 1861,
USS Constitution was towed to Fort
Adams, Rhode Island, by USS
R.R.Cuyler, as threats to her had
been received from the Confederates.
After sitting out the war in Rhode
Island, USS Constitution and the
Naval Academy returned to Annapolis
in August 1865. USS Constitution was
retired as a training ship in 1871
due to deterioration. She was towed
to Portsmouth Navy Yard and placed
in ordinary on September 26, 1871.
USS Constitution and the Paris
Exposition
With the upcoming centennial
celebrations of the United States it
was decided that USS Constitution
should be overhauled to take part.
Works began in 1873 but weren’t
completed in time and she was used
for apprentices as a training and
school ship. On March 4 1878, under
the command of Oscar C. Badger, USS
Constitution sailed for France,
transporting industrial displays and
artwork to the 1878 Paris
Exposition. On arrival at le Havre
she collided with the French ship
Ville de Paris and had to go into
dry dock for repairs. She finally
left for the United States on
January 16, 1879.
The Problem Filled Return Journey
of USS Constitution
The day after leaving Le Havre,
USS Constitution ran aground and was
towed into the Portsmouth Naval
Dockyard, England. After repairing
the minor damage, USS Constitution
resumed her voyage until on February
13 when her rudder was damaged by
storms. After setting up a temporary
steering system she headed for
Lisbon where she arrived on February
16, 1879. Leaving Lisbon on April
11, she arrived back in the United
States on May 24, 1879.
De-commissioning of USS
Constitution
USS Constitution resumed her
training duties until 1881 when it
was decided that she was no longer
fit for service. Without the funding
to provide her with an overhaul, USS
Constitution was de-commissioned and
moved to Portsmouth Navy Yard where
she was fitted with a housing
structure and was used as a
receiving ship. With only the
minimum maintenance carried out to
keep her afloat, she continued to
deteriorate until Congress provided
the funds for her to be returned to
the Charleston Navy Yard in Boston,
where she arrived on September 21,
1897.
USS Constitution Becomes a Museum
Ship
Authorization for the
restoration of USS Constitution
given in 1900, but no funds were
provided and several attempts to
raise the money privately were
unsuccessful. Following a suggestion
from Secretary of the Navy Charles
J. Bonaparte that USS Constitution
should be towed out to sea for
target practice before being allowed
to sink, businessman Moses H.
Gulesian began a campaign that was
taken up by the public and resulted
in Congress authorizing $100,000 for
her partial restoration. The housing
structure was removed and she was
opened to the public as a museum
ship.
Temporary Renaming of USS
Constitution
USS Constitution was renamed Old
Constitution in 1917 to allow her
name to be used for a new Lexington
class battle cruiser. The name was
moved around until it was decided
that hull CC-5 would use it. In 1923
the construction of CC-5 was
cancelled and the name was returned
to Old Constitution on July 24,
1925.
The 1925 Restoration of USS
Constitution
Following a survey by the Board
of Inspection and Survey, USS
Constitution was found to be in an
appalling state. She was constantly
leaking, was full of rot and her
stern was in danger of breaking
away. Congress authorized that funds
could be raised privately in a bid
to raise the estimated $400,000
required to restore the ship.
Fundraising began, and with the help
of the national Elks Lodge, sales of
USS Constitution paintings and
memorabilia, and donations made
throughout the United States,
$600,000 was raised. Congress also
approved the provision $300,000 towards the costs
which reached $946,000. In total,
85% of USS Constitution was
replaced.
USS Constitution Tours the United
States
The newly restored USS
Constitution left dry dock on March
1, 1930, and was commissioned on
July 1, 1931, under the command of
Louis J. Gulliver. USS Constitution
was to undertake a tour of the
United States to thank the people
for their efforts in aiding her
restoration. The tour began in
Portsmouth, New Hampshire and she
visited 90 cities along the Coast of
the United States. Her three year
tour, during which she was visited
by more that four and a half million
people, ended in Boston in May 1934.
Re-commissioning of USS
Constitution
Following her return to Boston
in 1934, USS Constitution returned
to her duties as a museum ship. Over
the next few years USS Constitution
was losing items to souvenir hunters
and began to deteriorate once again.
In 1940, at the request of President
Franklin D. Roosevelt, USS
Constitution was re-commissioned and
served as a brig holding officers
who were awaiting court martial. In
1947, the 150th anniversary of USS
Constitution, the United States
Postal Service issued a
commemorative stamp.
The 1973 Restoration of USS
Constitution
In 1954 an Act was passed by
Congress which gave the Secretary of
the Navy responsibility for the
upkeep of USS Constitution. In 1970,
the US Navy decided that, to ensure required maintenance would be
carried out, a Commander should be
appointed as the commanding office
of USS Constitution. In April 1973
USS Constitution entered dry dock
for a year while necessary
maintenance and restoration was
carried out.
USS Constitution and the
Bicentennial Celebrations
In August 1974 Commander Tyrone
G. Martin became her Captain and set about maintaining
USS Constitution to the
most noted 1812 configuration in
readiness for the upcoming
bicentennial celebrations. On July
10, 1976, USS Constitution led the
tall ships parade in Boston Harbor,
firing her guns for the first time
in around 100 years, and on July 11,
she fired a 21 gun salute to welcome
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince
Philip, aboard the Royal Yacht
Britannia, on a state visit.
Commander Martin gave the Royal
couple a tour of USS Constitution.
The 1995 Reconstruction of USS
Constitution
Having entered dry dock for
inspection and repairs in 1992, it
was discovered that USS Constitution
required major structural
restoration because of all the
alterations she had undergone over
the years. To correct hogging of the
hull it was determined that she
required many of her original pieces
to be replaced as they previously
had been. Repairs were completed in
1995, and the cost of restoring USS
Constitution to her 1812 condition
was $12 million.
USS Constitution Back Under Sail
Approval was gained for USS
Constitution to make sail, for the
first time in over 100 years, on her
200th anniversary. When she left dry
dock in 1995, a concerted effort was
made to make her ready for the
historic event. Fund raising through
education programs in schools helped
to raise the funds for the sails,
and Commander Mike Beck trained the
crew using a Navy sailing manual
from 1819, and sent them for
training on board
the Coast Guard cutter Eagle. USS
Constitution
sailed for the first time in 116
years on July 20, 1997, while under
tow from Boston to Marblehead. On
July 21, the tow line was let go and
USS Constitution sailed freely using six sails,
consisting of jibs, topsails and a
spanker. She managed a top speed of
4 knots.
USS Constitution Today
USS Constitution is currently
berthed at Pier One of the former
Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston, and
has a complement of 6 Naval Officers
and 46 crew, all of whom are
enlisted sailors in the U.S. Navy.
They take part in educational
programs, public events and
ceremonies while providing tours of
USS Constitution, which is open to
visitors all year. USS Constitution
undertakes a minimum of one
‘turnaround cruise’ each year which
allows her to be turned round so
that she weathers equally. During
this cruise USS Constitution is
towed into Boston Harbor and
carries out gun drills and other
demonstrations. The general public
can take part in a lottery draw for
the opportunity to be aboard USS
Constitution while she undertakes
these cruises.
USS Constitution Specifications
Class and Type: 44 Gun Frigate
Complement: More than 450
Sailors and Marines
Displacement: 2,200 tons
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Length: 304ft
-
Beam: 43ft 6ins
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Draft: 23ft
Propulsion: Sail - Three Mast
Fully Rigged
Speed: 13 knots
Armament: 32 x 24 Pounders
and 22 x 32 Pounders
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