Category: Revolutionary War

Here is the story of another brave woman of the American Revolution that deserves telling.

Nancy Hart was a tough and resourceful figure, a power to be reckoned with when it came to protecting her family. She had a hot temper, a fearless spirit, and the ability to deliver revenge when she or her children were threatened. Nancy was also a skilled hunter, and an excellent shot.

According to sources, “Aunt Nancy,” was tall, gangly, rough-hewn and rawboned, with red hair and a face scarred by smallpox. One early account said that Hart had “no share of beauty –  a fact she herself would have readily acknowledged, had she ever enjoyed an opportunity of looking into a mirror.”

But you don’t have to be good looking to help win a war.

As the story goes, Six British soldiers stopped at her cabin while they were tracking a Whig leader, demanding information about him. Although the man they were searching for had been there, she denied seeing anyone. One of the Tories, certain she was lying, shot and killed Hart’s prized turkey.  Then he ordered her to cook the bird. When they entered the cabin, they stacked their weapons in a corner, and demanded something to drink.  Hart obliged them and served up some wine.  

As the soldiers drank the wine, Hart sent her daughter to the spring for a bucket of water.  She secretly instructed her daughter to blow a conch shell, kept in a nearby stump, to alert the neighbors that Tories were in their cabin. Hart continued to serve her unwelcome visitors and passed between them and their weapons. She was able to take the muskets and pass them through an opening in the cabin wall to her daughter, who had slipped outside to the rear of the house.  When the soldiers figured out what was going on, they scrambled to grab the weapons that were left.

Hart pointed a musket at them and gave a stern warning that she would shoot the next man that moved.  One man ignored her warning and made the fatal mistake of approaching her.  She held the rest off until her husband, Benjamin, and others arrived. Benjamin wanted to shoot the remaining hostages, but Nancy insisted on hanging them instead.

Some say this was just a legend but…. As the story goes on – in 1912, workmen were grading a railroad near the site of the old Hart cabin. The men unearthed a neat row of six skeletons laid out under three feet of dirt. They estimated the remains had been buried there for a least a century. So, maybe there’s more truth than legend.

But those six Tories sure learned a hard lesson that day  –  Don’t mess with Nancy Hart!

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Francis Marion went to sea at 15. He once spent seven days on a lifeboat, drifting in the Caribbean after his ship was smashed apart by a whale.  In 1754, Francis joined a militia in South Carolina, where he learned about guerilla warfare. When America declared Independence in 1776, Marion and his men helped build Fort Sullivan (later named Fort Moultrie) in Charleston Harbor, holding off an attack by British ships.Things were slow for a while, but then the British returned to capture Charleston and gain control of South Carolina. That’s when Marion gathered up about 70 men and began to fight his own way.Marion used guerilla tactics he’d learned from fearless men who knew how to use hit-and-run maneuvers –  Cherokee Indians. Marion and his men would hide in thick wetlands, moving constantly to avoid discovery. Then they would strike unexpectedly, blowing up depots and ambushing troops columns.“Our Army will be destroyed by these driblets,” one British officer said. In November of 1780, Marion earned the nickname he’s remembered by today. Informed of Marion’s whereabouts by an escaped prisoner, British Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton chased the American militia for seven hours, covering some 26 miles. Marion escaped into a swamp, and Tarleton gave up, cursing, “As for this damned old fox, the Devil himself could not catch him.”

The story got around, and soon the locals—who loathed the British occupation—were cheering the “Swamp Fox”.

The British never knew where Marion was or where he might strike, so they had to divide their forces, weakening them. Marion kept on needling the enemy and inspiring patriotism among the locals, and so  “helped make South Carolina an inhospitable place for the British. Marion and his followers played the role of David to the British Goliath.”As the Continental Army moved back into South Carolina, Marion and his men served as scouts.  His cunning and resourcefulness helped keep the cause of American independence alive in the South. Marion hated the organized discipline, and got into trouble for disobeying orders to do things that put his men at unnecessary risk (something many special ops men today can understand). He got the job done.

The “Swamp Fox” kept on going. Marion fought at the Battle of Eutaw Springs alongside Robert E. Lee’s dad (Major-General Henry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee) a strategic victory leading to the liberation of Charleston from the British.The Swamp Fox is considered an ancestor to today’s elite Army Rangers. Quite a legacy.

 

 

 

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The first major battle of the American Revolution,the Battle of Bunker Hill, was fought on June 17, 1775.  Also called Battle of Breed’s Hill, it occurred in Charlestown – now part of Boston – during the Siege of Boston. Although the British eventually won the battle, it gave great encouragement to the revolutionary cause.

The skirmishes at Lexington and Concord in April left the British holed up in Boston, surrounded by hostile colonists. But it wasn’t clear if the rebels had the will or even the ability to battle the professional British Army.

There were two places where Boston would be exposed to artillery fire: Dorchester Heights south of Boston, and Bunker and Breed’s Hills in Charlestown, across the Charles River from the north shore.

It was mid June when the colonists decided to fortify the hills. They learned that British general Thomas Gage was about to occupy Dorchester Heights.

On the night of June 16, a thousand plus colonials marched from Cambridge to strengthen Bunker Hill, a 110-foot rise on the Charlestown peninsula on Boston Harbor. But the Americans passed by Bunker Hill in the dark, and instead began to strengthen Breed’s Hill, a much smaller rise closer to Boston. American Colonel William Prescott and his men had completely fortified the top of Breed’s Hill.

At least 5,000 Redcoats faced them from across the water. The next morning the British began firing on the Americans from warships in the harbor and a battery on Copps Hill in Boston. But the Americans were able to fortify their position.

Gage sent out  2,300 troops under Major General William Howe, who managed to land unopposed under artillery protection. But the British were stopped by heavy fire from the colonials barricaded behind rail fences stuffed with grass, hay, and brush.

The British were finally successful after a second or third advance, but at a heavy cost. Casualties numbered over 1,000 British and 450 American soldiers. They could have followed up this battle with an attack on Dorchester Heights, but with heavy losses and the intense fighting spirit of the American rebels, British commanders decided against it.

The Battle of Bunker Hill pumped up the confidence of the Americans. There was no doubt that  the relatively inexperienced colonists could put up a good fight against the mighty redcoats of the British Army.

Two weeks later General George Washington took colonial command. He collected enough heavy guns and ammunition to threaten Boston. In March, 1776, he seized and strengthened Dorchester Heights and ran the British out of Boston.

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The symbol of America has not always been the American Bald Eagle. Long before we used the eagle to symbolize our strength and liberty, it was in fact the American rattlesnake that held the esteemed title as the first symbol of America – the symbol of Liberty.

It was December 1775. Fighting between the American colonists and the British had begun, but the Declaration of Independence was yet to come. Benjamin Franklin wrote a letter that was published in the Pennsylvania Journal under the  name “An American Guesser.” In the letter he compares the characteristics of the rattlesnake to the qualities of the new emerging America.

Here are excerpts from the letter with his brilliant observations:“I observed on one of the drums belonging to the marines now raising, there was painted a Rattle-Snake, with this modest motto under it, ‘Don’t tread on me.’”

I know it is the custom to have some device on the arms of every country,…I sat down to guess what could have been intended by this uncommon device…”

Franklin’s research about the serpent found:

“The ancients considered the serpent as an emblem of wisdom, and in a certain attitude of endless duration…”  “It occurred to me that the Rattle-Snake is found in no other quarter of the world besides America, and may therefore have been chosen, on that account, to represent her.”

I recollected that her eye excelled in brightness, that of any other animal, and that she has no eye-lids. She may therefore be esteemed an emblem of vigilance. She never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders: She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage.”

“She never wounds ’till she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her.”

Franklin continued:

“Was I wrong, Sir, in thinking this a strong picture of the temper and conduct of America? The poison of her teeth is the necessary means of digesting her food, and at the same time is certain destruction to her enemies. This may be understood to intimate that those things which are destructive to our enemies, may be to us not only harmless, but absolutely necessary to our existence.”

“I confess I was wholly at a loss what to make of the rattles, ’till I went back and counted them and found them just thirteen, exactly the number of the Colonies united in America; and I recollected too that this was the only part of the Snake which increased in numbers.”

‘Tis curious and amazing to observe how distinct and independent of each other the rattles of this animal are, and yet how firmly they are united together, so as never to be separated but by breaking them to pieces. One of those rattles singly, is incapable of producing sound, but the ringing of thirteen together, is sufficient to alarm the boldest man living.”

“The Rattle-Snake is solitary, and associates with her kind only when it is necessary for their preservation. In winter, the warmth of a number together will preserve their lives, while singly, they would probably perish.”

She strongly resembles America in this, that she is beautiful in youth and her beauty increaseth with her age, ‘her tongue also is blue and forked as the lightning, and her abode is among impenetrable rocks.’”

Within a year of this letter, the rattlesnake found its way onto one of the first American flags, the bright yellow Gadsden Flag, with the words, “Don’t Tread on Me.” Later on, the Continental Congress officially adopted the rattlesnake to serve as the nation’s first symbol, approving the design for the official Seal of the War Office.

The rattlesnake made its way onto famous flags of the Revolution, like the Gadsden and the Culpeper Minute Men. Rattlesnakes were seen on military drums, paper currency, and playing cards. In 1776 a British newspaper printed an image of the American First Navy Jack, displaying a rattlesnake.

 

The rattlesnake shown here was on the $20 bill issued in 1778 by Georgia. The Latin motto (Nemo me impune lacesset) means, “No one will provoke me with impunity.”

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The War of 1812 was fought between the United States and Great Britain over violations of American maritime rights. The Americans objected to the British Empire restricting their trade and snatching their sailors to serve on British ships.

During this conflict Oliver Hazard Perry was aboard the USS Chesapeake as it engaged the British ship HMS Shannon.  Perry’s commanding officer, Captain Lawrence, was mortally wounded in the battle.  As Lawrence lay dying he implored Perry to not give up the ship.  Perry later had a personal flag made with the words, “Don’t Give up the Ship.”

Perry was appointed commander of a new American Lake Erie fleet being built. Perry and his men completed six vessels by July of 1813. On September 10, 1813, Perry was aboard his flagship Lawrence, his “Don’t give up the ship” flag flying. Suddenly the lookout spotted a British squadron, and Perry ordered his ships into action, cannons unleashed.

A few hours later the British ships struck their colors. Immediately following his victory, Perry wrote these famous words in a report:

“We have met the enemy, and they are ours…”  

Perry became the first Naval Commodore in history to defeat an entire British squadron and bring back every ship as a prize of war.

 

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What happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence? What kind of men were they?

The men were lawyers, jurists, merchants, farmers, large plantation owners; men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well what they were putting at risk. They were British subjects at the time, and knew that the penalty for treason was death by hanging.

They were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousers, but mostly soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but valued liberty more. Each one surely had more to lose from revolution than he had to gain by it. But they stood tall, and unwavering and pledged:  

“For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.”

Here are the fates of the signers:

Nine fought and died from wounds or hardships during the war.

Five  were captured by the British, charged with treason and were tortured before they died.

Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.

Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army

Another had two sons captured.

Several lost wives, sons or entire families.

One lost his 13 children.

Two wives were brutally treated.

All were at one time or another the victims of manhunts and driven from their homes.

Seventeen lost everything they owned.

Yet not one of them defected or went back on his pledged word.

Of note is the New Jersey Signer, Abraham Clark. He had two sons serving in the Revolutionary Army. They were captured and sent to the infamous British prison boat known as the hell ship “Jersey” in New York Harbor where 11,000 Americans were to die.

The sons received extra brutal treatment because of their father. One was in solitary and given no food. With the war almost over and won, no one could have blamed Abraham Clark if he had accepted the British offer of sparing his sons’ lives if he would recant and come out for the King and Parliament. Certainly with utter despair and anguish in his heart and soul, his answer was “No.” The 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence proved by their every deed that they made no idle boast when they composed that magnificent pledge. They ultimately gave us a free and independent America whose liberties should never be taken for granted.

Freedom is never free. This is why we honor them and all those who have stood against tyranny.  We Proudly fly our Flag and ALWAYS stand during the National Anthem in honor and memory of them.

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Year: 1751

Source: Pennsylvania Gazette

Benjamin Franklin wrote a commentary suggesting a way to thank the Brits for their policy of sending convicted felons to America – the colonists should send rattlesnakes to England!Three years later, Franklin created and published the first known political cartoon in an American newspaper. It was the image of a snake cut into eight sections, representing the colonies and coastline. Written under the snake were words of warning: “Join, or Die.“This was not a reference to independence, but a plea for unity in defending the colonies during the French and Indian War. Superstition told: if a snake was cut into pieces it could come back to life if you joined the sections together before sunset.So, from then on, Franklin’s snake “wriggled” its way into American culture as an early symbol of a national identity.

Ten years later in 1765, it was again time for American colonies to unite against the despised Stamp Act. The British needed to get more control of the colonies and get more money from them to pay off French and Indian War debts. In a speech Colonel Isaac referred to the colonist “sons of liberty.”These Sons of Liberty became increasingly resentful of English interference, and public opinion was moving toward rebellion. Ben Franklin’s disjointed snake continued to be the symbol of American unity, and independence. By 1775 the snake symbol was everywhere – in newspapers,  on uniform buttons,  on paper money, and on banners and flags.The symbol changed from a snake cut into pieces to a single, united snake, and became generally known as the American timber rattlesnake, rather than a generic serpent.In the fall of 1775, the British were occupying Boston and the Continental Army in Cambridge, was short on arms and ammunition. The Continental Congress learned that the British were sending two ships loaded with gunpowder and arms to America.

Congress formed a plan to get the cargo into the hands of General Washington. So, Congress gave birth to the Continental Navy with its first four ships. Congress then authorized the  mustering of five companies of Marines. Some of those Marines were carrying drums painted yellow, decorated with a fierce rattlesnake, coiled and ready to strike, with thirteen rattles, and sporting the motto “Don’t Tread on Me.“

In December  “An American Guesser” (really Benjamin Franklin) anonymously wrote to the Pennsylvania Journal:“I observed on one of the drums belonging to the marines now raising, there was painted a Rattle-Snake, with this modest motto under it, ‘Don’t tread on me.’ As I know it is the custom to have some device on the arms of every country, I supposed this may have been intended for the arms of America.”

Benjamin speculated on why a snake is a symbol for America:“The Rattle-Snake is found in no other quarter of the world besides America.”The rattlesnake also has sharp eyes, and “may therefore be esteemed an emblem of vigilance.”

“She never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders: She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage. … she never wounds ’till she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her.”And finally he writes:“I confess I was wholly at a loss what to make of the rattles, ’till I went back and counted them and found them just thirteen, exactly the number of the Colonies united in America; and I recollected too that this was the only part of the Snake which increased in numbers. …

 “‘Tis curious and amazing to observe how distinct and independent of each other the rattles of this animal are, and yet how firmly they are united together, so as never to be separated but by breaking them to pieces. One of those rattles singly, is incapable of producing sound, but the ringing of thirteen together, is sufficient to alarm the boldest man living.”

So, Franklin helped created the American rattlesnake symbol, but why isn’t his name attached to it?  How did this yellow standard become commonly known as the Gadsden flag (or Hopkins flag)?

Christopher Gadsden, an American patriot leader of the Sons of Liberty since 1765, and Congress chose Commodore Esek Hopkins, as the commander-in-chief of the Navy.

Gadsden presented to Congress the standard to be used by the commander. I had the yellow field, with a representation of a rattle-snake in the middle, about to strike,with the words underneath “Don’t Tread on Me!”So, the flag, became known as the “Gadsden flag.” This and other rattlesnake flags were widely used during the American Revolution.

After the Revolution, the rattlesnake flags became less common. General Washington and Congress preferred stars, stripes, and the more “conventional” symbols, like the  American bald eagle.Whatever your call it, the Gadsden flag remains a popular symbol for keeping alive and celebrating that spirit of July 4, 1776. And it would be totally okay if you were to display this flag on any day, especially in times like these!

 

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Yesterday we began this story (see it here). You heard about Dr. Benjamin Rush, the Father of American Psychiatry, who was one of the most vocal critics of Washington’s handling of his troops.

This was the same Benjamin Rush who, all evidence to the contrary, championed bloodletting as a miracle cure.

I’m sure the leeches loved him. Rush insisted you could remove up to 80% of a person’s blood with harming him. No wonder fellow physicians called him the “Remorseless Master Bleeder.” No wonder today’s psychiatrist call him “father.” (These “modern” doctors champion shock treatment and implanting permanent wires in people’s brains to deliver shocks throughout the day.)

That was the kind of man who sought to remove George Washington as Commanding General.

But he was not alone. One of those trying to undermine Washington was an ambitious foreign officer named Thomas Conway. In a letter to Congress, Conway boasted of his skills and asked for a promotion to major general – skipping right over many men more senior.

Meanwhile Conway was spreading lies and rumor about General Washington. He was heard to say, “as to his (Washington’s) talents for the command of an Army, they were miserable indeed.”

When Washington heard of of Conway’s letter to Congress, he sent a letter of his own. Part of it was, “General Conway’s merit, then, as an Officer, and his importance in this Army, exist more in his own imagination than in reality.”

He also wrote that “it is a maxim with him, to leave no service of his own untold.”

George Washington learned of a letter written by Conway to General Horatio Gates that called Washington a weak general.

Washington wrote Conway to let him know his letter had been exposed.

Conway wrote back and lied, saying he never called Washington “a weak General.”

He compounded his mistake by saying that while he considered Washington a “brave man,” He thought he was “influenced by men who were not equal to him in point of experience, knowledge or judgment.”

Typical of a backstabber, Conway thought his covert remarks would work with Washington.

They did not: Conway had not only disparaged the General, but now his staff as well. Washington had too much integrity to not see through Conway’s scheming.

It took time, but ultimately Conway had to resign. He kept spreading his criticism, though.

Finally, an ally of General Washington put an end to it. General Cadwalader challenged Conway to a duel. The plotting Conway was badly wounded during the duel, and it was the end of his treachery.

 

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George Washington paused and said, “Gentlemen, you must pardon me.”

But I get ahead of myself.

It was 1782. Except for some skirmishes, hostilities in the Revolutionary War had ended with the surrender of British General Cornwallis at Yorktown.

But a peace treaty had not not yet been negotiated and signed, and British garrisons were still on American soil.

The nation did not yet have a constitution. The Continental Congress acted under the authority of the Articles of Confederation, relying solely on the States for funds.

Those States were now very reluctant to pay for the expenses of the Army, and many of the soldiers had not been paid for months.

An anonymous letter circulated calling for the soldiers to issue an ultimatum. It was proposed that if Congress didn’t comply, the army would either threaten to disband and leave the new country unprotected, or refuse to demobilize after a peace treaty was signed.

The last was a threat to use military force to impose the Army’s will.

Word of all this reached George Washington. He called for a meeting of officers in four days. Matters could be discussed, though he implied he would not be present.

When the officers gathered they were surprised to see General Washington enter the room.

He was not pleased with the mutinous proposals.

Washington denounced the author of the letter, saying his plan had “something so shocking in it, that humanity revolts at the idea.” He went on:

“My God! What can this writer have in view, by recommending such measures! Can he be a friend to the army? Can he be a friend to this country? Rather, is he not an insidious foe?”

Washington said it was true that the army had suffered, but he pointed out to them that he had been with them through every hardship. He also told of his own efforts to ensure the Army would be paid.

Washington asked the officers if they were willing to leave their wives, children, and property unprotected and defenseless in the face of the British army. Or if they might “sully their glory” by acting as a lawless mob.

As he prepared to end, the General told them he wanted to read a letter from a member of Congress, one who was supportive of getting the men paid.

After stumbling through the first paragraph, Washington reached into his pocket for a pair of spectacles.

Up to this time, only his personal staff had ever seen him with glasses:

“Gentlemen, you must pardon me. I have grown not only gray, but almost blind in my country’s service.”

The officers were so moved that some had tears in their eyes.

After Washington left, the officers decided to present him “the unanimous thanks of the officers” adding that they “reciprocate his affectionate expressions, with the greatest sincerity of which the human heart is capable.”

The mutinous threat was over.

Washington continued his actions to see that all of his soldiers were paid in full for their service, and was ultimately successful.

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No one today can doubt how important George Washington’s leadership was in the battle for American freedom. But he had enemies who wanted to take him down.

After a couple of battlefield defeats, some thought they saw their chance. One of them was Dr. Benjamin Rush, the Father of American Psychiatry.

In January of 1778, Rush hand-wrote two unsigned letters, saying Washington should be replaced. One of these was to Patrick Henry. The letter insulted Washington’s military and administrative competence. It contained gossip and rumor, stating Washington’s forces were undisciplined.

The other letter was to John Adams (future 2^nd U.S. President), saying there was “no order” in Washington’s army, and “universal disgust.”

Ah, the cowardice of a man who will not speak openly.

Rush recommended two other officers as a replacement for Washington

But this was the “Give Me Liberty, Or Give Me Death” Patrick Henry, Governor of Virginia and a key Patriot. He was no backstabbing traitor. Henry forwarded the letter to Washington.

At the time, Rush was the chief physician of a key military hospital. Just the previous month, Rush had written a letter to General Washington accusing army surgeon general John Shippen of neglect and bad administration. Shippen was court martialed and dismissed, but Congress later cleared Shippen of the charges.

Because of that scathing letter about Shippen, Washington had no trouble recognizing the anonymous letter as written by Rush.

General Washington took swift action, and Rush resigned.

But the plot was not over. There were other scheming officers involved, as we will see in Part 2 of this story. America’s first Commanding General was not done cleaning house.

 

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Paul Revere’s famous ride: every schoolchild learns of it. But who sent Revere to warn the British were coming?

This man was a member of the Sons of Liberty. He was a member of the Committee of Safety, and made sure gunpowder and firearms were stored in towns throughout Massachusetts.

An outspoken Patriot, he wrote, “When the prize is liberty, who shun the warfare?”

Counties in 14 states bear his name. We are familiar with names like John Hancock and Sam Adams, but in his time this man was far more celebrated than they were. For ten years after his death, more towns and streets were named for him than George Washington.

This man was Joseph Warren.

For years, Warren had been one of the most outspoken critics of British abuses and the denial of Colonial liberties. He wrote, made persuasive speeches, and had a leading role in struggle for freedom.

Days before the Battle of Bunker Hill, Warren was commissioned a Major General in the Massachusetts militia. But he insisted on fighting as a private, making sure he was in the middle of the heaviest fighting.

When the Patriots’ ammunition was exhausted, Warren stayed to give other militiamen time to escape during the final British assault. He died defending the earthworks.

You may not know his name, but it is likely you have seen a painting depicting his death in battle.

John Trumbull also fought at Bunker Hill. After the war, Trumbull immortalized the moment of Warren’s death in a piece of art that is still famous today. You see it above, the Patriot dying beneath the famous Continental Flag of Liberty.

 

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The USS Constitution is one of the most renowned warships in American history. The ship was among the first six frigates authorized to be built to form the new United States Navy. Launched for the first time in Boston on October 21, 1797 the USS Constitution holds the distinct honor of being the oldest commissioned warship afloat.

Here is on of the many stories about the ship’s service in battle.

The USS Constitution and the British frigate HMS Guerriere were enemies in the War of 1812. On the afternoon of August 19, a mortal combat took place 750 miles off the coast of Massachusetts. The day was overcast, winds blowing hard as the warships neared each other.

Captain Hull was in command of the Constitution, and we have his report:

“The Gallant crew gave three cheers” when Hull ordered the ship into battle.Guerriere  raised her flag and “fired a broadside, but without effect, the shot all falling short…” Constitution raised her 15-star American flag, “hoisted at the Mizen Peak,” and her “Jack at the Fore.” The fight was on.

Constitution came alongside the Guerriere. At a distance ”less than Pistol Shot, we commenced a very heavy fire from all of our guns.”Within 15 minutes, the Guerriere had lost a mast and had heavy damage to her sails. The Constitution “had received but little damage.”When a sailor on the Guerriere saw a cannonball bounce off the hull of the Constitution, he exclaimed, “her sides are made of iron!”

Constitution’s sides were American oak, denser than English oak. Reinforcing ribs behind the outside oak were only 4 inches apart. Normally, ribs were eight or ten inches apart. The USS Constitution’s hull was tough!

Just as Captain Hull decided to send boarders over, two more of the Guerriere’s masts went down. She was totally disabled.

Captain Hull backed the Constitution away. It became dark, and Hull ordered a boat sent “to see whether she had surrendered or not, and if she had to see what assistance she wanted.”About 20 minutes later the boat returned, with Guerriere’s captain on board.

“Our Boats were immediately hoisted out and sent for the prisoners, and were kept at work bringing them and their baggage on board, all night.”British Captain James Dacres wrote this in his report:

“…the conduct of Captain Hull and his officers to our men has been that of a brave enemy, the greatest care being taken to prevent our men losing the smallest trifle, and the greatest attention being paid to the wounded…”The next morning Captain Hull could see the Guerriere was beyond salvage: “At daylight we found the enemy’s ship a perfect wreck.”It was not the first victory for Old Ironsides, nor would it be the last.

 

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