Jonah Patel
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. It is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat, having been launched in 1797. The ship has had a long and illustrious career, protecting American merchant vessels, defeating Barbary pirates, and serving in various naval battles. It gained its nickname “Old Ironsides” during the War of 1812 when its sturdy oak hull withstood British cannonballs. But has the USS Constitution ever ventured into Texas waters?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Has the USS Constitution ever been in Texas | No |
| Current location | Boston |
| Nicknames | Old Ironsides |
| Year launched | 1797 |
| Shipyard | Edmund Hartt's Shipyard in the North End of Boston, Massachusetts |
| Construction cost | $302,000 |
| Hull composition | Three-layered with exterior and interior white oak planking over dense live oak framing |
| Hull thickness | More than 22 inches at the waterline |
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What You'll Learn
USS Constitution's history
USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. It is the world's oldest naval warship still afloat and in commission. The ship was launched in 1797 in Boston, Massachusetts, and was one of six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794 and the third to be constructed. The name "Constitution" was among ten names submitted to President George Washington by Secretary of War Timothy Pickering. Joshua Humphreys designed the frigates to be larger and more heavily armed than standard frigates of the period. The ship was built at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in the North End of Boston, Massachusetts. Its construction cost about $302,000. The keel was laid down on 1 November 1794, and the hull was built 21 inches thick, with a length of 175 feet between perpendiculars and a width of 43 feet 6 inches. The primary materials used were pine and oak, including southern live oak cut from Gascoigne Bluff and milled near St. Simons Island, Georgia.
The USS Constitution's first duties were to provide protection for American merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France and to defeat the Barbary pirates in the First Barbary War. During the War of 1812, it gained its nickname, Old Ironsides, and was victorious in battle against HMS Guerriere, HMS Java, and HMS Cyane and HMS Levant in 1815. After the war, the ship was celebrated for its victories but was laid up in Boston and required repairs. In 1816, Charlestown Navy Yard's commandant Isaac Hull directed a refitting of the Constitution to prepare her for duty with the Mediterranean Squadron. They replaced the copper sheathing and timbers below the waterline and added two iron freshwater tanks.
In 1833, the Constitution needed repairs and was almost scrapped, but it was saved by Oliver Wendell Holmes' poem Old Ironsides. It was recommissioned in 1835 and served in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Pacific. In 1845, it became the first U.S. warship to conduct a show of force against Vietnam. The ship was decommissioned in 1860 and then trained midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy. It was reconstructed in 1870 and returned to Boston in 1897 to serve as a receiving ship. The Constitution was saved from destruction again in 1905 and was renamed Old Constitution in 1917 due to its name being assigned to a projected battle cruiser. It regained its original name in 1925 and was recommissioned in 1931, sailing on a 90-port tour along the United States' coasts.
The ship has undergone several restorations and reconstructions over the years, including in 1925, 1931, 1940, 1954, 1974, 1995, 2015, and 2017. It is currently berthed at Pier One of the former Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston and is open to the public year-round. The ship's mission is to promote understanding of the Navy's role in war and peace through participation in public events, educational programs, and outreach activities.
I did not find any information specifically about the USS Constitution visiting Texas during my search. However, one source mentions that the ship was needed in Mexico as the United States was preparing for war after the Texas annexation.
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Boston Harbour launch attempts
USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. It is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat.
The ship was launched in 1797, one of six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794. The USS Constitution was built at Edmund Hartt's Shipyard in the North End of Boston, Massachusetts. Its first duties included providing protection for American merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France and defeating the Barbary pirates in the First Barbary War.
The ship was launched into Boston Harbour after three attempts. The first two attempts to launch the ship into Boston Harbour failed, but the third attempt succeeded.
The USS Constitution has undergone several repairs and restorations over the years. In 1816, after the War of 1812, the ship was celebrated for its victories but was no longer needed. It was laid up in ordinary in Boston and required various repairs, including new sails and copper. The ship's guns and gunner's stores were transferred to the USS Independence in 1815. After years of disuse, extensive repairs were necessary to prepare the USS Constitution for Mediterranean service. The hull planking, framing, decks, beams, and interior carpentry were repaired or replaced. The gun deck was also rebuilt to restore its original height.
In 2017, the ship underwent restoration work and was returned to the water on 23 July. In November of the same year, Commander Nathaniel R. Shick became the ship's 75th commanding officer. On 29 February 2020, Commander John Benda succeeded Shick as commanding officer. On 17 January 2022, Billie J. Farrell became the first woman to command the USS Constitution.
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Mediterranean Squadron duty
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. It was launched in 1797 and is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat.
In April 1820, the USS Constitution underwent refitting by Charlestown Navy Yard's Commandant Isaac Hull to prepare for duty with the Mediterranean Squadron. This involved removing Joshua Humphreys' diagonal riders to make room for two iron freshwater tanks and replacing the copper sheathing and timbers below the waterline. At the direction of the Secretary of the Navy Smith Thompson, manually operated paddle wheels were also fitted to her hull. These were designed to propel the ship at up to 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph) if it was ever becalmed, by the crew using the ship's capstan. Initial testing of the paddle wheels was successful, but Hull and the ship's commanding officer Jacob Jones were unimpressed, and the wheels were removed before the ship departed on 13 May 1821 for a three-year tour of duty in the Mediterranean.
The USS Constitution served as the flagship of the Mediterranean Squadron and spent most of its active career cruising the blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. For most of the nineteenth century, American merchants conducted a thriving trade with the nations of the Mediterranean basin. The United States Navy maintained a squadron in the region to provide support and protection for American shipping interests and to demonstrate American naval power to Europe. The ship's duties included routine patrols and diplomatic visits.
On 16 March, the USS Constitution set sail for France to deliver Edward Livingston to his post as Minister. The ship arrived on 10 April and began its return voyage on 16 May, arriving back in Boston on 23 June. On 19 August, the ship departed for its station as flagship in the Mediterranean, arriving at Port Mahon on 19 September. During this voyage, Commodore Jesse Duncan Elliott collected various ancient artefacts and livestock, leading to his suspension from duty.
The USS Constitution underwent refitting again in 1847 for duty with the Mediterranean Squadron. Captain John Gwinn commanded the ship, which departed on 9 December 1848 and arrived in Tripoli on 19 January 1849. The ship received King Ferdinand II and Pope Pius IX on board at Gaeta on 1 August, giving them a 21-gun salute. This marked the first time a Pope had set foot on American territory or its equivalent. Captain Gwinn died of chronic gastritis at Palermo on 1 September and was buried on 9 September near Lazaretto. Captain Thomas Conover assumed command on 18 September and resumed routine patrolling, heading home on 1 December 1850. The ship was involved in a severe collision with the English brig Confidence, which sank with the loss of her captain.
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The Quasi-War with France
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is the world's oldest naval warship still afloat. It was launched in 1797 and was one of six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794. The ship's first duties included providing protection for American merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France.
In response to these perceived alliances, French privateers began attacking American merchant ships trading with the British in 1796, capturing over 300 ships in that year alone. The French Directory issued a decree permitting the seizure of any neutral shipping without a role d'equipage listing the nationalities of each crewman, as American ships rarely carried such documents, this effectively initiated a commerce war.
In 1798, Congress approved the use of force against French warships in American waters, marking the beginning of the Quasi-War. The newly established US Navy was deployed to the Caribbean, where they captured 86 French privateers between 1799 and 1800, with assistance from the British Royal Navy. Despite these successes, the US Navy suffered from organizational and management issues, with captains struggling to navigate the complex laws regarding ship seizures.
The Quasi-War officially ended with the Convention of 1800, also known as the Treaty of Mortefontaine, negotiated between France and the United States. The agreement ended the Treaties of Alliance and Commerce and re-asserted the United States’ right to free trade and neutrality at sea. The USS Herald was dispatched to the Caribbean to distribute orders to American Navy ships to cease hostilities and return home. While the conflict was resolved, disputes over compensation for American merchant losses during the war prolonged the ratification of the treaty until December 1801.
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Texas annexation and war
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is the world's oldest naval warship still afloat. It was launched in 1797 and has been involved in several notable military engagements throughout its history. While there is no explicit mention of the ship ever being in Texas, there is a reference to the United States preparing for war after the Texas annexation. This indicates that the USS Constitution may have played a role in the events surrounding Texas's annexation and the subsequent Mexican-American War.
Now, let's delve into the details of Texas annexation and the subsequent war:
Texas, a vast region with a significant slave-holding population, won its independence from Mexico in 1836. Despite Texas's desire to join the United States, President Martin Van Buren refrained from annexing the newly independent republic due to concerns over potential war with Mexico and the contentious issue of slavery. The majority of Texans favoured annexation, but it was not until 1844 that President John Tyler actively pursued it. Tyler argued that domestic tranquility and national security depended on bringing Texas into the American fold. He manoeuvred to replace his anti-annexation Secretary of State and appointed a proponent of annexation, signalling his aggressive intent.
In 1844, diplomats from the US and Texas negotiated a treaty for Texas to join the Union, which was signed on April 12, 1844. However, the Senate rejected this treaty by a significant margin in June of that same year. Undeterred, Tyler persisted, and with the support of President-elect Polk, he managed to get a joint resolution passed on March 1, 1845, admitting Texas into the United States. Texas was formally admitted as the 28th state of the Union on December 29, 1845, with President Polk signing the annexation bill into law.
The annexation of Texas had far-reaching consequences. It strained relations with Mexico, which disputed the border with Texas and refused to recognise its independence. This tension ultimately led to the Mexican-American War, which began in April 1846. The war concluded in 1848 with the signing and ratification of the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. Under the terms of the treaty, Mexico ceded a vast amount of territory to the United States, including not just Texas but also what would become California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and parts of several other future states.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the USS Constitution has never been to Texas. However, it is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat and has been to several other places, including China, the Caribbean, and the Mediterranean.
The USS Constitution was built at Edmund Hartt's Shipyard in the North End of Boston, Massachusetts.
The USS Constitution's nickname is "Old Ironsides", earned during the War of 1812 when an American Sailor, noting that some of the British cannonballs fell harmlessly off the ship's hull, shouted, "Huzza! Her sides are made of iron!"
