Jonah Patel
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is the oldest commissioned warship still afloat. Constructed in Boston in 1797, it was one of the United States Navy's first men-of-war. The ship's exploits during the War of 1812 made her the stuff of legend. The nickname Old Ironsides was earned during a battle against the HMS Guerriere, when an American sailor reportedly exclaimed Huzzah! Her sides are made of iron! after witnessing the resilience of the Constitution's hull.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | USS Constitution |
| Nicknames | Old Ironsides, America's Ship of State |
| Type | Three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate |
| Year of launch | 1797 |
| First duty | To provide protection for American merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France |
| Notable battles | War of 1812, First Barbary War |
| Year retired from active service | 1881 |
| Current status | Museum ship |
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What You'll Learn
USS Constitution's victory over HMS Guerriere in the War of 1812
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat. The ship was launched in 1797 and was one of six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794. The name "Constitution" was among ten names submitted to President George Washington by Secretary of War Timothy Pickering.
The Constitution is most noted for its actions during the War of 1812 with the United Kingdom, when it captured numerous British merchant vessels and five warships: HMS Guerriere, Java, Pictou, Cyane, and Levant. Its capture of Guerriere earned it the nickname "Old Ironsides". The battle left Guerriere so badly damaged that it was not worth towing to port, and the captain of the Constitution, Isaac Hull, ordered her to be burned the next morning, after transferring the British prisoners onto his own ship.
On 19 August 1812, the USS Constitution encountered the HMS Guerriere, a British frigate under the command of Captain James Richard Dacres. Despite facing a bigger, stronger-manned, and better-armed U.S. ship, Dacres was confident of victory. However, the Constitution's thick hull, composed of white oak planking and live oak frames, proved resilient to enemy cannonballs. During the engagement, an American sailor reportedly exclaimed, "Huzzah! Her sides are made of iron!" or "Hurrah—her sides are made of iron!". After intense combat, the severely damaged Guerriere was forced to surrender.
The victory over Guerriere was important for American morale, and when Hull and his crew returned to Boston, they were hailed as heroes. The capture of Guerriere added to the public adoration for the ship, which had repeatedly saved it from scrapping. The USS Constitution continued to serve as a flagship in the Mediterranean and African squadrons, and the ship circled the world in the 1840s. During the American Civil War, the ship served as a training ship for the United States Naval Academy.
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Cannonballs bouncing off Constitution's hull
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 Constitution earned its famous nickname, Old Ironsides, during the War of 1812. The ship had encountered the HMS Guerriere, commanded by James Dacres. As the two ships traded cannon fire, the Constitution's sailors watched in anticipation of an impact that would penetrate the walls of the ship, killing anyone in its way. However, to their surprise, many of the cannonballs bounced off the hull and fell into the sea. An American sailor exclaimed, "Huzzah, her sides are made of iron!"
The Constitution's hull was constructed with multiple layers of different types of oak, making it dense and difficult to pierce. This design absorbed the impact of the cannonballs and quickly dissipated the forces, preventing them from penetrating the ship's walls. The extra ribbing and bracketing on the internal walls also contributed to the ship's sturdy structure.
The Constitution's ability to withstand cannon fire became a source of public adoration and it sparked efforts to preserve the ship even when it faced the possibility of being scrapped. The powerful poem "Old Ironsides" by Oliver Wendell Holmes, published in the Boston Advertiser, ignited public sentiment and led to the Navy's decision to fund the refurbishment of the ship.
The nickname Old Ironsides has endured through the years, and the ship remains a floating museum of naval history, moored in Boston Harbor. The USS Constitution's resilience and legendary status during the War of 1812 continue to inspire generations, solidifying its place as a beloved symbol of American naval prowess.
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A sailor exclaimed: Huzzah! Her sides are made of iron
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.
The story of how the USS Constitution earned its nickname Old Ironsides is an interesting one. During the War of 1812, the USS Constitution faced off against the British frigate HMS Guerriere. The USS Constitution was commanded by Captain Isaac Hull, and the HMS Guerriere was under the command of Captain James Dacres. Despite being outgunned and outmanned, Captain Dacres was eager for a fight, believing that if he became the first British captain to capture an American vessel, he would "be made for life".
The two ships engaged in a fierce battle, with the USS Constitution rocking the Guerriere with a full broadside. To the amazement of the British crew, their 18-pound iron cannonballs bounced harmlessly off the American frigate's hull, which was made of white oak and live oak sheathed in copper. The USS Constitution's victory over the HMS Guerriere was a significant moment in naval history, marking the rise of the United States as a global naval power.
During the battle, a sailor aboard the USS Constitution exclaimed, "Huzzah! Her sides are made of iron!" This exclamation has been reported in slightly different ways, with one source stating that the sailor said, "Huzza! Her sides are made of iron! See where the shot fell out!" while another source reports a British sailor yelling, "Huzza! Her sides are made of iron!" in awe of the USS Constitution's resilience.
The USS Constitution's ability to withstand the cannonballs of the HMS Guerriere led to its nickname, Old Ironsides. The ship became a symbol of American naval power and a source of pride for the nation. The public adoration for the ship helped save it from scrapping multiple times, and it remains a floating museum of naval history today.
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Oliver Wendell Holmes' poem Old Ironsides published in 1830
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. The nickname "Old Ironsides" was earned during the War of 1812 with the United Kingdom, when the ship captured numerous British ships, including the HMS Guerriere. During their battle, many of Guerriere's shots rebounded off Constitution's hull, leading an American sailor to reportedly exclaim: "Huzzah! Her sides are made of iron!"
In 1830, the USS Constitution was on the verge of being decommissioned. An article appeared in the Boston Advertiser on September 14, 1830, claiming that the Navy intended to scrap the ship. Two days later, on September 16, 1830, Oliver Wendell Holmes' poem "Old Ironsides" was published in the same paper. The poem was a dramatic monologue commemorating the USS Constitution and mourning its potential loss.
> Aye 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 hulk
> 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 sheet;
> Oh, better that her shattered hulk
> Should sink beneath the wave.
>
> Fire scatters her moldering hulk,
> Or gives it to the gale;
> Then shall the wolf of Want make prey,
> Or whale
> Shall mumble the ribs that braved his jaw
> On Equator's vale;
> Then let her perish who hath borne
> Our country's glory far,
> And carried death to England's shore
> And France's despair.
>
> Brave black-eyed Susan, swarthy Kate,
> And Anna of the smile,
> Shall hear no more the tempest song,
> The thunder of the sail;
> No more, returning weary,
> To watch her from the hill,
> Shall mark at twilight's summer eve
> The tapering spars that gleam so bright,
> And wish the wind that wafts her home
> May bear her swiftly o'er the main,
> To fold them in her mother-arms,
> A moment and again.
>
> Yet better thus—her timbers rot,
> Her coppers drop away,
> Than she who danced the ocean queen
> Should drowse beside the bay;
> Unhonor'd fall in forgotten grave,
> While shallop, skiff, and barge
> Gloat o'er the spot where perished all
> That made the world so wide a sea.
>
> Then tear her tattered ensign down!
> Forever furl the sheet!
> Wrap in its folds her shattered form,
> And give the sea her fleet,
> And give the ocean all its own,
> The tempest, wave, and wind!
> The ship, the sail, the sailor's soul,
> Go down together to the sea.
The poem was published not only in the Boston Advertiser but also in newspapers across the country, igniting public indignation and inciting efforts to save the USS Constitution from being scrapped. Due to the poem's popularity and the public's adoration for the ship, the USS Constitution was saved from decommissioning.
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Public adoration saved Constitution from scrapping
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. The name "Constitution" was among ten names submitted to President George Washington for the frigates that were to be constructed.
The ship is most noted for its actions during the War of 1812 with the United Kingdom, when it captured numerous British merchant ships and five warships: HMS Guerriere, Java, Pictou, Cyane, and Levant. It was during the battle with HMS Guerriere that Constitution earned its nickname, "Old Ironsides". Many of Guerriere's shots had rebounded harmlessly off Constitution's hull, leading an American sailor to reportedly exclaim: "Huzzah! Her sides are made of iron!"
The public adoration that followed the ship's victory over Guerriere saved it from scrapping on multiple occasions. In 1830, an article appeared in the Boston Advertiser which erroneously claimed that the Navy intended to scrap Constitution. Two days later, a poem by Oliver Wendell Holmes titled "Old Ironsides" was published in the same paper and later circulated across the country, igniting public indignation and inciting efforts to save the ship. Secretary of the Navy John Branch approved the costs of repairs, and Constitution began a leisurely repair period while awaiting the completion of a dry dock.
In addition to Holmes' poem, the silent film Old Ironsides, which portrayed Constitution during the First Barbary War, also helped raise funds for the ship's restoration. The final campaign allowed memorabilia to be made from her discarded planking and metal. Congress approved up to $300,000 to complete the restoration, which had a final cost of $946,000 (equivalent to $11,076,523 in 2024).
Today, Constitution is moored in Boston Harbor, serving as a floating museum of naval history. It continues to be a source of public adoration and has become a national monument.
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Frequently asked questions
The USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship still afloat.
The USS Constitution was built in 1797.
The USS Constitution was built to protect American merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France and to defeat the Barbary pirates in the First Barbary War.
The USS Constitution earned the nickname "Old Ironsides" after its hull was seen to withstand the cannonballs of HMS Guerriere during the War of 1812.
After its victory, the USS Constitution went on to capture or destroy seven more British ships during the War of 1812. It continued to serve as a flagship in the Mediterranean and African squadrons and circled the world in the 1840s.
