SOME STORIES OF
OLD IRONSIDES
By
Commander Holloway H. Frost, U. S. Navy
Author of We Build a Navy
U. S. NAVAL INSTITUTE
ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND
{Copyright 1931 · United States Naval Institute}
DESIGNED AND PRINTED BY
GEORGE BANTA PUBLISHING COMPANY
MENASHA, WISCONSIN
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
- Facing
- Preble’s First Attack on Tripoli 4
- Old Ironsides 5
- Chase of the Constitution 12
- Edward Preble 13
- Constitution and Guerriere 20
- Capture of the British Frigate Java 21
- The Night Battle Between the U.S.S. Constitution and H. M. Ships Cyane and Levant 28
- Stephen Decatur 29
From a painting by M. CarnePreble’s First Attack on Tripoli
The Constitution (large ship right center foreground) leading the attack on Tripoli, August 3, 1804.
From a painting by C. R. Patterson “Old Ironsides”
ACT I
In the Mediterranean
SCENE I. ENTER THE “CONSTITUTION”
On a September day in 1803 an American frigate bowledalong the rocky Spanish coast toward Gibraltar. Fromher bluff bows curled back a foamy wave. Above the bluewaters rose a gracefully proportioned black hull. Aroundit, halfway up from the water line, ran a broad whitestripe. This was broken at regular intervals by the darksquares of the gun ports. Spars tapered aloft. White rectanglesof billowing canvas completed a picture of beautyunsurpassed on the Seven Seas. Such was the UnitedStates ship Constitution. Joshua Humphreys, naval constructor,had done his work well.
Watchers on the famous Rock might have noted, hadthe beauty of this strange ship gained their full attention,that from the mizzen truck flew the broad blue pennantof a commodore. His name was then unknown. It is nottoo well known even now. But as time passes the convictiongrows that Edward Preble should be classed in thefirst rank of our naval commanders. He was soon to provethat he was every inch