USS Constitution

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Disclaimer: There may be some errors and mistakes in the stories below. This section of my web library is not yet complete. I am far from finished.

The many drawings below of the Constitution, cannon and nautical stuff are images I have scanned. They were all done by other artist. The only reason I did this was because I do not have time yet to do all of these drawings myself. I appreciate the artwork of other artist so I will use others art but never claim it as my own. Like I said, all art below is done by many wonderful artists so enjoy.

Read, enjoy, and come back every six months and see what I have done. Thanks! Sir Hamilton

U.S.S. Constitution

“Old Iron Sides”

At the end of the Revolutionary War the newly formed United States reduced the size of the Army and the Navy. The reason was for the opportunity for peace between our new country, America , and the rest of the world. We were a new nation just emerging from a war between the largest and most powerful military in the world. England .

America had no Navy for nine years. The cost of a Navy and the burden of its great expense would have been sobering for the new nation. The nation’s leaders were well aware of the need for such an asset because a strong Navy is the very definition of “Assets.”

In March 1794 President George Washington requested from congress six frigates to help defend our nation’s seafaring commerce against several different enemies. The first was pirates, next were the English, and then there were the French. This would be the start of a new Navy that would grow to eventually rule the seas. The date for congressional approval was March 27, 1794 in which a new American Navy was born.

Our status of a neutral nation at peace with the world lasted for a few years before one by one the pirates, English and French started assaults against our shipping and sailors. The Algerian Raiders were also known as the Barbary Pirates. These raiders were a constant nuisance among commercial shipping traffic in the Mediterranean . The Barbary Pirates also roamed along the West of Africa catching shipping as it returned to England and Europe from the Indian Ocean.

The pirates would board and seize commercial ships and participated in the slave trade. American sailors that were seized were held for ransom. The pirates used blackmail for safe passage through their waters. For hundreds of years the pirates had extorted tribute from European nations. The English also began seizing our commercial ships and forced our maritime sailors into the service on the English ships of war. France was also seizing our shipping and looting the cargo. This was really pissing us off!

War with France

In 1798 England and France were fighting the Napoleonic War. Both England and France were interfering with American commerce shipping with France being the most aggressive violating our nations neutrality. In retaliation the United States launched the “Quasi War” with France canceling all current treaties between the two nations. France had proven to have been our best ally and was instrumental in the winning of our country’s freedom from England. Now war existed between our countries.

The French were doing poorly against the larger English Navy and any further conflict with another naval nemesis was a miscalculation the French did not anticipate from America .

 The Constitution sails for her first war cruse.

On the evening of July 22, 1798 the U.S.S. Constitution cleared Boston harbor for not just her first war cruse, but the first representing America . Five new frigates, warships built by the best American talents from the carpenter to the draftsman. Manned by seamen who were seasoned, strong and determined.

The sprit of America filled the sails of the Constitution and ballooned her canvas as she sailed into the Atlantic and American naval history.

Captain Samuel Nicholson was at the helm with a ships crew of veterans from the Revolutionary War.

The Constitution sailed quite peacefully out of the harbor into a dark bluish gray sky until it was out of sight form the docks and ware houses along the harbor. Its crew was full of vigor and confidence in themselves and their new ship. The Constitution sailed into the night and into maritime history.

Success for the Constitution on its first cruse was swift with the capture of a 24 gun privateer “ Niger ”. Old Iron Sides sailed back into Boston Harbor with the Niger in toe with 70 prisoners.

Clashes with French warships caused excess stress on the French Navy who was still reeling from one disastrous sea battle after another with England. France signed a peace treaty with the United States in 1801 ending the tensions between the nations.

The Barbary Pirates continued to pray on commercial commerce while wars in Europe raged. Pirates roamed the seas for hundreds of years before the United States claimed its sovereignty. However America was now pray to these sea going professionals.

Morocco , Algiers , Tunis , and Tripoli were the homeports of these pirates. This area of northwest Africa that the pirates sailed ranged from the full southern shores of the Mediterranean from the Middle East west to Spain and down one third of the western shore of the continent of Africa . The pirates could control the full Mediterranean and the western shores of Africa .

At first the United States paid bribe money for safe passage considerations. In 1785 Algerian corsairs seized several American Merchant ships and held the crews for ransom. Records show that over one million dollars in presents and monies had been paid to the Dey or ruler of Algiers. This was in addition to an annual tribute payment of $22,000.00. The Bashaw or ruler of Tripoli was angered that the Dey and his corsairs were receiving more tribute money from America than he was so the Bashaw made an additional demand against the United States. He requested payment within six months or he would declare war against America .

At the end of the six months no word or no monies arrived so the Bashaw declared war against the United States and had the flagstaff at the American consulate cut down on May 14, 1801.

Little did the ruler of Tripoli know at the time and even before he was able to declare war officially that the American leaders had come to their on conclusion. The government ordered the Navy to send a squadron of ships to the Mediterranean to gain control of the area. For two years the presence of American warships deterred the countries Algiers, Tunis and Morocco from engaging American merchant shipping. The deceleration of war was mute, as the ruler proclaimed war the American Navy was already on its way.

Though the strength of the American presence was technically weak the pirates did not know this and the American warships were avoided and not challenged. The presences of American Warships were enough to change the situation in the Mediterranean . This is an excellent example where with just the show of force can quell aggressive behavior.

Ship Development

The U.S.S. Constitution from the very start was the request from President George Washington himself for the construction of six new frigates for a new American Navy. From the hand of our first President who signed the legislation for its construction, the U.S.S. Constitution was born.

With the development of any sea going vessel the size, shape, and armament is essential in comparing the subject vessel with other warships that would be encountered. One would want their warship to be faster and to be able to sail out of danger from larger enemy ships. Greater speed will also give you the ability to pursue and over take enemy vessels. You also want your warship to be able to go toe-to-toe side by side both delivering and receiving cannon fire from equal sized warships and survive.

Building a warship is in fact like building a floating fortress. Financial expense is great and the investment must be the best that taxpayer’s money can buy. However with mankind’s great need for waging war balanced in trying to discourage war we are able to use our intellectual minds to the finest potentials in developing war machines. At this period of time the Man-O-War sailing ship was the supreme war machine refined to the greatest of details. From sail sizes to cannon armament the construction of the warship was a science.

The Constitution was laid down the very year President George Washington and congress passed the bill for its creation, 1794. The architects were veteran ship designers Joshua Humphrey’s and Josiah Fox. The builder was Colonel George Claghorn who oversaw the first timbers of the ships ribs laid to the raising of the masts an Edmond Hartt’s shipyard in Boston , Massachusetts .

At this time the American shipyards had skilled ship builders with great talents representing generations of experience. To be a shipbuilder was a trade taken with great pride. With our best wood crafters and shipbuilders and the fact that they were citizens of a new nation added greatly to their potential. America had recently defeated the English Navy with what warships America could muster. The ships used in the war with England were built by these same men. Pride. Pride in their craft. Pride in their new nation.

Now this national pride would build the very best warships that would change history. It was a great thing to be part of. And best of all is that many really knew that they were truly lucky to be part of this great change. Even Paul Revere provided the spikes and copper sheathing for the ships bottom. This combination of knowledge and talents could only be compared today to NASA and the space program. This was our best!

The construction of sea going sailing ships was an art and science. Men had now been sailing the seas for several hundred years. Ship designers and builders used different woods for different needs and parts of the ship. The construction of the Constitution used live oak, red cedar, white oak, pitch pine, and locust. These trees were harvested from forest from Maine to Georgia . This ship was made from the living forest of our great country. This ship and her sister warships are a part of us.

The live oak came from sea-islands off Georgia . Unity, Maine contributed the wood for the ships masts. South Carolina furnished the pine for the ships decks. Rhode Island provided much of the canvas and New Jersey contributed the keel and cannon balls. From Massachusetts came the sails, gun carriages, and anchors along with Paul Reverie’s contribution.

The armament of the Constitution was different from other warships of its class. At the time the frigate normally carried 18-pound cannon, which was to be the perfect sized cannon for this sized platform. The construction of the Constitution was different in two ways. First the shape of the hull and the next was the extra construction supports gave the designers the comfort to increase the size of the cannon from 18 to 24-pounders. The difference in ballistics from the 18 to 24 pound projectile was considerate.

This give an advisory an unwelcome surprise to be expecting a broad side of 18-pounders only to find their ship shattered by 24-pounders. The Constitution was designed to carry 44 guns but usually carried a compliment of 46 to 55 guns.

The Constitution slid into Boston Harbor on October 21, 1797 three years after the laying of the keel. As expressed earlier the investment into the Constitution was considerable. $302,718.00. An enormous amount considering that this was one of six warships of this size being constructed at the same time along with complementary shipping also being constructed to support these warships in their upcoming duties.

For a new nation the construction of a navy is a considerable consumption of monies and resources. Yet a complete necessity when human aggression is always nearby.

This vessel, this warship, this Constitution, “Old Iron Sides”, this brilliant creation of American minds and craftsmanship is full of every part of our countries beginning history. The U.S.S. Constitution is America. It represents every thing our country represents. Intellect. Well engineered. Well financed. Stable. Stately. Tall. Proud. Beautiful. And Strong!

The French and the English would both envy this sleek black beauty for its speed, its mobility, and both countries would fear its rage. Death can come in the form of beauty!

When the United States flew the flag “Don’t Tread on Me” this was not a suggestion, or just good advice. It was a mandate from this time forward that swift retaliation was due to anyone or any nation that would transgress on our nation or our financial global holdings. The United States was now ready to stand up and share in the security of the oceans.

“Don’t Tread on Me”

The War of 1812

The battle with the HMS Guerriere.

August 19, 1812

On August 19, 1812 the Constitution was sailing southeast of the Gulf of Lawrence when a sail was sighted in the distance. Captain Isaac Hull pointed his ship toward the unknown sails. As the horizon gave way to the oncoming ship the lookouts on the Constitution identified the warship as the English HMS Guerriere. The Guerriere was a 38-gun frigate, which was now sporting 49 guns.

The Guerriere began firing at the Constitution before the American warship was in range. The English seamen watched the sleek black Constitution approach holding its fire. Once the ships came abreast of each other Captain Hull ordered his crews to open fire. Over the roar of battle Captain Hull was heard yelling “Now, boys, pour it into them!”

A full broadside from the Constitution caught the HMS Guerriere. The crew of the Guerriere was staggered and the Constitution’s gun crews took complete advantage reloading their guns and rolling them out delivering another smashing volley directly into the English warship. The Guerriere was losing sail and rigging debris fell onto the decks and English crew.

At this moment the true talents of the ships designers and builders made history. The return fire from the Guerriere was seen to simply bounce off the sides of the Constitution. Men of both ships who witnessed this told this very story for the rest of their lives.

One of the Constitution’s crewmen was heard shouting above the roar of battle “Huzza! Her sides are made of iron!” This very statement gave the American crew a keen sense of invincibility.

Extra strength in moral during battle is worth more than the cost of the ship itself. A sailor must trust his ship and his captain. The Constitution had just earned the loyalty of ever man aboard. They knew this ship would bring them home safely from battle.

Both ships had marines in the ships rigging firing onto the gun crews and officers of the enemy ships. As cannon fire from the Constitution ripped through the masts of the Guerriere the English riflemen were seen thrown like rag dolls through the air to their deaths on deck or into the water.

Within 25 minutes the mizzenmast of the Guerriere had collapsed. The Constitution with full sail passed ahead and crossed the bow of the Guerriere. From this vantage the Constitution fired another broadside, which hit the Guerriere sending the cannon balls along the full length of the decks.

This was a disastrous blow to the crew cutting down many that were fighting and many that were trying to help the wounded. The deck of the Guerriere was covered with fallen sail and broken rigging. The strafing of the decks from stem to stern with cannon from the Constitution was impossible to escape. The deck was also covered with the dead, the dying, body parts, and awash with blood.

The fate of the Guerriere was written. The Constitution came in close and the rigging of the Guerriere caught the rigging of the Constitution and both ships crews tried to board one another but the sea was too rough and the ships soon separated. Before separating the Guerriere fired point black into the cabin of the Constitution starting a fire which was extinguished quickly.

After the separation of the two warships the last mast and sail of the Guerriere fell leaving the once proud warship a helpless hulk. Captain Dacres of the Guerriere struck his flag and surrendered. Captain Hull of the Constitution had his men board the smoldering hulk transferring the English prisoners and setting the ship on fire. The English lost 78 both killed and wounded while Captain Hull only lost 14 of his crew.

The sea battle lasted less than forty minutes. The shortest naval battle in history at the time. The victory of this battle was invaluable to the moral of the citizens of the United States .

Constitution gun compliment during this battle was 55 guns consisting of thirty 24-pounders on the gun deck. Twenty-four 32-pounders on the spar deck and one long 18-pounder called a bow chaser.

The Battle with the HMS Java.

December 29, 1812

On December 29^th the Constitution was sailing off Brazil commanded by Commodore William Bainbridge when the HMS Java was sighted. Both warships bore down on each other and the battle began with a broadside from both ships. The Java was a 38-gun frigate, which with its first volley shot away the wheel of the Constitution. Commodore Bainbridge carefully maneuvered the Constitution avoiding being raked by another volley from the Java.

The Constitution’s gun crews were quick and accurate turning the lucky hit by the Java back on itself. In just two hours the Java was a helpless hulk. The English ship was described as dismantled. The commanding officer on the Java Captain Lambert was killed and his successor surrendered his ship and crew. The Java had 161 killed or wounded. The Constitution lost only 34 men to all causalities.

The Last Battle and War Cruse.

The battle with the HMS Cyane and HMS Levant.

February 20, 1815

On February 20^th the Constitution was sailing off the island of Madeira when two English frigates were spotted. The Cyane and the Levant were both smaller and faster than the Constitution. Both ships had a combined armament that was superior to the Constitution and could be a great threat to the ship.

The Constitution was captained by Charles Stewart who was able to out maneuver both of the smaller and faster frigates forcing them into combat one at a time and not together suffering from their combined gun fire. All three warships were locked into battle for four hours. Captain Stewart would zigzag back and forth working the wind bringing him into firing position on the Cyane and then crossing over and catching the Levant .

Captain Stewart would then bring his ship around and come in for another intercepting course with the Cyane to deliver another volley. The warships danced on the waves chasing each in continuous chris-cross patterns. Except in this case Goliath defeated two David’s. True master seamanship and masterly of his vessel delivered to Captain Stewart a smashing victory as both ships surrendered. Captain Stewart was able to control the battle, which was brilliant thinking in a moment that a crisis was at hand for him, his ship, and his men.

As Captain Stewart was bringing his two prizes back to port, an English squadron of warships chased the Constitution. The Constitution was able to escape with only one of her war prizes, the Cyane. The English navy recaptured the Levant during the chase.

The Constitution inspired John F. Kennedy along with many tens of thousands of other men and now women join the Navy.

The USS Constitution is based in Charlestown, Massachusetts and is the oldest naval warship in the United States Navy.

A History of Frigates of the United States Navy

The United States Congress passed an act on March 27, 1794 for the construction of six frigates. The Navy Department was officially formed on April 27, 1798. The Navy had been under the War Department since the Navy’s first conception during the Revolution. Benjamin Stoddart was the first Secretary of the Navy.

James Hackett had designed the frigates that fought in the Revolutionary War and he was again asked to consult in the development of the new frigates. Joshua Humphrey’s was commissioned to actually design the new ships. Humphrey’s designed the famous 44-gun frigate Constitution, United States, and President. All three ships were built in the same exact design.

The United States was launched in May 1797. During the War of 1812 the United States captured the British frigate Macedonian. The United States served the Navy till the Civil War when she was set on fire at the docks of Norfolk to prevent the ship from falling into Confederate hands.

Humphrey’s also designed the 38-gun frigates Constellation, Chesapeake and Congress. These three 38-gunships were also identical in construction.

Warships where classified by the size of the ship and the number of guns the ship carried. The largest of these floating forts were called “Line-of-battle ships”, or “Ships-of-the-line”. Ships-of-the-line carried up to 74 guns on three decks. Frigates were middle-sized ships carrying 28 to 44 cannon.

On the USS Raleigh 6 pound cannon where on the upper deck and below deck were the larger smoothbore 9 and 12 ponders.

With the newly formed United States the need for an Army and Navy was critical. In 1776 Congress ordered thirteen frigates for the Navy. The larger "Ships-of-the-Line" was not considered because of the cost and the time frame America had to work with. Tensions between America and various advisories demanded the United States to set themselves up with a Navy quickly.

Guarding the coastline from Maine to the Carolina’s required a special fleet that was not only affordable but quick and dependable. The Frigates would be free to sail independently and cover the coast and not sail in large fleets as were the order of the time. All the European and English Navies were much larger using their "Ships-of-the-Line" sailing as a fleet. The English and Europeans only used frigates as fast scouts and raiders. The large area of coastline America had needed to be secured with a minimum sized fleet at best. The area from Maine to Georgia is as long as the coast line of west Africa.

Frigates could be built quickly. The USS Raleigh had her keel laid on March 21, 1776. The Raleigh was launched only 60 days later on May 21, 1776 from Portsmouth , New Hampshire. This was a perfect example of American ingenuity that will continue to serve our country. In the 1940’s American ship builders we were able to build “ Liberty” ships within a week.

In the planning of a new Navy our best naval ship builders were already seasoned with this line of work, which was often carried on for generations. Several major ship builders were well established in the New England area.

The USS Raleigh was captured by the English in 1779 and was sent to dry docks at Portsmouth , England where the ship was partially disassembled and studied in every detail. The English considered the capture of this ship a great prize because the English seamen had admired this swift, effective, and beautifully designed ship.

The English were envious of the American Frigates and how well they defended their waterways and protected their naval commerce against the English fleet.

James Hackett of Salisbury , Mass., was called to Portsmouth to build some of the ships of our first fleet. Hackett designed the Raleigh in 1776 and also the 18-gun Ranger, and the 32-gun Alliance in 1777.

The Raleigh carried 36 cannon and had a gun deck length of 131 feet 5 inches. The keel measured 110 feet 7 ¼ inches. Her beam was 34 feet 5 inches. The crew size for a 36-gun ship like the Raleigh was normally 240 men. The larger 44-gun frigates carried a crew of 280 men.

English ships were built with seasoned wood that would be submerged in the waters off the ship builder’s dockyards. This made the wood harden and mature to the finest quality available. Wood would be submerged for years before it would be used.

American ships were made from fresh cut oak woods and decked with yellow pine. This gave the American frigates an even better advantage because of their lighter weight. The shape of the hull, the arrangement of the sails, and the lightweight gave our frigates grace, with a sting.

I am looking for a buyer for the painting of the Constitution. I will use the funds to publish a print of the warship.

The original painting above is available for $2,500.00 The artwork size is 36"x48".

The investor who buys the original painting will also get 50 of the 350 Limited Edition Prints along with 100 poster prints.

Print size will be 18x24"

Limited Editions will retail for $75.00.

Open Editions will be retail for $25.00.

The painting of the USS Constitution is available for some lucky buyer. The painting I did of the warship above has full rigging and no sails.

I want to paint another Constitution with full sail. The buyer can decide which profile they want.

An original painting of the ship in full sail will be available for $3,000.00. The size will be the same, 36"x48". The increase in price reflects the extra time involved in the painting.

This painting will look good where ever it is hung. In a Sea Food Restaurant, in a conference room, in a living room, or an office. The price also includes shipping.

Let me know if you are interested. It is best to call me at 904-282-4198.

Below is a history of the warship that I am in the process of writing. I will add to the story as my research progresses. If there are mistakes please let me know.

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2-9-07