This Day in History: USS Constitution vs. HMS Guerrière

On this day in 1812, USS Constitution wins an intense naval battle against HMS Guerrière. Perhaps you know that Constitution is sometimes affectionally known as “Old Ironsides”? She earned the moniker because of her performance against Guerrière.

“Constitution sailed from Boston,” the USS Constitution Museum explains, “on August 2 . . . . [She]captured four British merchant vessels. A real prize—a British frigate—continued to elude them. Then, on the afternoon of August 19, the sought-after ship appeared.”

It was Guerrière, of course. Let’s just say the British crew was a bit cocky.

“Captain Dacres announced to his crew,” historian Ian W. Toll explains, “that he expected to take the Constitution in thirty minutes or less . . . . The idea that a British frigate could be beaten by an American ship of anything resembling equivalent force was simply beneath consideration.”

Dacres began shooting while still two miles away, but those attacks were largely ineffective. Matters didn’t really come to a head until the ships neared each other around 6:00 p.m. “Men,” American Captain Isaac Hull reportedly told his crew, “now do your duty. . . . Each man must do all in his power for his country.”

Guerrière kept firing as Constitution came closer, and American Lt. Charles Morris asked leave to open fire. “Not yet, sir,” Captain Hull responded. Only when Constitution was within 25 yards of Guerrière did Hull finally say: “Now, boys, pour it into them!”

USS Constitution fires a 17-gun salute in Boston Harbor on July 4, 2014.

Constitution was causing great damage to Guerrière, even as many of the British cannon balls were bouncing off the hard oak sides of Constitution. One of the American crewmen saw what was happening and, at least according to tradition, was heard to yell: “Huzza! Her sides are made of iron!”

The nickname “Old Ironsides” was born!

Nevertheless, Constitution’s rigging and sails were damaged, as was Guerrière’s mizzenmast. The maneuverability of each was affected, and the two ships collided. Each side rushed to board the other, but huge waves wrenched the two ships apart before either could succeed.

In the chaos, Guerrière’s foremast and mainmast broke, falling over the side of the frigate. She was completely disabled and could do little as Constitution pulled away, making quick repairs to her rigging before returning to fire again.

The British had no choice but to surrender. Guerrière was badly damaged, and Dacres had lost about one-third of his crew. One officer later explained that Guerrière’s lost masts left them “in the trough of the sea, rolling her main deck guns under water. . . . all attempts to get the ship before the wind, or to bring any of our guns to bear, [proved] in vain.”

Guerrière was scuttled the next day.

“The Guerrière was so cut up,” Dacres reported, “that all attempts to get her in would have been useless. As soon as the wounded were got out of her, they set her on fire; and I feel it my duty to state that the conduct of Captain Hull and his Officers to our Men has been that of a brave Enemy.”

Constitution sailed into Boston’s harbor several days later. As she approached shore, her crew shouted news of the victory, thumping their hats on the side of the boat and cheering. Word of Constitution’s success spread from boat to boat, then to shore. Artillery were soon firing in celebration as church bells tolled.

If the victory provided a psychological boost to Americans, it seems that it was equally demoralizing to the British. The London Times mournfully reported: “Never before in the history of the world did an English frigate strike to an American.”

Victories such as this one, a USS Constitution captain later wrote, “end[ed] forever the myth that the Royal Navy was invincible.”

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Primary Sources:

• Andrew Lambert, The Challenge: Britain Against America in the Naval War of 1812 (2012)

• Donald R Hickey, The War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict (2012 edition)

• Ian W. Toll, Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U. S. Navy (2006)

• Robert C. Doyle, The Enemy in Our Hands: America’s Treatment of Prisoners of War from the Revolution to the War on Terror (2010)

• Ronald Utt, Ships of Oak, Guns of Iron: The War of 1812 and the Forging of the American Navy (2012)

• Spencer Tucker, The Encyclopedia of the War of 1812: A Political, Social, and Military History (Vol. 1; 2012)

• The Battle (USS Constitution Museum)

• The HMS Guerriere Battle (USS Constitution Museum)

• Tyrone G. Martin, A Most Fortunate Ship: A Narrative History of Old Ironsides (rev. ed. 2003)

• USS Constitution vs. HMS Guerriere (Naval History and Heritage Command)