The Constitution and the Guerriere

J. T. HEADLEY.

At the beginning of the war with England the navy of the United States numbered but nine frigates and a few sloops of war, while Great Britain had a hundred ships of the line, and more than a thousand vessels bearing her flag. Yet, weak as was our navy, it was stronger than the British naval force then in American waters, and there was reason to hope for some successes ere the latter could be reinforced. No time was lost by the ardent commanders of the American ships of war. Among other vessels, the forty-four-gun frigate Constitution put to sea, and was soon after chased by a British squadron, from which she escaped with great difficulty. The story of the victorious event which soon followed we select from Headley's "Second War with England."

ON the 28th of July an order was sent from the Secretary of the Navy to Captain Hull, at Boston, to deliver up the Constitution to Commodore Bainbridge and take charge of the frigate Constellation. But, fortunately for him and the navy, just before this order reached him he had again set sail, and was out on the deep, where the anxieties of the department did not disturb him. Cruising eastward along the coast, he captured ten small prizes near the mouth of the St. Lawrence and burned them. In the middle of the month he recaptured an American merchantman and sent her in, and then stood to the southward. On the 19th he made a strange sail, one of the vessels that a few weeks before had pressed him so hard in the chase. When the Constitution had run down to within three miles of him, the Englishman laid his maintop-sail aback, and hung out three flags, to show his willingness to engage. Captain Dacres, the commander, surprised at the daring manner in which the stranger came down, turned to the captain of an American merchantman whom he had captured a few days before, and asked him what vessel he took that to be. The latter replied, as he handed back the glass to Dacres, that he thought from her sails she was an American. "It cannot be possible," said Dacres, "or he would not stand on so boldly." It was soon evident, whoever the stranger might be, he was bent on mischief. Hull prepared his vessel for action deliberately, and, after putting her under close fighting canvas and sending down her royal yards, ordered the drums to beat to quarters. It was now five o'clock, and, as the Constitution bore steadily down towards her antagonist, the crew gave three cheers. The English vessel was well known, for she had at one of her mast-heads a flag proudly flying, with the "Guerriere" written in large characters upon it. When the Constitution arrived within long gunshot, the Guerriere opened her fire, now wearing to bring her broadside to bear, and again to prevent being raked by the American, which slowly but steadily approached. The Englishman kept up a steady fire for nearly an hour, to which the Constitution replied with only an occasional gun. The crew at length became excited under this in-action. The officer below had twice come on deck to report that men had been killed standing idly at their guns, and begged permission to fire; but Hull still continued to receive the enemy's broadsides in silence. The Guerriere, failing to cripple the Constitution, filled and moved off with the wind free, showing that she was willing to receive her and finish the conflict in a yard-arm to yard-arm combat. The Constitution then drew slowly ahead, and the moment her bows began to lap the quarters of the Guerriere her forward guns opened, and in a few minutes after the welcome orders were received to pour in broadside after broadside as rapidly as possible. When she was fairly abeam, the broadsides were fired with a rapidity and power that astounded the enemy. As the old ship forged slowly ahead with her greater way, she seemed moving in flame. The mizzen-mast of the enemy soon fell with a crash, while her hull was riddled with shot and her decks slippery with gore. The carnage was so awful that the blood from the wounded and mangled victims, as they were hurried into the cockpit, poured over the ladder as if it had been dashed from a bucket. As Hull passed his antagonist he wheeled short round her bows to prevent a raking fire.