U.S.S. Constitution
Boston, MA
The Eighteenth Century
As Queen Elizabeth I was the first English monarch to realize that the future of England depended on naval power, so to was George Washington the first President to realize that the future security of the United States depended on naval power.
Due to the depredations of the British, French, and Moroccan corsairs, Washington ordered the construction of a navy. During this period, the US Navy’s primary purpose was the defense of American merchant ships. The U.S.S. Constitution was one of six ships constructed for this purpose. Constrution began in 1794. It was first launched upon completion in 1797. According to the guide, the ship never transported slaves nor did it provide security for slave ships such as the Marbleheaders out of Massachusetts.
The Nineteenth Century
Some historians refer to the War of 1812 as the first war we lost. Certainly, the British made the Americans eat humiliation to the dregs. The culmination of this was the naval blockade and the burning of Washington D.C. itself. However, there were some bright lights throughout the conflict: the defeat of the British fleet on the Great Lakes, the Battle of New Orleans, and the U.S.S. Constitution’s victory over the H.M.S. Gurriere.
At the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, the Union Navy was a laughingstock. General Winfield Scott proposed the “Anaconda Plan.” It was a blockade of all Southern ports, from Texas to Virginia, which was designed to, “strangle the South.” The plan was not implemented until after the Confederate victory at Manassas. The decision was made, however, that the Constitution would not take part in combat operations. This is likely due to the US Navy’s growing like Jack’s magic beans from late 1861 onward.
Between 1860–1871, the Constitution served to train students at the Naval Academy at Annapolis (Colonel 207).
Unfortunately, Maryland was a border state which came close to joining the Confederacy. It was within striking distance of the Army of Northern Virginia. Due to this, during the war years, the naval academy was moved to Newport, Rhode Island.
The Twentieth Century
During the American Century, the Constitution very nearly joined the scrap heap of history. Like Chuck Norris, she was viewed as a has-been. Private individuals and groups played a pivotal role in keeping the ship afloat. One such group was The Massachusetts State Society of the Daughters of 1812.
In 1900, Congress provided the authority for private organizations to solicit funds for the ship’s restoration (Colonel 2013).
The Twenty First Century
There are two ways to get to the ship today: 1. you can drive or 2. you can take the ferry. The ferry is the most fun.
Today, the U.S.S. Constitution is a museum. It is a relic from a bygone era. When walking its decks, however, visitors should appreciate that it was once one of the most powerful ships on earth.
The ship typically carried 54 guns. The spar deck carried the heaviest guns-which fired 32 pound shots. How many Brits, Frenchmen, and Moors met their ends due to these cannon?
The U.S.S. Constitution began its life when America was an up and coming power. It now sits silently on the sidelines as American naval dominance is challenged.
Bibliography
Brenckle, Matthew/ McCormack, Lauren/Watkins, Sarah. Men of Iron: USS Constitution’s War of 1812 Crew. U.S.S. Constitution Museum, 2012.
Colonel David Fitz-Enz. Old Ironsides, Eagle of the Sea: The Story of the U.S.S. Constitution. Taylor Trade Publishing, 2004.
Martin, Tyrone. A Most Fortunate Ship: A Narrative History of Old Ironsides. Naval Institue Press, 2003.
