When I’m up in the northeast I sometimes drive to Boston just to walk on the USS Constitution. Imagine how much havoc the Constitution would have done if Decatur had commanded it for more than a few days.
On this date in 1812...it was August 19th...............
The War of 1812 is sometimes called the second American revolution.
“shots bounce off .... named Old Ironsides.” It was made of Live Oak which is in neither the white oak family nor red oak family. Live oak is about 50% more dense than either the other two oak families. It grows in the southern US.
PING
bttt
Later, Constitution would sink the frigate HMS Java as well.
Constitution was called a frigate, but her scantlings and weight of metal (44 x 24 pounders) were more like that of a ship-of-the-line.
The first shots from the Guerriere were undercharged, so, of course they bounced off. Against a European frigate, an undercharge would have the shot go through the first bulkhead, and then bounce around inside causing mayhem and death. A full charge even at distance would go through one side and then out the other, causing damage, but, not as bad.
It was too late after that, the Consitution’s Oak was better than the Brits at close range and the American Frigate, being a bigger ship, with more guns, won the day. Even after a fierce boarding action!