The frigate Constitution, under the command of Captain Isaac Hull, engages the British frigate Guerriere in the waters off the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada. The British vessel opens fire first and many of its shots bounce off the side of the American frigate, whose crew bestows upon it the famous name “Old Ironsides.” Drawing abreast of one another, the two ships exchange broadsides. Within 30 minutes, Guerriere is a dismasted hulk. Her captain strikes its colors, giving Constitution and the young nation of the United States a stirring victory.