Editing USS Constitution (section)

===Civil War===
{{See also|American Civil War}}

Since the formation of the [[United States Naval Academy|US Naval Academy]] in 1845, there had been a growing need for quarters in which to house the students (midshipmen). In 1857, ''Constitution'' was moved to dry dock at the [[Portsmouth Navy Yard]] for conversion into a [[training ship]]. Some of the earliest known photographs of her were taken during this refitting, which added classrooms on her spar and gun decks and reduced her armament to only 16 guns. Her rating was changed to a "2nd rate ship". She was recommissioned on 1 August 1860 and moved from Portsmouth to the Naval Academy.<ref name="Carpenter282">Carpenter (1897), p. 282.</ref><ref>Martin (1997), p. 312.</ref>
[[File:USS Constitution ready for launch.jpg|thumb|alt=A photograph of a ship out of the water and under repair|left|The earliest known photograph of ''Constitution'', undergoing repairs in 1858]]

At the outbreak of the Civil War in April 1861, ''Constitution'' was ordered to relocate farther north after threats had been made against her by Confederate sympathizers.<ref>Martin (1997), p. 314.</ref> Several companies of Massachusetts volunteer soldiers were stationed aboard for her protection.<ref>Abbot 1896, Volume II, Part III, Chapter II</ref> {{USS|R. R. Cuyler|1860|2}} towed her to New York City, where she arrived on 29 April. She was subsequently relocated, along with the Naval Academy, to [[Fort Adams]] in [[Newport, Rhode Island]], for the duration of the war. Her sister ship ''United States'' was abandoned by the Union and then captured by Confederate forces at the Gosport Shipyard, leaving ''Constitution'' the only remaining frigate of the original six.<ref Name="Timeline" /><ref name="UnitedStates">{{cite DANFS | title = United States | url = http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/u/united-states-frigate.html | access-date =20 September 2011|link=off }}</ref>

The Navy launched an [[ironclad]] on 10 May 1862 as part of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, and they bestowed on her the name {{USS|New Ironsides||2}} to honor ''Constitution''{{'}}s tradition of service. However, ''New Ironsides''{{'}} naval career was short, as she was destroyed by fire on 16 December 1865.<ref name="NewIronsides">{{cite DANFS | title = New Ironsides | url = https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/n/new-ironsides.html | access-date =20 September 2011|link=off }}</ref> In August 1865, ''Constitution'' moved back to Annapolis, along with the rest of the Naval Academy. During the voyage, she was allowed to drop her tow lines from the tug and continue alone under wind power. Despite her age, she was recorded running at {{convert|9|kn|km/h mph}} and arrived at Hampton Roads ten hours ahead of the tug.<ref name="Timeline" /> Andersonville Prisoners- "Thorp and his fellow soldiers were transported to Jacksonville, Fla., then on USS Constitution to "Camp Parole" in Annapolis, Md. There, they were issued rations, clothing and back pay before being sent to their respective regimental headquarters for discharge."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dev.historynet.com/inside-andersonville-an-eyewitness-account-of-the-civil-wars-most-infamous-prison.htm |last=Skoch |first=George|date=October 2007|title=Inside Andersonville: An Eyewitness Account of the Civil War's Most Infamous Prison |work=[[World History Group|History Net]]|access-date=August 22, 2019}}</ref>

As ''Constitution'' settled in again at the Academy, a series of upgrades was installed that included steam pipes and radiators to supply heat from shore, along with [[gas lighting]]. From June to August each year, she would depart with midshipmen for their summer training cruise and then return to operate for the rest of the year as a classroom. In June 1867, her last known [[plank owner]] William Bryant died in Maine. [[George Dewey]] assumed command in November; he served as her commanding officer until 1870. In 1871, her condition had deteriorated to the point where she was retired as a training ship, and then towed to the Philadelphia Navy Yard, where she was placed in ordinary on 26 September.<ref>Martin (1997), pp. 319–322.</ref>