Editing USS Constitution (section)

===''Constitution'' vs. ''Guerriere''===
{{Main|USS Constitution vs HMS Guerriere}}

[[File:USS Constitution v HMS Guerriere.jpg|thumb|left|alt=A painting depicts two ships at battle. Constitution is at the right of the frame with torn sails. Guerriere is in the middle of the frame with damaged masts and a lot of cannon smoke around her deck.|''Constitution'' and ''Guerriere'' in battle]]

A frigate was sighted on 19 August and subsequently determined to be {{HMS|Guerriere|1806|6}} (38) under Captain [[James Richard Dacres (Royal Navy officer, born 1788)|James Dacres]] with the words "Not The Little Belt" painted on her foretopsail.<ref name="Toll348">Toll (2006), p. 348.</ref>{{refn|The words painted on the sail were in reference to the [[Little Belt affair|''Little Belt'' affair]], when {{USS|President|1800|6}} had fired on HMS ''Little Belt'' the year before. Captain John Rodgers of ''President'' had mistakenly identified ''Little Belt'' as ''Guerriere'', and Captain James Dacres of ''Guerriere'' had written a challenge of combat to him.<ref name="Toll348"/>|group=Note}} ''Guerriere'' opened fire upon entering range of ''Constitution'', doing little damage. After a few exchanges of cannon fire between the ships, Captain Hull maneuvered ''Constitution'' into an advantageous position within {{convert|25|yd|m}} of ''Guerriere''. He then ordered a full double-loaded broadside of grape and round shot, which took out ''Guerriere''{{'}}s mizzenmast.<ref name="Jennings 224">Jennings (1966), p. 224.</ref><ref name="Teddy8990">Roosevelt (1883), pp. 89–90.</ref> ''Guerriere''{{'}}s maneuverability decreased with her mizzenmast dragging in the water, and it collided with ''Constitution'', entangling her bowsprit in ''Constitution''{{'}}s mizzen rigging. This left only ''Guerriere''{{'}}s bow guns capable of effective fire. Hull's cabin caught fire from the shots, but it was quickly extinguished. With the ships locked together, both Hull and Dacres ordered boarding parties into action, but the sea was heavy and neither party was able to board the opposing ship.<ref name="Teddy9091">Roosevelt (1883), pp. 90–91.</ref>

At one point, the two ships rotated together counter-clockwise, with ''Constitution'' continuing to fire broadsides. When the two ships pulled apart, the force of the bowsprit's extraction sent shock waves through ''Guerriere''{{'}}s rigging. Her foremast collapsed, and that brought the mainmast down shortly afterward.<ref name="Hill160">Hill (1905), p. 160.</ref> ''Guerriere'' was now a dismasted, unmanageable hulk with close to a third of her crew wounded or killed, while ''Constitution'' remained largely intact. Dacres was eventually brought onto ''Constitution'' where he presented his sword to Hull as a sign of surrender, but Hull refused to accept it saying he could not accept the sword from a man who had fought so gallantly.<ref>Toll (2006), pp. 352–353.</ref>

Hull had surprised the crew of ''Guerriere'' with his ship's heavier broadsides and sailing ability. Adding to their astonishment, many of ''Guerriere''{{'}}s shots had rebounded harmlessly off ''Constitution''{{'}}s hull. An American sailor reportedly exclaimed "Huzzah! Her sides are made of iron!" and ''Constitution'' acquired the nickname "Old Ironsides".<ref>Toll (2006), p. 350.</ref> The battle left ''Guerriere'' so badly damaged that it was not worth towing to port, and Hull ordered her to be burned the next morning, after transferring the British prisoners onto ''Constitution''.<ref name="Teddy94">Roosevelt (1883), p. 94.</ref> ''Constitution'' arrived back in Boston on 30 August, where Hull and his crew found that news of their victory had spread fast, and they were hailed as heroes.<ref>Toll (2006), p. 354.</ref>