[Illustration: THE "CONSTITUTION." From an early painting of the escape of the _Constitution_ from the British fleet. The men in the boat are preparing to carry out a small anchor.]
[Sidenote: Chased by a British fleet, 1812.]
263. The Frigate _Constitution_.--One of the first vessels to get to sea was the _Constitution_, commanded by Isaac Hull. She sailed from Chesapeake Bay for New York, where she was to serve as a guard-ship. On the way she fell in with a British squadron. The _Constitution_ sailed on with the whole British fleet in pursuit. Soon the wind began to die away. The _Constitution's_ sails were soaked with water to make them hold the wind better. Then the wind gave out altogether, Captain Hull lowered his boats and the men began to tow the ship. But the British lowered their boats also. They set a great many boats to towing their fastest ship, and she began to gain on the _Constitution_. Then Captain Hull found that he was sailing over shoal water, although out of sight of land, so he sent a small anchor ahead in a boat. The anchor was dropped and men on the ship pulled in the anchor line. This was done again and again. The _Constitution _now began to gain on the British fleet. Then a sudden squall burst on the ships. Captain Hull saw it coming and made every preparation to take advantage of it. When the rain cleared away, the _Constitution_ was beyond fear of pursuit. But she could not go to New York, so Captain Hull took her to Boston. The government at once ordered him to stay where he was; but, before the orders reached Boston, the _Constitution_ was far away.
[Sidenote: _Constitution_ and _Guerrière_, 1812.]
264. _Constitution_ and _Guerrière_, 1812.--For some time Hull cruised about in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. One day he sighted a British frigate--the _Guerrière_--one of the ships that had chased the _Constitution_. But now that Hull found her alone, he steered straight for her. In thirty minutes from the firing of the first gun the _Guerrière_ was a ruinous wreck. All of her masts and spars were shot away and most of her crew were killed or wounded. The _Constitution_ was only slightly injured, and was soon ready to fight another British frigate, had there been one to fight. Indeed, the surgeons of the _Constitution_ went on board of the _Guerrière_ to help dress the wounds of the British seamen. The _Guerrière_ was a little smaller than the _Constitution_ and had smaller guns. But the real reason for this great victory was that the American ship and the American guns were very much better handled than were the British ship and the British guns.