Throughout the early 1800s, relations deteriorated between the United States and Great Britain. The British government in Canada was encouraging native uprisings in the west, which made American settlement of these lands more difficult; indeed, 1810 saw the election of a group of "warhawks" from the frontier. Meanwhile, American merchants risked seizure of wares destined for France, American ports came under occasional blockades, and British ships were known to press American sailors into service. At one point, before open hostilities broke out, while their two ships were resting at anchor in Delaware, Captain Dacres of HMS Guerriere met an American captain on shore and they debated the merits of their respective navies. Dacres proposed a wager in case their ships ever met in battle.

"I'll bet no money," answered Captain Isaac Hull, "but I'll wager a hat that my ship, the Constitution, emerges victorious."

War was declared soon afterward, and a month later, on July 17, 1812, Constitution was sailing north from Annapolis. She had recently had her hull cleaned and provisions restocked, and she was sailing with a crew consisting of many new recruits. Off the New Jersey coast as dusk fell, the lookout spotted an unknown ship. The next morning's light revealed five ships of the British Navy; Constitution was in a dangerous spot.

The entire U.S. fleet at this time consisted of 15 ships at sea, with another five being repaired; the strongest American ship carried fewer than 60 guns. In contrast, the British boasted more than a thousand ships, including some ships of the line with more than 100 guns. This was indeed a time when Brittania ruled the waves.

Constitution had been launched in 1797 after three years of construction. Two hundred feet in length, she was made of live oak timbers and included planking seven inches thick. Paul Revere had made copper fittings for the ship as well as the sheathing that protected the hull. With specialty woods obtained from Maine to Georgia, and cannon cast in Rhode Island, she was a ship representing all regions of the young nation.

The wind had died completely. Hull ordered boats lowered so the crew could row, pulling Constitution out of range of enemy guns. The British followed a similar tactic, and they soon started to close the gap because they could muster sailors from all five ships to pull their closest vessels in chase.

Hull's second-in-command, Lieutenant Morris, proposed another tactic. A sounding revealed that that they were in 26 fathoms of water, deep for his plan but still feasible. Splicing together all the heavy ropes on board, they formed two lengthy cables. They attached one to a light anchor and rowed it as far ahead as the rope would allow, nearly a mile. As soon as that kedge was dropped, sailors on board the frigate pulled aft, propelling the ship forward. Meanwhile, a second anchor was rowed ahead into position and the process began again.

The British were taken aback by Constitution's apparent burst of speed, but they soon discovered the trick and began kedging themselves. For 48 hours, this process continued, with a dead calm hanging over the ocean. Occasional spurts of wind allowed the ships to raise sail for short times and the chase continued.

Finally, clouds appeared to windward, a sign of approaching weather. It appeared to be a threatening squall, and as one naval historian put it, with "great ostentation" the Constitution made ready for a severe gale. Through their telescopes, the British observed American sailors making preparations for a storm, furling all canvas. As wind, lightning, and rain swept in, the British followed their lead, assuming that the Americans knew the local weather. Once the driving sheets of rain were heavy enough to block visibility, Hull ordered all sails unfurled and the Constitution bolted. An hour later, the storm cleared and the British ships were far astern.

The ship eventually made its way to Boston and took on fresh supplies. Hearing of a British ship in waters nearby and not wanting to be trapped in Boston Harbor with a blockade, Hull slipped out to sea. Around the same time, Captain Dacres, whose Guerriere had been in the fleet of British ships eluded by Constitution, left a message to any of the Yankee ships in the vicinity to meet him at sea "for the purpose of having a few minutes' tete-a -tete."

Late in the afternoon of August 19, 1812, Constitution came upon the Guerriere and the ships closed for battle. Guerriere fired the first broadsides, most of which fell short or went through Constitution's rigging; the American frigate replied with occasional volleys from its bow guns. The ships drew steadily closer.

As one nineteenth century history recounts, "Hull had been walking the quarterdeck, keenly watching every movement. He was quite fat, and wore very tight breeches." Lt. Morris asked for permission to fire a broadside, but Hull denied his request: "Not yet." A few minutes later, he repeated the request; it was denied again. Guerriere was getting the range, but when cannonballs hit the Constitution, they bounced off. At one point a sailor cried, "Huzza! Her sides are made of iron," giving Constitution her eventual nickname of "Old Ironsides."

When the two ships were within half a pistol shot, Hull shouted, "Now boys, pour it into them!" at the top of his lungs and gestured vigorously. The history continues, "When the smoke that followed the result of that order cleared away, it was discovered that the commander, in his energetic movements, had split his tight breeches from waistband to knee, but he did not stop to change them during the action."

That first broadside took down Guerriere's mizzenmast, and the ships were practically alongside with the muzzles of each ship's cannons nearly touching the planking of the other. Soon, the bowsprit of the Guerriere came across the Constitution's quarterdeck and the two ships were locked together, with deadly fire ringing out from the marines deployed high in the rigging. Guerriere's foremast was shot away and as it fell, it took down the mainmast. Recognizing his ship's plight, Dacres ordered a shot of surrender from an aft gun. He was taken to the Constitution and brought to the captain's cabin, where he offered up his sword.

"No, no, captain, I'll not take a sword from one who knows so well how to use it," said Hull, remembering their wager. "But I will trouble you for your hat."

Guerriere was set on fire and Constitution returned with its prisoners to Boston, where the American public gave them a warm welcome. The British had enjoyed recent victories in fighting near Detroit and local newspapers had been unable to find any American victories to celebrate. Hull was given a huge banquet, followed by celebrations in New York and Philadelphia, and a gold medal from Congress. The crew was awarded the value of the captured ship--$50,000--to divide as a reward. Hull's Victory became known throughout the young nation, and lives today as a classic contra dance and tune.