Isaac Hull was born at Derby, in the state of Connecticut, about ten miles distant from New Haven, in 1775. Choosing the sea for his profession, he entered, soon after leaving school, on board a merchant vessel, where he was employed during the interval which occurred between the peace of 1783 and the breaking out of hostilities anew in 1798, when it became the policy of the United States to form a permanent marine. He was immediately appointed a lieutenant, without passing through the subordinate grades; an irregularity of necessary occurrence, owing to the absence of any class of men educated in ships of war from which to make promotion. In May, 1800, he was first lieutenant of the frigate Constitution, under Commodore Talbot, and cut out a French letter of marque from one of the islands of St. Domingo with a small sloop. This gallant act took place at noon-day, without the loss of a single man. In 1804 he commanded the brig Argus, and particularly distinguished himself at the storming of Tripoli and the reduction of Derne. In 1812, he commanded the Constitution, and by his energy “Throughout all the trying circumstances of this arduous struggle, this noble frigate, which had so lately been the sneers of the English critics, maintained the high character of a man of war. Even when pressed upon the hardest, nothing was hurried, confused, or slovenly, but the utmost steadiness, order, and discipline reigned in the ship. A cool, discreet, and gallant commander was nobly sustained by his officers, and there cannot be a doubt that had the enemy succeeded in getting any one of the frigates fairly under the fire of the American ship, that she would have been very roughly treated. The escape itself is not so much a matter of admiration, as the manner in which it was effected. A little water was pumped, it is true; and perhaps this was necessary, in order to put a vessel fresh from port on a level, in light winds and calms, with ships that had been cruising some time; but not an anchor was cut away, not a boat stove, not a gun lost. The steady and man-of-war-like style in which the Constitution took in all her boats as occasions offered; the order and rapidity with which she hedged, and the vigilant seamanship with which she was braced up and eased off, extorted admiration from the more liberal of her pursuers. In this affair, the ship, no less than those who worked her, gained a high reputation, if not with the world generally, at least with those “The Constitution next stood to the southward, and on the 19th, at two P. M., in lat. 41 deg. 41 min., long. 55 deg. 48 min., a sail was made from the mast head, bearing E. S. E., and to leeward, though the distance prevented her character from being discovered. The Constitution immediately made sail in chase, and at three, the stranger was ascertained to be a ship on the starboard tack, under easy canvas, and close hauled. Half an hour later, she was distinctly made out to be a frigate, and no doubt was entertained of her being an enemy. The Constitution kept running free until she was within a league of the frigate to leeward, when she began to shorten sail. By this time the enemy had lain his main topsail aback, in waiting for the Constitution to come down, with everything ready to engage. Perceiving that the Englishman sought a combat, Captain Hull made his own preparations with greater deliberation. The Constitution consequently furled her top-gallant sails, and stowed all her lightstay sails and fling jib. Soon after, she took a second reef in the top-sails, hauled up the courses, sent down royal yards cleared for action, and beat to quarters. At five, the chase hoisted three English ensigns, and immediately after she opened her fire, at long gun shot, wearing several times to rake and prevent being raked. The Constitution occasionally yawed as she “In about ten minutes, or just as the ships were fairly side by side, the mizzen-mast of the Englishman was shot away, when the American passed slowly ahead, keeping up a tremendous fire, and luffed short round on her bows, to prevent being raked. In executing this manoeuvre, the ship shot into the wind, got sternway, and fell foul of her antagonist. While in this situation, the cabin of the Constitution took fire from the close explosion of the forward guns of the enemy, who obtained a small, but momentary advantage from his position. The good conduct of Mr. Hoffman, who commanded in the cabin, soon repaired this accident, and a gun of the enemy’s that had threatened further injury, was disabled. As the vessels touched, both parties prepared to board. The English turned all hands up from below, and mustered forward, with that object, while Mr. Morris the first lieutenant, with his own hands, endeavored to lash the ships together. Mr. Alwyn, the master, and Mr. Bush, the lieutenant of marines, were upon the taffrail of the Constitution to be ready to spring. Both sides now suffered by the closeness of the musketry; the English much the most, however. Mr. Morris was shot through the body, the bullet fortunately missing his vitals. Mr. Alwyn “At daylight the officer in charge hailed to say that the Guerriere had four feet water in her hold, and that there was danger of her sinking. On receiving this information, Captain Hull sent all the boats to remove the prisoners. Fortunately the weather was moderate, and by noon this duty was nearly ended. At three P. M., the prize crew was recalled, having set the wreck on fire, and in a quarter of an hour she blew up. Finding himself filled with wounded prisoners, Captain Hull now returned to Boston, where he arrived on the 30th of the same month. It is not easy, at this distant day, to convey any idea of the full force of the moral impression created in this country, by this victory of one frigate over another. “So deep had been the effect produced on the public mind by the constant accounts of the successes of the English over their enemies at sea, that the opinions already mentioned of their invincibility on that element generally prevailed; and it had been publicly predicted that, before the contest had continued six months, British sloops of war would lie alongside of American frigates with comparative impunity. “Perhaps the only portion of even the American population that expected different results, was that which composed the little body of officers on whom the trial would fall, and they looked forward to the struggle with a manly resolution, rather than with a very confident hope. “But the termination of the combat just related, far exceeded the expectations of even the most sanguine. After making all proper allowance for the difference of force, which certainly existed in favor of the Constitution, as well as for the excuses that the defeated party freely offered to the world, men on both sides of the Atlantic, who were competent to form intelligent opinions on such subjects, saw the promise of many future successes in this. “The style in which the Constitution had been handled, the deliberate and yet earnest manner in which she had been carried into battle; the extraordinary execution that had been made in so short a time by her fire; the readiness and gallantry with which she had cleared for the action, so soon after destroying one British frigate, in which was manifested a disposition to meet another, united to produce a deep conviction of self-reliance, coolness, and skill, that was of infinitely more weight than the transient feeling which might result from any accidental triumph. In this combat the Constitution suffered a good deal in her rigging and sails, but very little in her hull. Her loss was seven killed and seven wounded. As soon as DESCRIPTION OF THE MEDAL.Occasion.—Capture of the Guerriere. Device.—Bust of Captain Hull. Legend.—Isaacus Hull peritos arte superate, July, 1812, Ang. certamine fortes. Reverse.—The battle between the Constitution and Guerriere is represented in that particular and interesting stage, when the boarders from the Guerriere were repulsed, and a raking fire from the Constitution had cut away the main and foremasts of the Guerriere, which are falling, leaving the American ship little injured. Legend.—HorÆ momento victoria. Exergue.—Inter Const. nav. Amer. et Guer. Angl. |