The Frigate Constitution: The Central Figure of the Navy Under Sail |
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Common terms and phrases
24-pounders action Algiers American frigate American sailors anchor armed attack batteries blockade boat Boston Navy Yard brig British frigate British ships British squadron broadside Captain Bainbridge Captain Dacres Captain Hull Captain Stewart captured carried carronades chase coast Commodore Commodore Rodgers Congress Consti Constitution's consul crew cruise Cyane Decatur deck Edward Preble enemy enemy's England English escape fight fire flag flagship fleet French frigate FRIGATE CONSTITUTION gale Gibraltar Guerrière gun-deck gunboats harbor hauled head heavy Humphreys Isaac Hull Java John John Adams later Levant Lieutenant line-of-battle-ships long guns marines masts Mediterranean ment merchant-ships Midshipmen Morris nation naval Navy Department night o'clock old Navy Philadelphia port President prisoners prize rigging sailed seamen sent shore shot side sighted sloop sloop-of-war soon starboard stitution tack tain tion treaty Tripoli Tripolitan Tunis United vessels victory voyage William Bainbridge wind windward wounded York
Popular passages
Page 219 - And burst the cannon's roar ; — The meteor of the ocean air Shall sweep the clouds no more ! Her deck, once red with heroes' blood, Where knelt the vanquished foe, When winds Were hurrying o'er the flood, And waves were white below, No more shall feel the victor's tread, Or know the conquered knee...
Page 52 - To secure respect to a neutral flag requires a naval force organized and ready to vindicate it from insult or aggression. This may even prevent the necessity of going to war by discouraging belligerent powers from committing such violations of the rights of the neutral party as may, first or last, leave no other option.
Page 30 - If I were to make peace with everybody, what should I do with my corsairs ? what should I do with my soldiers ? They would take off my head for the want of other prizes, not being able to live on their miserable allowance.
Page 219 - Ay, tear her tattered ensign down ! Long has it waved on high, And many an eye has danced to see That banner in the sky; Beneath it rung the battle shout, And burst the cannon's roar; — The meteor of the ocean air Shall sweep the clouds no more. Her deck, once red with heroes...
Page 37 - They are superior to any European frigate, and if others should be in company, our frigates can always lead ahead and never be obliged to go into action, but on their own terms, except in a calm; in blowing weather our ships are capable of engaging to advantage double-deck ships.
Page 73 - After having cultivated the branches of our good will, and paved the way for a good understanding and perfect friendship which we wish. may continue forever, we make known that the object and contents of this, our present letter, is. that whereas your Consul, who resides at our Court in your service, has communicated to us, in your name, that you have written to him, informing him that you regarded the Regency of Tripoli in the same point of view as the other Regencies of Barbary, and to be upon...
Page 219 - And waves were white below, No more shall feel the victor's tread, Or know the conquered knee; — The harpies of the shore shall pluck The eagle of the sea...
Page 67 - The ship, I understand, mounts four sixes and two nines; she was formerly the British packet Sandwich, and from the boasting publications at the cape, and the declaration of the officers, she is one of the fastest sailers that swims. She ran three or four years, (if I forget not,) as a privateer out of France, and with greater success than any other that ever sailed out of their ports. She is a beautiful copper-bottomed ship; her cargo consists principally of sugar and coffee. I am, &c. "SILAS TALBOT...
Page 67 - Perhaps no enterprize of the same moment was ever better executed; and I feel myself under great obligations to lieutenant Hull, captain Carmick, and lieutenant Amory, for their avidity in undertaking the scheme I had planned, and for the handsome manner and great address with which they performed this daring adventure.
Page 72 - Twenty-six barrels of dollars constituted a part of her cargo. It is worthy of remark, that the captain, chief of the officers, and many of the privates of the Crescent frigate, have been prisoners at Algiers.