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 and skill as a seaman, he escaped from a British squadron under
Commander Broke. That escape is faithfully described by Mr. Cooper in
his Naval History, from which the following remarks are quoted. “Thus
terminated a chase that has become historical in the American navy, for
its length, closeness and activity. On the part of the English there
were manifested much perseverance and seamanship, a ready imitation,
and a strong desire to get along side of their enemy. But the glory
of the affair was carried off by the officers and people of the
Constitution.
“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
who, perhaps, as seldom err in their nautical criticism as any people
living.” Not long after this affair, Captain Hull met the British
frigate Guerriere, and, to the surprise of the whole world, conquered
her. That fight was of more importance to America than all the
subsequent victories, because it demonstrated that the notion of the
British navy being invincible on the seas was incorrect. Commodore Hull
was the man that showed that an American frigate was equal to a frigate
of any other nation. The following is Mr. Cooper’s description of that
most important and eventful action:--
“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 approached, to avoid being raked, and she
fired a few guns as they bore, but her object was not to commence the
action seriously until quite close. At six o’clock, the enemy bore
up and ran off under his three top-sails and jib, with the wind on
his quarter. As this was an indication of a readiness to receive his
antagonist, in a fair yard-arm fight, the Constitution immediately
set her main-top-gallant sail and foresail to get along side. At a
little past six, the bow of the American frigate began to double on the
quarter of the English ship, when she opened with her forward guns,
drawing slowly ahead with her greater way, both vessels keeping up a
close and heavy fire, as their guns bore.
“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 manœuvre,
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 was wounded in the shoulder, and Mr. Bush
fell dead by a bullet through the head. It being found impossible for
either party to board, in the face of such a fire, and with the heavy
sea that was on, the sails were filled, and just as the Constitution
shot ahead, the fore-mast of the enemy fell carrying down with it
his main-mast, and leaving him wallowing in the trough of the sea, a
helpless wreck. The Constitution now hauled aboard her tacks, ran off a
short distance, secured her masts, and rove new rigging. At 7, she wore
round, and taking a favorable position for raking, a jack that had been
kept flying on the stump of the mizzen-mast of the enemy was lowered.
Mr. George Campbell Read, the third lieutenant, was sent on board the
prize, and the boat soon returned with the report that the captured
vessel was the Guerriere, thirty-eight guns, Captain Dacres, one of the
ships that had so lately chased the Constitution, off New York. The
Constitution kept wearing to remain near her prize, and at two A. M.,
a strange sail was seen closing, when she cleared for action, but at
three the stranger stood off.
“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 she had rove new
rigging, applied the necessary stoppers, and bent a few sails, as has
been seen, she was ready to engage another frigate.” Since that time
Captain Hull has commanded in the Pacific and Mediterranean, and at
shore stations in the United States. He enjoyed the rank of captain
in the United States naval service for thirty-seven years. “No act of
Commodore Hull’s life can be quoted as a drawback upon the immense debt
of gratitude due him by his fellow-citizens. He did not, in the midst
of the continued praise that followed him, yield to a single suggestion
of wrong, nor presume, for a moment, upon the hold which he had on the
affections of the nation. Every day of his life seemed to be spent as
if he felt that day had its special duty, which, if unperformed, would
leave incomplete his honors, and perhaps, tarnish the laurels he had
already acquired. Hence, day by day, he earned new titles to public
affection; and as a man, a patriot, and an officer, he grew in the
esteem of his fellow men. And the last day of his life saw his laurels
as fresh as when they were first woven into a chaplet for his brow.”
He died at his residence in Philadelphia, 13th of February, 1843, in
the sixty-eighth year of his age. By a resolution of Congress, it was
unanimously agreed to present to Captain Isaac Hull, commander of the
frigate Constitution, the thanks of that body and a gold medal (_see_
Plate IX.), for the capture of the British frigate Guerriere, 19th of
August, 1812.