Old Ironsides(humor)

MossRoad · Jul 11, 2002

Yeah, it was made of wood, but the sides were clad with metal to deflect cannon balls.

Hoosier_Daddy · Jul 11, 2002

Here's some STATS from the Web Page:

Hoosier_Daddy · Jul 11, 2002

Well, that didn't work...... File too big....... Definately a big ship.... Wonder what I saw at Baltimore.......

MJB · Jul 11, 2002

Maybe I am mistaken but I don't think it was even clad in iron. I watched a documentary about the ship on the History channel a few weeks ago. The story was that during a battle against a British frigate someone on the Constitution claimed to have seen an enemy cannonball bounce off the side of the ship. The man exclaimed something like "Her sides are made of Iron". Hence the nickname “Old Ironsides”.

Golfgar4 · Jul 11, 2002

<font color=blue>"Wonder what I saw at Baltimore......."</font color=blue>

The U.S.S. Constellation

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.southbaltimore.com/InnerHarbor/Constellation/index.html>U.S.S. Constellation</A>

s1120 · Jul 11, 2002

There is also the "Pride Of Baltimore II" That used to be there.

PitbullMidwest · Jul 11, 2002

I thought the name came from the iron crossbraced keel (a new innovation at the time).

Hoosier_Daddy · Jul 11, 2002

AH Yes Golf, Thanks, I was sure I saw something there that resembled a ship....... Tom

PitbullMidwest · Jul 11, 2002

MJB you are correct about the name. From the official <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.ussconstitution.navy.mil>website</A>

Aug. 19 - The CONSTITUTION's historic fight with HMS GUERRIERE takes place some 600 miles east of Boston on the afternoon of August 19, 1812. After an hour of inconclusive maneuvering and shooting, the two settle down to a short-range slugfest. After 20 minutes the Briton's mizzenmast falls, and a short time later both her remaining masts go overboard. At some point in the battle, someone reportedly sees a British shot bounce off the CONSTITUTION's side, and shouts, "Huzzah! Her sides are made of iron!"-and so is born the nickname "OLD IRONSIDES."

Ozarker · Jul 11, 2002

Their beer was probably similar to the beers that Europeans make and was not even closely related to the horse pee that we Americans call beer.

I can assure you, from personal experience, that you can survive quite well on German beer and a little bread and cheese. Of course that practice can also cause a little domestic friction from time to time as well. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif