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Messmates 3 cheers for Captain Hull, and other officers and crew of the CONSTITUTION
CAPTAIN
HULL'S VICTORY
Captain
Hull, Commander of the Frigate CONSTITUTION, took after a short engagement, the
British Frigate GUERRIERE, mounting 49 guns
Ye brave seamen all, where'er you be,
Come hear of a battle late fought on the
sea,
To all true friends to our country we
greet,
Like, us, may be beat all foes that you
meet.
Our brave Captain Hull, will rise to
great fame,
Commands our ship, Constitution by name;
We sail'd on a cruise, our shores to
defend,
Hoping to take some good prize in the
end.
On the 20th of August, as you may relay,
At the close of the day, a sail we did
spy,
We then made all sail, for her we did
steer,
Which proved to be the saucy Guerriere.
Three English colours she then did
display,
We set our colours without more delay,
Then three cheers we gave, our flag to
defend,
Told our officers they could on us
depend.
"What ship is that?" then
Dacres he cry'd,
"The ship Constitution!" our
captain reply'd.
"Pull down those colours so high in
the air,
"And strike to his Majesty's ship
Guerriere."
"Not so!" said our Captain,
"I'd have you to know,
"I never will strike to so mean a
foe."
The enemy's cannon loudly they roared,
Then we a good broadside into her pour'd.
Fight on my brave boys, our captain did
cry,
For we are resolv'd to Conquer or Die!
Firmly to your quarters let ev'ry man
stand,
Let ev'ry gun with bold seamen be mann'd.
Ev'ry shot that we fir'd did very well
tell,
Their masts shot away and overboard fell;
Their firing then ceas'd, no longer could
fight,
In forty minutes time were put in this
plight.
To us they did strike, her colours pull'd
down,
Captain Dacres was beat he fairly did
own.
Her decks they presented a horrible
sight,
Fifteen brave seamen was killed outright.
Sixty‑two wounded men lay in their
gore,
Ne'er was a ship had a worse drubbing
before.
We all went to work when the battle was
o'er,
In removing all of her baggage and
stores.
When to our ship the prisoners all came,
The prize was quitted and left in a
flame,
Which quickly after blew up in the air,
Here then was the end of the ship
Guerriere.
In the
And brave Captain Hull by us all is
ador'd,
Like true Americans our rights will
defend,
And to our government we'll all be a
friend.
‑‑
Anonymous
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The Captain’s Clerk |
