August 19, 1812 · Atlantic Ocean Theater
August 19, 1812
In one of the most celebrated naval engagements of the war, USS Constitution encountered HMS Guerrière in the North Atlantic and reduced her to a floating wreck in under thirty minutes. British cannon shot was observed to bounce off Constitution's thick oak hull, earning the ship her legendary nickname 'Old Ironsides.' Guerrière was so badly damaged she could not be taken as a prize and was burned. The victory electrified the young American republic, which had feared that its small navy could not stand against the Royal Navy.
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