Download or read book Old Ironsides written by David Fitz-Enz and published by Taylor Trade Publications. This book was released on 2009-01-15 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the story of the oldest warship afloat in the world, the venerable frigate USS Constitution, the cornerstone of the nascent American navy created by act of Congress in 1794. Colonel David Fitz-Enz re-creates the world of sail, when seven knots an hour was considered blinding speed for a warship. In Old Ironsides, Fitz-Enz tells the story of the ship, from its construction to the ongoing restoration efforts that keep it active today.
Download or read book Old Ironsides written by Thomas C. Gillmer and published by International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press. This book was released on 1997-02-22 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In her youth she was beautiful. Her fine lines and graceful sheer, her lightly upturned head, the classic quarter galleries and restrained carvings gracing her 18th-century transom stern--all flowed together flawlessly in this magnificent creature of the sea. Her loft rig spread more sail than any European frigate. In fact, she and her two sisterships were larger in every way than their contemporaries. She is the USS Constitution--the oldest warship afloat anywhere in the world. This proud old warrior has seen--and participated in--virtually all our nation's history. She fought in four wars; circled the world as a symbol of American power; was commanded by the superstars of American naval history: Preble, Decatur, Bainbridge, Rodgers, Hull, Stewart, MacDonough. Constitution is the definitive American icon--older than the Washington Monument, Mount Rushmore, the White House. But her age has been one of her greatest enemies, second only to bureaucratic indifference. The ship that rallied American in the second war of independence later found herself reduced to a floating classroom at Annapolis, and still later became a barracks for transient seamen. Theodore Roosevelt's Secretary of the Navy even recommended that she be towed to sea for gunnery practice. In 1830, rumors that she was to be scrapped prompted Oliver Wendell Holmes to write his epic poem, "Old Ironsides." The ensuing public clamor brought Constitution a complete overhaul. She was rescued by the public again in 1876 for the American Centennial, and given a cosmetic makeover in 1907. In 1927, she received an extensive restoration, funded in part by collections from school children. Now, 200 years after her launching, this living link with our nation's beginnings is again preparing to sail. Old Ironsides is the story of this great ship, told by Professor Thomas C. Gillmer, the man the Navy chose to assess her structure and recommend procedures to restore her strength and form. Gillmer answers nagging questions surrounding the true identity of Constitution's designer, settles the controversy about the 1850s-era frigate masquerading as the original frigate Constellation in Baltimore, charts the history of Constitution's major and minor reconstructions, and provides a detailed analysis of her true condition today. Old Ironsides's pages are filled with drawings, plans, and photographs, many never before published, that are a treasure trove for maritime historians. The book includes a full-color section detailing Constitution's earlier triumphs by celebrated marine painter William Gilkerson, commissioned especially for this book. If ships may be considered living beings, Constitution is the last living link with our nation's beginnings--and Old Ironsides brings her to life.
Download or read book The Perfect Wreck Old Ironsides and Hms Jav written by Steven E. Maffeo and published by . This book was released on 2011-05-01 with total page 382 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "HMS Java and the USS Constitution (the famous "Old Ironsides") face off in the War of 1812's most spectacular blue-water frigate action. Their separate stories begin in August 1812--one in England and the other in New England. Then, the tension and suspense rise, week-by-week, as the ships cruise the Atlantic, slowly and inevitably coming together for the final life-and-death climax."--Back cover.
Download or read book Old Ironsides an Illustrated History of USS Constitution written by Thomas Patrick Horgan and published by Yankee Publishing, Incorporated. This book was released on 1980 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The history of the USS Constitution.
Download or read book 1812 written by George C. Daughan and published by Basic Books (AZ). This book was released on 2011-10-04 with total page 530 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tells the story of how America's war fleet, only twenty ships strong, was able to defeat the world's greatest imperial power through a combination of nautical deftness and sheer bravado to win the War of 1812.
Download or read book The Story of Old Ironsides written by Emilie Benson Knipe and published by . This book was released on 1928 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Eagle of the Sea written by Bruce Grant and published by Pickle Partners Publishing. This book was released on 2018-12-05 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: U.S.S. Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy named by President George Washington after the United States Constitution. She is the world’s oldest commissioned naval vessel still afloat. She was launched in 1797, one of six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794 and the third constructed. Constitution is most noted for her actions during the War of 1812 against the United Kingdom, when she captured numerous merchant ships and defeated five British warships: H.M.S. Guerriere, Java, Pictou, Cyane, and Levant. The battle with Guerriere earned her the nickname “Old Ironsides” and public adoration that has repeatedly saved her from scrapping. She continued to serve as flagship in the Mediterranean and African squadrons, and she circled the world in the 1840s. During the American Civil War, she served as a training ship for the United States Naval Academy. She carried American artwork and industrial displays to the Paris Exposition of 1878. “The author, an authority on the history of the Constitution (better known as Old Ironsides), has unearthed a good deal of documentary source material relating to her story, and has used some of this material in this, his first book for boys and girls. The story is told through the experiences of a boy who helped build her in the Boston shipyards, and later sailed on her as a recruit of the new U.S. Navy, first to prove her might against the Barbary pirates, later against the British in the War of 1812. The bloody pirate battles, the rush of wind in the sails, the loud report of heavy shells, all are there to please any boy or girl who revels in stories of the days of sailing ships and battles. The historical and biographical background of this make it good supplementary reading, of particular use in school libraries.”—Kirkus Review Richly illustrated throughout by Gordon Grant.
Download or read book American Heavy Frigates 1794 1826 written by Mark Lardas and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-10-20 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: By 1805 the 44-gun frigate was probably viewed as a failed experiment whilst the 38-gun frigate was viewed as the vessel of the future. Ten years later every navy was building 44-gun frigates and today it is viewed as the symbol of the Napoleonic-era cruiser. This remarkable transformation resulted from the performance of three ships – the Constitution, United States, and President – 44-gun frigates built for the United States Navy between 1794 and 1799. Their victories in the naval War of 1812, as well as their performance against the Barbary Pirates, caught the imagination of the world – and spurred all navies into re-examining the class.
Download or read book Constitution vs Guerriere written by Mark Lardas and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-01-20 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Famed as a classic naval duel, a one-on-one clash between two sailing frigates offered the victor immeasurable fame and glory. During the War of 1812, the Royal Navy and United States Navy squared off in four such duels, the most famous that between the USS Constitution and HMS Guerrière. Ships and tactics between the two nations varied enormously, with the American navy favouring a revolutionary design of frigate, with twenty-four pounder guns and heavy structural timbers, while the British, used to fighting the French and Spanish navies, relied on smaller, eighteen-pounder frigates. Through first-hand accounts of these four single-ship actions and fascinating comparisons of artillery, crew ability and tactical achievements, this book offers an unparalleled insight into the ruthless reality of frigate battles in the War of 1812.
Download or read book the story of old ironsides written by norman richards and published by . This book was released on 1967 with total page 38 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Greatest U S Navy Stories Ever Told written by Iain Martin and published by Globe Pequot. This book was released on 2006 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The amazing experiences of Americas proud sailors from the birth of the US Navy to todays operations around the globe From the highly successful "Greatest Stories Ever Told" series--over 150000 in print!
Download or read book Building the Wooden Fighting Ship written by James Dodds and published by Greenhill Books. This book was released on 2022-01-30 with total page 403 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A fascinating account of the building of an historic ship, as well as a vivid and often surprising account of life and labour in the eighteenth century. In an age before industrialisation, the warship was the most complex object built by man and employed the most advanced technology of its time. Naval vessels of the period were, not surprisingly, so expensive to construct that meticulous records were kept, from the purchasing of timbers to the last details of their furnishings and armament, including even the individual names of some of the shipwrights and craftsmen. By carefully studying these records, the authors of Building the Wooden Fighting Ship have reconstructed, in extraordinary detail, the building of HMS Thunderer—a two-decked, 74-gun ship-of-the-line. In words and specially drawn illustrations, contemporary prints and paintings, the authors show every stage of the building of this ship, from the purchase and cutting of timbers right through to the launch in 1760. There are descriptions of Woolwich dockyard where she was built and details of all the skills and trades involved in her construction. First published in 1984, this book is a beautiful and highly informative work on a significant aspect of the Royal Navy and will appeal to enthusiasts, modellers, historians, and anyone with an interest in traditional crafts. Praise for Building the Wooden Fighting Ship “This book will appeal to model builders who focus on the Age of Sail and anyone interested in how these incredible pieces of art and engineering were constructed.” —Nautical Research Journal “Dodds is both a shipwright and an artist, whose black and white drawings provide readers with a clear understanding of each facet along the way. Moore sails yachts and writes books about ships. Their expertise shines through, turning what might be a ho-hum dry treatise on shipbuilding into a fascinating and easy-to-understand narrative. Originally published in 1984, this new edition is beautifully rendered and well worth the price. There are so many details presented that even those familiar with ship construction will discover new tidbits of information, while those with little understanding of the industry will come away with a deeper appreciation of what it took to build one wooden fighting ship out of more than 3,400 oak trees.” —Pirates and Privateers
Download or read book Through the Perilous Fight written by Steve Vogel and published by Random House. This book was released on 2013-05-07 with total page 561 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a rousing account of one of the critical turning points in American history, Through the Perilous Fight tells the gripping story of the burning of Washington and the improbable last stand at Baltimore that helped save the nation and inspired its National Anthem. In the summer of 1814, the United States of America teetered on the brink of disaster. The war it had declared against Great Britain two years earlier appeared headed toward inglorious American defeat. The young nation’s most implacable nemesis, the ruthless British Admiral George Cockburn, launched an invasion of Washington in a daring attempt to decapitate the government and crush the American spirit. The British succeeded spectacularly, burning down most of the city’s landmarks—including the White House and the Capitol—and driving President James Madison from the area. As looters ransacked federal buildings and panic gripped the citizens of Washington, beleaguered American forces were forced to regroup for a last-ditch defense of Baltimore. The outcome of that “perilous fight” would help change the outcome of the war—and with it, the fate of the fledgling American republic. In a fast-paced, character-driven narrative, Steve Vogel tells the story of this titanic struggle from the perspective of both sides. Like an epic novel, Through the Perilous Fight abounds with heroes, villains, and astounding feats of derring-do. The vindictive Cockburn emerges from these pages as a pioneer in the art of total warfare, ordering his men to “knock down, burn, and destroy” everything in their path. While President Madison dithers on how to protect the capital, Secretary of State James Monroe personally organizes the American defenses, with disastrous results. Meanwhile, a prominent Washington lawyer named Francis Scott Key embarks on a mission of mercy to negotiate the release of an American prisoner. His journey will place him with the British fleet during the climactic Battle for Baltimore, and culminate in the creation of one of the most enduring compositions in the annals of patriotic song: “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Like Pearl Harbor or 9/11, the burning of Washington was a devastating national tragedy that ultimately united America and renewed its sense of purpose. Through the Perilous Fight combines bravura storytelling with brilliantly rendered character sketches to recreate the thrilling six-week period when Americans rallied from the ashes to overcome their oldest adversary—and win themselves a new birth of freedom. Praise for Through the Perilous Fight “Very fine storytelling, impeccably researched . . . brings to life the fraught events of 1814 with compelling and convincing vigor.”—Rick Atkinson, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of An Army at Dawn “Probably the best piece of military history that I have read or reviewed in the past five years. . . . This well-researched and superbly written history has all the trappings of a good novel. . . . No one who hears the national anthem at a ballgame will ever think of it the same way after reading this book.”—Gary Anderson, The Washington Times “[Steve] Vogel does a superb job. . . . [A] fast-paced narrative with lively vignettes.”—Joyce Appleby, The Washington Post “Before 9/11 was 1814, the year the enemy burned the nation’s capital. . . . A splendid account of the uncertainty, the peril, and the valor of those days.”—Richard Brookhiser, author of James Madison “A swift, vibrant account of the accidents, intricacies and insanities of war.”—Kirkus Reviews
Download or read book Sweet Pea at War written by William Thomas GenerousJr. and published by University Press of Kentucky. This book was released on 2010-09-12 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Few ships in American history have had as illustrious a history as the heavy cruiser USS Portland (CA-33), affectionately known by her crew as 'Sweet Pea.' With the destructionof most of the U.S. battleship fleet at Pearl Harbor, cruisers such as Sweet Pea carried the biggest guns the Navy possessed for nearly a year after the start of World War II. Sweet Pea at War describes in harrowing detail how Portland and her sisters protected the precious carriers and held the line against overwhelming Japanese naval strength. Portland was instrumental in the dramatic American victories at the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Battle of Midway, and the naval battle of Guadalcanal—conflicts that historians regard as turning points in the Pacific war. She rescued nearly three thousand sailors from sunken ships, some of them while she herself was badly damaged. Only a colossal hurricane ended her career, but she sailed home from that, too. Based on extensive research in official documents and interviews with members of the ship's crew, Sweet Pea at War recounts from launching to scrapping the history of USS Portland, demonstrating that she deserves to be remembered as one of the most important ships in U.S. naval history.
Download or read book Silas Talbot written by William M. Fowler and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Silas Talbot, Captain of Old Ironsides brings us the full and fascinating life of a man who was soldier, sailor, Revolutionary War hero, prisoner of war, politician, businessman, country gentleman, captain in the U.S. Navy, and honored citizen of the republic he helped to create.
Download or read book Six Frigates The Epic History of the Founding of the U S Navy written by Ian W. Toll and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2008-02-26 with total page 585 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the decision to build six heavy frigates through the cliffhanger campaign against Tripoli to the war that shook the world in 1812, Toll tells the grand tale of the founding of the U.S. Navy.
Download or read book Some Stories of Old Ironsides written by Holloway Halstead Frost and published by Good Press. This book was released on 2023-11-01 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Some Stories of Old Ironsides" by Holloway Halstead Frost. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.
