"Old Ironsides" is a

poem Poetry (derived from the Greek ''poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meanings in ...

written by

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

writer

Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. (; August 29, 1809 – October 7, 1894) was an American physician, poet, and polymath based in Boston. Grouped among the fireside poets, he was acclaimed by his peers as one of the best writers of the day. His most fa ...

on September 16, 1830, as a tribute to the 18th-century . The poem was one reason that the

frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied somewhat. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and ...

was saved from being decommissioned, and it is now the oldest commissioned ship in the world that is still afloat.

Text

Aye tear her tattered ensign down Long has it waved on high, And many an eye has danced to see That banner in the sky; Beneath it rung the battle shout, And burst the cannon's roar;— The meteor of the ocean air Shall sweep the clouds no more. Her deck, once red with heroes' blood, Where knelt the vanquished foe, When winds were hurrying o'er the flood, And waves were white below, No more shall feel the victor's tread, Or know the conquered knee;— The harpies of the shore shall pluck The eagle of the sea! Oh, better that her shattered hulk Should sink beneath the wave; Her thunders shook the mighty deep, And there should be her grave; Nail to the mast her holy flag, Set every threadbare sail, And give her to the god of storms, The lightning and the gale! - Oliver Wendell Holmes

Background

"Old Ironsides" was the nickname given to the 18th-century frigate, USS ''Constitution'' during the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

after its

naval battle Naval warfare is combat in and on the sea, the ocean, or any other battlespace involving a major body of water such as a large lake or wide river. Mankind has fought battles on the sea for more than 3,000 years. Even in the interior of large lan ...

with . ''Constitution'' was one of the

original six frigates of the United States Navy The United States Congress authorized the original six frigates of the United States Navy with the Naval Act of 1794 on March 27, 1794, at a total cost of $688,888.82 (). These ships were built during the formative years of the United States Nav ...

, commissioned by the Naval Act of 1794. It was the third of four ships with 44 guns and was granted its name by President

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

. The ship saw action during the

Quasi-War The Quasi-War (french: Quasi-guerre) was an undeclared naval war fought from 1798 to 1800 between the United States and the French First Republic, primarily in the Caribbean and off the East Coast of the United States. The ability of Congres ...

, the

First Barbary War The First Barbary War (1801–1805), also known as the Tripolitan War and the Barbary Coast War, was a conflict during the Barbary Wars, in which the United States and Sweden fought against Tripolitania. Tripolitania had declared war against Sw ...

, the Battle of Tripoli Harbor, and the Battle of Derne before it earned the famous nickname during the War of 1812. It was nicknamed this because the live oak wood with which the ship was made was so strong that the 18-pound British cannonballs bounced right off the hull

Composition and publication history

Holmes had recently abandoned his studies of law and began writing poetry for fun. In September 1830, he read an article in the ''

Boston Daily Advertiser The ''Boston Daily Advertiser'' (est. 1813) was the first daily newspaper in Boston, and for many years the only daily paper in Boston. History The ''Advertiser'' was established in 1813, and in March 1814 it was purchased by journalist Nathan ...

'' about the Navy's plans to dismantle the historic USS ''Constitution''. Startled, he was moved to write "Old Ironsides" to express his opposition to the scrapping. The poem was published in the ''Advertiser'' the next day and was soon reprinted by papers in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington.

Response

The poem brought Holmes immediate national attention, and the poem would remain among his best-known. Also, the poem generated enough public sentiment that the historic ship was preserved though plans to do so may have already been in motion. Today, ''Constitution'' is well known by its nickname "Old Ironsides" and is the oldest commissioned ship in the world that is still afloat.Old Ironsides: Eagle of the Sea: The Story of the USS Constitution by military historian Colonel David Fitz-Enz Publisher: Taylor Trade Publishing, reprint edition (June 15, 2009), ,

References

External links

{{wikisource, Old Ironsides
"Old Ironsides"
original text with original author notes
"The USS Constitution and Holmes' 'Old Ironsides'"
by Linda Sue Grimes American poems 1830 poems Works by Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. Works about ships