Wind in the Sails Once More

The Constitution’s hull was built of sturdy oak and served the American vessel well in the War of 1812. A British cannonball fired into its flank fell harmlessly into the sea, and since that battle the ship has been honored as “Old Ironsides.” But it was not iron that saved the ship, rather the steeliest of spirits.

Built in Boston as one of the six warships that constituted the young republic’s first navy, the Constitution distinguished itself in battle after battle, never suffering a defeat. Distinguished as well by its graceful lines, flowing sails and elaborate rigging, the ship captured the fancy of the young nation and of generations of Americans since.

Monday, after a four-year, $12-million restoration, the Constitution sailed again under its own power--for the first time in 116 years. The hourlong, four-mile trip across Massachusetts Bay from Marblehead Harbor ended in a proud and almost riotous celebration. The ship was jammed with Navy brass, dignitaries and journalists and flanked by two modern warships, and the Blue Angels jets flew overhead. On shore, thousands cheered the majestic crossing.

For many of its 200 years, the scrap heap seemed the probable final berth for the proud frigate. An ode penned by Oliver Wendell Holmes helped spare Old Ironsides in 1830:

O better that her shattered hulk

Should sink beneath the wave!

Her thunders shook the mighty deep,

And there should be her grave.

Pennies from schoolchildren paid for its restoration nearly a century later, and in 1934 Old Ironsides was towed from Boston to San Diego and back.

Monday’s passage of the Constitution, so graceful and timeless, was a miracle of endurance and a glorious glimpse of America’s past.