USS Constitution: Oak, Steel and Men

Thesis excerpt by Ryan Miranda

USS Constitution is the oldest warship afloat in the world. After completion in 1797, it served with distinction in the Quasi-War with France, the Barbary Wars, and the War of 1812. Even now, over two hundred years after first entering the waters of Boston harbor, it is held as a symbol of American patriotism. While Constitution is still a commissioned warship in the U.S. Navy with a crew of active-duty sailors and officers, it remains in port as an example of a tangible heritage embodying an essential narrative about American naval history.

This study analyzes artifacts related to Constitution and the complex relationships these objects represent between the crew, the artifact, and the service history of the vessel. In order to achieve this objective, this study examines connections between the artifacts (including tools, weapons, jewelry, and recycled hull materials), social dimensions of the period, and the service history of the ship. In addition, it develops a photo inventory and 3-D models of the artifacts. This contributes towards the museums educational and preservation minded mission. The models could be used as an accurate baseline for tracking material deterioration to enhance websites and other digital platforms designed for both the public and researchers.

The main research question is: does a study of specific artifacts expand the naval service history and provide an understanding of the human dimension of Constitution? In addition, how does this information complement current research into lifeways and other significant narratives of individuals who served onboard? The secondary questions are: 

(1) How do the artifact categories inform about weapon use, religious practices, construction of the vessel, and recycling and reuse of ship materials? 

(2) Does the assemblage symbolize and provide new insight into the formative years of the U.S. Navy? 

(3) In what ways can 3-D photogrammetry models be useful to museums?  

(4) How can the stories of artifacts engage the public in meaningful narratives?  

(5) Can this type of study be usefully duplicated on other historic museum ships? 

Preserved ships and ship museums are a vital public outreach tool for maritime archaeology and heritage. These resources represent robust platforms for education in maritime history and archaeology. Constitution provides a unique opportunity to study the artifact assemblage connected to its status as the oldest warship afloat. The vessel has an impressive service record, including victories against multiple vessels in the War of 1812. It also continues to be a commissioned warship with a crew of active-duty sailors and officers, which makes Constitution the oldest commissioned warship in the U.S. Navy. While HMS Victory is older than Constitution, it remains in dry dock, while crewmembers take Constitution into Boston Harbor to conduct regular sailing trials. Another reason for choosing Constitution is that ten to twenty percent of the ship is still original wood from the 1790s (Mansfield 2000:5). 

Finally, the construction of Constitution and its sister ships helped protect American maritime trade and encouraged a naval shipbuilding industry that expanded to the entire east coast of the United States. With materials for each ship transported from almost every state, this construction helped strengthen the bond, symbolically and economically, between the states. The construction also boosted the local economy and pride in Boston. Most of the materials and shipyard labor on Constitution originated from the city and generated $200,000 for the craftsman. Bostonians believe that Constitution belongs to the citizens of Boston and the ship is on loan to the U.S. Navy. Constitution has a way of uniting people and the nation it represents. Even today, thousands of people visit the ship and view it with the same admiration that the people of Boston did during construction in Hart’s Shipyard from 1795-1797. 

Utilizing an artifact biography approach, this study sought to make connections between significant events and to tell the story of individuals who either sailed or worked with the ship through its lifetime. For example, George Claghorn’s bevel gauge (USSCM# 2106.1) is used to examine and assess the construction of Constitution and the carpenters and woodsmen who shaped the wood that built the ship. 

Commodore Edward Preble’s sword provides insight into the combat the ship went through. Edward Preble commanded Constitution during the Barbary Wars. Preble took command of the ship in 1803 when it sailed to the Mediterranean to deal with the Barbary States of North Africa (NHHC 2016a). The Barbary Wars were one of the first theaters where Constitution and the U.S. Navy made a name for themselves. Some of the operations during this conflict were the burning of USS Philadelphia, and the blockade and assaults on the cities of Tripoli and Derna. Commodore Edward Preble’s sword symbolizes the combat that an officer was expected to take part in while in the ship’s company. The sword also symbolizes the responsibilities and standards that the officer was expected to uphold. 

Author is taking pictures of a sword owned by Commodore Edward Preble, a commander of the USS Constitution, in preparation for creating a 3-D photogrammetric model for his thesis research. Credit: Ryan Miranda

Lieutenant Benjamin Shattuck’s rosary (USSCM# 362.1 NHHC loan) provides a unique insight into the personal lives of the sailors on the ship. Pope Pius IX gave rosaries to Catholic members of the crew in 1849 when he visited the ship (Martin 1997b:295). It represents the religious aspects of the crew and their conduct in different ports. The rosary also represents a unique event because it symbolized the first time a Pope set foot on American territory. 

Lastly, the souvenirs created from recycled materials of the ship are symbolic of the refits that the ship underwent in its history. They show the importance and work that the ship received transitioning from an active duty warship into a historical monument. They also examine the ship’s interactions with the public and the reputation and fame of the ship held over its long service history. 

The final aspect of this study is to the use of 3-D photogrammetry in museums’ public outreach and preservation programs. As stated before, historic ship museums are a vital public outreach tool for maritime archaeology and history. The use of 3-D photogrammetric models in museums offers possibilities for interactive exhibits, a higher level of preservation, and increased interest in the artifact and collection. Models of three artifacts featured in this study: Commodore Preble’s sword, George Claghorn’s bevel gauge, and Lieutenant Shattuck’s rosary, to examine the different ways this technology can positively affect their respective institutions.  

Constitution is over two hundred years old and has been a part of some of the defining moments in American naval history. The ship and artifacts related to it help tell the stories of the individuals who worked and fought on the ship over those centuries. This study attempts to make those connections between the individuals, the ship, and the world.

Ryan graduated with a Master’s Degree from East Carolina University in 2020. This is an excerpt from his thesis Oak, Steel, and Men: The History of USS Constitution through Artifact Biographies. © Ryan Miranda.

USS Constitution photo credit: Ryan Miranda

Find out more about USS Constitution.

USS Constitution Museum
https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/

National Park Service information on USS Constitution
https://www.nps.gov/bost/learn/historyculture/ussconst.htm

Naval History and Heritage Command information on USS Constitution
https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/constitution.html