Old Ironsides

 

In 1794, Congress authorized the construction of the six warships. These were the first United States Navy ships born in America. Each of the six ships were built at different seaports along the eastern coast. The USS Constitution was built at Hartt's shipyard in the North End of Boston. It was launched October 21, 1797. 

On June 18, 1812, the US declared war against England, the greatest naval power in the world. There are many reasons for this declaration that I won’t go into here. Regardless, in early July 1812 the USS Constitution, captained by Isaac Hull, sailed from Annapolis to join an assembling U.S. squadron near New York. Lookouts sighted half a dozen British ships off Egg Harbor, New Jersey on July 17. The British, being a far superior force, gave chase.  Just as the Constitution turned to flee, the winds died. What ensued was a long and extraordinary slow-speed chase rivaled only by OJ in his white Bronco. 

Captain Hull tried wetting the sails of the Constitution to extract every possible breath of the feeble wind. Occasionally the British came within range and would send volleys of cannon fire trying to slow or disable the Constitution. Some fell short, some wide, and some passed over the ship—but they all missed. 

Hull launched the row boats and tried towing the Constitution, but it wasn’t enough. Hull made use of the anchors, tossing them off the bow, then pulling the ship forward. But this too didn’t help. Finally, in desperation, Hull dumped much of the ship’s drinking water overboard allowing the Constitution to slowly pull away. When twelve miles separated them, the British broke off the chase. 

The Constitution put in at Boston to resupply. Then on August 12, 1812 the Constitution headed east by northeast, in the direction of Nova Scotia, intent on capturing English ships. Over the next two weeks the Constitution took three prizes in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, uncontested. However, in the open ocean, southeast of Nova Scotia, on August 19 she encountered the British frigate Guerriere, one of the ships that had given chase earlier. What ensued was an epic sea battle, the first of many in this war. 

The British fired their long range cannons with little success. When two shots finally struck the hull of the Constitution, they both bounced harmlessly back into the sea. Observing this, one of the crew yelled, “She’s got iron sides!” The nickname stuck. The four-layers of different types of oak that comprised the hull of the Constitution distributed the force of the blow, allowing her to take a direct hit without suffering any damage. 

The two captains performed several intricate maneuvers, struggling to gain the advantage. Hull eventually was able to pull in front of the Guerriere, so close that the bow of the Guerriere was, for a time, stuck in the Constitution’s rigging, allowing the American ship to pummel the Guerriere with volley after volley of maximum cannon fire, while the British ship was limited to only her forward cannons. For twenty minutes the Constitution decimated the Guerriere, bringing down all of her masts and causing her to take on water. The Guerriere surrendered, her crew was transferred to the Constitution, and in the end, the Guerriere was so badly damaged it had to be abandoned and burned. 

This was the first major naval battle of the war and proved to be an important morale boost to a young nation that had already suffered significant losses. Before the war of 1812 was over, the US would see its capital burned to ground, but never its resolve diminished. Many called this test of our young republic a Second War for Independence because we came so close to losing it. 

Why the history lesson? Have you figured it out? “With iron walls,” has a second meaning. The word with can also mean to move in the same direction as. It tells us to move in the same direction as Old Ironsides, not toward it this time, but to match its heading when leaving Boston in 1812 en route to earning its new name, toward Nova Scotia, east by northeast, toward second base!

The poem continues:

Lit by lamplight

This, combined with the previous two lines, alludes to Paul Revere’s midnight ride, but taken separately, it also tells us the direction of the casque. Look at the image and see if you can figure it out. Follow the lamplight emanating from the box. The rays of light fall upon four squarish symbols, the second of which being different from the rest, highlighted if you will. Can you think of four squarish things found on a baseball field? Yep, bases. This is telling us to move toward second base. Now all we need is a distance, which hopefully we can glean from the last line of the poem. 

In truth, be free.

We have now reached the “almost impossible” level of difficulty in this puzzle where the clues become more vague and confounding. There has been much speculation about these final words. Some say it’s just a poetic ending, an artistic expression. Suffice it to say, it’s baffled everyone. To understand this clue we have to again employ scattergram logic. 

Welcome to Level 7.

Let’s look at all of the Boston clues together, as if they were on a graph. Do you see it—the pattern? Our clues include Horace Walpole’s letter, Paul Revere’s ride, Boston Harbor, The War of 1812, and “In truth, be free.” What is the common thread among all of these clues?

Here’s a hint:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

If you were to condense the Declaration of Independence into four words, it might look something like, “In truth, be free.” Which raises the question: Why four words? Why not five or six?

Let's review our clues in detail: The Walpole letter gives us a British perspective during the time leading up to the American war for Independence. Paul Revere and Boston Harbor (the location of the Boston Tea Party) played crucial roles in achieving American Independence. And Old Ironsides helped protect American Independence. Furthermore, the Declaration of Independence consists of five steps (or parts)—the introduction, the preamble, the indictment of King George III, the denunciation of the British Government, and the conclusion. This puzzle appears to have a hidden theme: American Independence.

This theme allows us to ask the question: What number best symbolizes American Independence? This is subjective, but I would say that the Fourth of July is the best numerical representation of American independence. Can we arrive at the Fourth of July through other clues? Yes, but first, I have to address the possible gag reflex you may experience while reading it.