 |
Medal Name: Capture of the Guerrière
Struck for: Captain Isaac Hull
Approval: Act of Congress January 29, 1813
OBVERSE
ISAACUS HULL PERITOS ARTE SUPERAT JUL. (Julii), MDCCCXII AUG. (Augusti) CERTAMINEFORTES.(Isaac Hull conquers in July, 1812, the skilled by stratagem, and in August, the strong in battle.)
Bust of Captain Hull, in uniform, facing the left. On edge of bust,
REVERSE
HORAE MOMENTO VICTORIA. (Victory in the space of an hour.)
Naval action between the United Statesfrigate Constitution, of forty-four guns, Captain Hull, and the British frigate Guerrière, of forty-nine guns,Captain Dacres.
The Constitution, firing her starboard battery, carries away the Guerrière's mizzenmast, which, in falling, takes with it the mainmast; the Guerrière, having already lost her foremast, is completely dismasted; the Constitution, on the contrary, is but slightly injured in her rigging.
Exergue:
INTER CONST.NAV. AMER. ET GUER. ANGL. (Inter Constitution navem Americanam et Guerrière Anglicanam: Betweenthe American vessel Constitution and the English vessel Guerrière)
BACKGROUND
Isaac Hull was born at Derby, Connecticut, March 9, 1775. He was first in the merchant service, but entered thenavy as lieutenant in 1798, and served under Commodores Preble and Barron before Tripoli, 1802-1805. In May, 1804, he was appointed master-commandant, and in April, 1806, captain. On July 17, 1812, and on the following two days, while in command of the frigate Constitution, he found himself becalmed, with a fleet of five British vessels in pursuit of him, but by repeatedly sending out his kedge anchors and hauling his ship up to them, he kept out of their reach until the breeze sprung up again, when he soon left them far astern. A few weeks later, August 19, he fell in with and captured the British frigate Guerrière, Captain J. A. Dacres, for which gallant action Congress gave him a vote of thanks and a gold medal. After the war, he commanded in the Pacific and the Mediterranean. He was a member of the Naval Board, and was at the head of the navy yards at Boston and at Washington. He died in Philadelphia, February 3, 1843.
Resolution of Congress Voting a Medal to Captains Hull, Decatur, Jones, etc.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, requested to present to Captain Hull of the frigate Constitution, Captain Decatur of the frigate United States, and Captain Jones of the sloop of war Wasp, each a gold medal, with suitable emblems and devices; and a silver medal, with like emblems and devices, to each commissioned officer of the aforesaid vessels, in testimony of the high sense entertained by Congress of the gallantry, good conduct, and services of the captains, officers, and crews of the aforesaid vessels in their respective conflicts with the British frigates the Guerrière and the Macedonian, and sloop of war Frolic; and the President is also requested to present a silver medal, with like emblems and devices, to the nearest male relative of Lieutenant Bush, and one to the nearest male relative of Lieutenant Funk, intestimony of the gallantry and merit of those deceased officers, in whom their country has sustained a lossmuch to be regretted.
Section 2. And be it further resolved, That the President of the United States be, and he hereby is, requested to present to Lieutenant Elliott of the navy of the United States, an elegant sword, with suitable emblems and devices, in testimony of the just sense entertained by Congress of his gallantry and good conduct in boarding and capturing the British brigs Detroit and Caledonia, while anchored under the protection of Fort Erie.
Approved January 29, 1813.
Source: The Medallic History of the United States of America 1776-1876 by J. F. Loubat, LL.D. (1878)