After the sea battle between the USS Constitution and the British warship the HMS Guerriere on Aug. 19, 1812, a sailor from the crew of the Constitution was lowered over the side to assess the battle damage.
When he saw several of Guerriere’s cannonballs lodged into the side of the ship, he yelled up to Commodore Isaac Hull, “Huzzah! Her sides are made of iron!” Peering down, Hull replied, “Ironsides, aye!”
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