Now this is cool, even if you’re not a Sailor. The USS Constitution Museum has acquired the sword of Captain Isaac Hull and puts it on display starting today.

Hull was in command when Constitution took HMS Guerriere and sent a shock through the Royal Navy and the British public. Read what a representative of the museum has to say about it:  

“It’s really an icon of command,” Ronald Egalka, a member of the museum’s Board of Trustees, said yesterday as he stood next to the sword in the museum’s reading room. “It’s about as close as you can get to arguably the most famous captain of arguably the most famous ship in the world.”

He looked down at the sword lying on a red satin pillow.

“It’s really cool,” he said

You can say that again. Hull was known as an agressive commader, but also a gentlman in victory. Here’s what the Captain of the Guerriere, Captain James R. Dacres, had to say about Hull in his post-action report to the Admiralty:

The Guerriere was so cut up, that all attempts to get her in would have been useless. As soon as the wounded were got out of her, [the Americans] set her on fire, and I feel it my duty to state that the conduct of Captain Hull and his Officers to our Men has been that of a brave Enemy, the greatest care being taken to prevent our Men losing the smallest trifle, and the greatest attention being paid to the wounded who through the attention and skill of Mr Irvine, Surgeon, I hope will do well.

So if you’re in Boston, swing by and see it. I should be in those parts around the holidays this year, and it’ll definitely be on my schedule.

Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Perri Nelson’s Website, The Virtuous Republic, Rosemary’s Thoughts, Adam’s Blog, Big Dog’s Weblog, Inside the Northwest Territory, Nuke’s News & Views, Leaning Straight Up, The Amboy Times, The Florida Masochist, Conservative Cat, Adeline and Hazel, Pursuing Holiness, Conservative Thoughts, third world county, Faultline USA, Wake Up America, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, 4 Time Father?, Blue Star Chronicles, Pirate’s Cove, The Pink Flamingo, Planck’s Constant, and Gone Hollywood, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 15th, 2007 and is filed under History, Navy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.