USS Constitution.

Construction of "Old Ironsides" began in 1794 and was completed in 1797. USS Constitution was launched on October 21st of 1797. USS Constitution earned her nickname "Old Ironsides" August 1812 when she sailed north from Boston to launch a raid on British bases in the Canadian Maritimes. Off the coast of Nova Scotia. She then engaged the British warship Guerriere with an estimated 50 yards of space between the two ships when both ships opened fire with a full broadside attack. The British warship sustained serious damage while USS Constitution sustained little damage as cannonballs from the British warship bounced off her hard oak slides and one of her crew members shouted out “Huzza, her sides are made of iron!" She has since then been called "Old Ironsides" the British lost the battle as the crew attempted to board USS Constitution. As the two ships separated the main mast of the British warship broke free leaving the British defenseless and were forced to surrender about an hour after the battle began. Constitution sustained 14 casualties while the British sustained 79. The British warship Guerriere was so badly damaged that as surviving crew members were brought aboard Constitution it sank.