The Day the British Navy Got 'Iron-Clad' Embarrassed

On August 19, 1812, the U.S. Navy frigate Constitution engaged the British frigate Guerrière in a battle that would earn the American ship its legendary nickname, 'Old Ironsides.' During the heated exchange off the coast of Nova Scotia, British cannonballs were seen bouncing harmlessly off the Constitution's thick oak hull. Witnesses were so baffled by the sight that they claimed the ship must have been made of iron rather than wood! The British were left stunned as their shots failed to make a dent, and within just 30 minutes, the Guerrière was forced to strike its colors. It remains one of history's most satisfying examples of a ship being so sturdy that it essentially gaslit the enemy into thinking they were fighting a metal fortress.