Then A Flawless One for the USS Constitution-- Part 3: SUCCESS!!! Third Time's the Charm As They Say

Now, for this October launch attempt, George Claghorn had one of the Constitution's cannons which was still ashore, fired to alert the local population that another attempt was going to be made.

Fewer people came back for this one than  had been at the September ones but those that did got to see the majestic ship slide effortlessly and gracefully (and flawlessly) into Boston Harbor.

That very same ship was launched 223 years ago.  Certainly none of the people there assembled that day, including George could have figured the ship would still be afloat today.

But, Yet, There She Be.  --Brock-Perry

A Flawed Launch for the USS Constitution-- Part 2: A Third Shot and the First Shot

But, George Claghorn had another new moon and a higher than average tide on October 21, so now a third effort was going to be made.  And, steeper ways had been made.  This one has to be the charm.

There had been extensive promotions made for the September launch (the first one) and this had attracted many visitors, including the President of the United States, one John Adams.  Also, there were thousands of Boston residents on hand for the festive occasion.  Come see the birth of the new U.S. Navy.

And, of course, the USS Constitution was one really impressive warship.

However, this first launch had resulted in a lot of disappointed people leaving.

--Brock-Perry

A Flawed Launch to a Flawless Career-- Part 1: The USS Constitution's Launchings

From the USS Constitution Museum.

It was a cold and overcast day in Boston on October 21, 1797, .  That dismal weather very well might have matched  the anxiety of George Claghorn as he stood on the wharf at Hartt's Shipyard in the North End of Boston, waiting for high tide.

To say the pressure was on, would be an understatement.

Nearby, the newly completed hull of the United States' mightiest warship, the USS Constitution  sat on the shipyard's ways, while Claghorn, who led the construction of the ship, prepared to launch her -- again.

His ship had been stuck on those ways for a month and during that time, two attempts to launch her, taking advantage of the September spring tide, had come to naught.  The carefully calculated slope of the ways had settled during the ship's construction (partly because of the ship's increased weight), making them too flat for the ship to slide down them.

--Brock-Perry