THS DAY IN HISTORY â IN SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY – 19 August 1812 â The USS Constitution vs HMS Guerriere, was a single ship action during the War of 1812, approximately 400 miles southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia. At 2 pm the Constitution sighted the Guerriere and the battle was on. After exchanging several shots, one bounced harmlessly off the side of the Constitution and a crew member is said to have yelled âHuzzah! Her sides are made of iron!â (Hence the nickname “Old Ironsides”.) During the battle the Constitution got the best of the Guerriere. As Constitution prepared to renew the action, the Guerriere fired a shot in the opposite direction to the Constitution. Sensing that this was an attempt to signal surrender, Hull ordered a boat to take a Lieutenant over to the British ship. When the Lieutenant boarded the Guerriere and asked if Guerriere was prepared to surrender, Captain Dacres responded âWell, Sir, I donât know. Our mizzen mast is gone, our fore and main masts are gone â I think on the whole you might say we have struck our flag.â