What wars did USS Constitution fight in?
A. In 1798, the USS Constitution was ordered to cruise the West Indies during the undeclared “Quasi-War” with France. Her mission was to protect U.S. merchant ships from French privateers, but she did NOT engage any warships in this period. In 1803, amid growing demand for tribute and increasing seizures by the Barbary pirates of Northern Africa, Constitution sailed as flagship of the Mediterranean Squadron in the Barbary Wars. Again, she did not engage any warships, though she did take part in coastal bombardment. On June 12th, 1812, she took to the sea under Captain Isaac Hull to engage in the War of 1812, during which she battled British warships and eventually earned her nickname “Old Ironsides.
