![]() The severely damaged Guerriere was forced to surrender. Before either side could reorganize, the two ships wrenched apart. Aboard Guerriere, Captain Dacres was gravely wounded when an American musket ball struck him in the back. Seeing Bush fall, First Lieutenant Charles Morris leapt to take his place, but he too fell seriously wounded with a ball in the abdomen. Jumping on the taffrail, sword in hand, he called to Hull, “Shall I board her?” No sooner were the words out of his mouth than a musket ball hit him in the cheek, instantly killing him. #Huzzah!īoarding parties were summoned as the ships came together, and Lieutenant William Sharp Bush, commander of Constitution’s Marine detachment, took the initiative. The best artillery commander in all of Company of Heroes, lay down devastating creeping barrages from priests or 25 pounders, howitzer bombardments from any British officer. Constitution’s thick hull, composed of white oak planking and live oak frames, proved resilient to enemy cannonballs. Soon, however, Constitution slid alongside her opponent, and Hull gave the command to fire. The crew asked Hull for permission to return fire, but he refused so as not to waste the first broadside. As Guerriere closed to within a mile of USS Constitution, the British hoisted their colors and released a broadside, but the cannonballs fell short.
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