The captains having ranks assigned them by the dates or numbers of their commissions, in the usual way, it was ordered that the senior lieutenant of the ship to which the senior captain was attached should rank all the other first lieutenants, and the others should follow in the same order, down to the junior lieutenant of them all. The officer to whom the original command of the Constitution was confided was Capt. Samuel Nicholson, a gentleman who had served with credit throughout the war of the Revolution, and once had worn a broad pennant. This gentleman, however, is not to be confounded with his elder brother, Capt. James Nicholson, who was at the head of the list of captains in the old navy, after Com. Hopkins was laid aside. Capt. Samuel Nicholson was the second in rank among the six captains appointed by the law of 1794, and all the Constitution's officers subsequently obtained similar rank in consequence. Barry alone ranked Nicholson, and the United States may be said to have ranked the Constitution.

The keel of the Constitution was laid on Charlestown Neck, and some progress had been made in her construction, when a treaty of peace was signed with the Dey of Algiers without firing a shot. Of course this reconciliation was purchased by tribute. Congress now directed that the work on three of the six new frigates should be stopped, while the remainder were to be slowly completed. The three it was determined to complete were The States, Old Ironsides, and The Constellation. These three ships happened to be the most advanced, and the loss would be the heaviest by arresting the work on them.

Owing to these circumstances, the Constitution was more than two years on the stocks, though commenced in haste—a delay that probably had its influence in making her a better ship than she might otherwise have been. Nevertheless the work on her was more advanced than on either ship, and, but for an accident, she would have added the distinction of being the very first vessel of the new and permanent navy that was got into the water, to her other claims for renown. She stuck on the ways, and the States and Constellation were both launched before her. As it was, she was launched Sept. 20th, 1797.

In the course of the session of Congress that succeeded, the relations of the country with France became so seriously complicated, that it was determined to repel the maritime aggressions of the sister republic by force. The sudden armament Of 1795 was the consequence, and vessels of war were equipped and sent to sea as fast as circumstances would allow. Although one law was passed July 1st, 1797, “to man and employ the three frigates,” and another was passed March 27th, 1798, appropriating a considerable sum with a similar object, neither was the first vessel got to sea, though the Constellation was one of the first, and the States was not far behind her. This occurred in June and July 1798. In the latter month, and on the 20th of the month, Old Ironsides was first moved under her canvas. She did not go to sea, however, until the succeeding month, the orders of Captain Nicholson to that effect having been dated Aug. 13th.

On this, her first cruise, the officers attached to the ship appear to have been as follows, viz:—The celebrated Preble, since the proudest name in American naval annals, was ordered to the ship as her original First Lieutenant, but, he got relieved from the duty, in consequence of some dislike of her commander, and never sailed is her until he did so with his broad pennant flying on board her. The complement of the frigate was composed of this following persons, and classes of persons, viz:—

 

Captain
Lieutenants
Do. Marines
Sailing Master
Master's Mates
Midshipmen
Purser
Surgeon
Do. Mates
Clerk
Carpenter
Do. Mates
Boatswain
Do. Mates
Quarter Gunners
Coxwain
Sailmaker
Cooper
Steward
Armorer
Master at Arms
Cook
Chaplain
Able Seamen
Do. Ordinary
Boys
Marines

 

At that time a captain of such a ship as the Constitution received but $100 per month, pay, and eight rations, or $2: per diem; a lieutenant received $40 a month and three rations; midshipmen, $19 and one ration; able seamen, $17 a month and ordinaries, $12.1

It may be well to state here, that in the reports of government, the Constitution was paid for as being 1576, carpenter's measurement, and her cost is stated at $275,000. Considered in reference to ordinary measurement, the first is more than a hundred tons too much; sand considered in reference to a complete equipment, the last materially too small.