Step back in time 213 years, to this very day, when USS Constitution, under the command of Commodore William Bainbridge, faced off against the 38-gun frigate HMS Java off the coast of Brazil. As the two ships maneuvered through the waves, each ship tried to “rake” the other—firing along the length of its opponent to inflict maximum damage. In the heat of battle, Java positioned itself alongside Constitution’s stern, landing a devastating blow that destroyed the helm and shattered a hatchway railing, sending a copper shard into Bainbridge’s thigh. Wounded but unyielding, Bainbridge stood firm, ordering his crew to steer three decks below, with the ship’s tiller. Java’s commanding officer, Captain Henry Lambert, “ordered the Ship to laid on board” to Constitution, only to face a fierce counterattack that demolished Java’s foremast. Soon after, Lambert was mortally wounded, passing command to his first lieutenant, Henry Ducie Chads. With its remaining masts gone, Java had no choice but ...