The following was just posted on Ishmailites, a Melville-studies Google group I moderate. I have a query in there for tune and attribution.

Haruo

-----

Dear Listmates,

      In honor of all the John Ushants who manned our warships in the War of 1812, the USS Constitution sailed a short voyage yesterday, under her own power. There's a photo on the front page of today's Wall Street Journal.
    One incident in her story of the battle with the Guerriere is seldom mentioned:

Oh listen to a story the British would like to shelve
Of the good ship Constitution in the War of 1812.
Brave Isaac Hull, her captain, was not a slender chap.
His belly was too big to sit a wench upon his lap.

When our frigate's timbers bounced away the enemy's round shot,
"Her sides are made of iron!' cheered Hull--but his uniform was not.
As he leaned far over the railing to defy the Guerriere,
His britches split from stem to stern and exposed his derriere.

Right then the British surrendered. They hauled their colors down.
Hull took his prisoners safe aboard, and sailed for Boston town.
So here's to our hero Isaac Hull, wherever his soul may be.
He won the day the American Way, when he mooned the king's navee.

                                                          Regards, Normie