Papers shed light on early years of USS Constitution, Navy

UNDATED (AP)- The U.S.S. Constitution Museum has acquired more than 150 documents that shed light on the warship’s early years as well as the young United States’ first international conflict. The collection acquired at auction that had been in private hands for more than 225 years will be unveiled during a Facebook Live celebration of the ship’s 223rd birthday Wednesday. The Boston museum is the nonprofit that preserves the history of the ship known as Old Ironsides. The papers includes handwritten correspondence from Constitution’s commander, Capt. Silas Talbot; Henry Knox, secretary of war under George Washington; and Toussaint Louverture, the formerly enslaved leader of the Haitian Revolution.