Captain Isaac Hull (1773-1843) was commander of the USS Constitution, which later became known as "Old Ironsides." In August of 1812, the Constitution defeated the British frigate HMS Guerriere. The Guerriere had been notorious for harassing American ships and this victory early in the war not only shocked the British Admiralty, but also inspired the Americans and the as yet unproven American Navy. For this arrangement of "Hull's Victory," we are grateful to Carol D. Greenfield for use of the harmony line from her collection, The Fifer'sDelightful Companion, a book of harmony parts that accompanies The Fifer's Delight by Ralph Sweet. "Welcome Here Again" is a Scottish reel dating back at least to the mid-18th century. It was a popular fife and marching tune in the American colonies and remained so throughout the American Civil War, by which time it had been rechristened as "Old 1812," or "The 1812 Quickstep."
