A ship’s bell played a crucial role for timekeeping on board a ship, and was rung every half hour to mark the passage of time in each watch. This bell was purportedly removed from HMS Guerriere and used as a substitute for Constitution‘s bell, which was destroyed during the battle on August 19, 1812. The story of the bell as a prize from Guerriere dates only to 1897 and is not confirmed by firsthand accounts.
