USS Constitution under the command of Captain Charles Stewart takes on HMS Cya ne and HMS Levant, 2 0 February 1815. Peninsula fa r off the beam, in the afternoon a lookout aloft on the mainmas t ca lled out "sail ho on the starboard bow." Shortly afterwa rds a second sail was spotted off the port bow. It was then observed that the first sail had changed course toward them . All onboard understood that no merchantman would act this way. The app roaching ship set signal flags, which Stewa rt could not answer. Recognizing that Constitution was not friendly, the unidentified ship squared away, piled on sail and headed wes t towa rd the second ship, sending add itional signal Aags aloft and dischargin g a number of her guns. Stewart ordered his crew to take up the chase. Constitution quickly set more sa il, includi ng sruddingsails. One wo nders if he was thi nki ng of his parting conversation with his wife and h er request for a frigate. Aro und 3PM Stewart ordered his bow chase guns to fire on the first ship, but the ro unds fell short. With the chase in full swing, suddenly all aboard heard what must have been a very distressing sound, espe-
SEA HI STORY 150, SPRING 2015
cially fo r those who had been aboard during the previous cruise. The ma in royal mas t snapped and was carried away. Stewart immediately shortened sail and, with men aloft clearing the wreckage whilst the ship's carpenters prepared a replacement, the distance between the pursuer and the prey lengthened . No netheless, repairs were m ade in great has te and with in an hour Constitution began to gain on the two ships. Aro und 5 PM, w ith tw ili ght setting upon the broad Atlantic, Constitution fired off her bow chasers. These roo fell short. Just before 6 PM the two enemy ships finally closed upon one another and formed a line-ahead formation. Having fa iled to gain the weather gauge on the Americans, the enemy ships prepared for action, with the smaller of the two vessels in the lead . W ith Constitution sailing down upon the two ships, Stewart cleared his frigate for action. The captai n ordered the Stars and Stripes set, with the rwo enemy ships res ponding in kind by sending their Red Ensigns and U nion flags aloft. Ar an approximate ra nge of300 yards,
Stewart ordered a single shot fired at the two enemy ships to port. Immediately, both British vessels answered with broadsides. Constitution immediately responded with her own. Ar this point, Constitution fo und herself "ar the apex of an isosceles triangle, her opponents column formin g the baseline."3 Stewart positioned himsel f at his fri gate's portside ent ry port to get a better view of the British ships. It nearly cost him his li fe . A single ball fro m the first en em y broadside killed two of h is men stationed close by. A brief but intense exchange of cannon fire followed. The enemy ships were firin g rapidly and with some accuracy, despite the fac t that both ships carried mostly shore-ra nge carronades as their m ain armament. With the sun setting off the port quarter of the combatants and space between them choked with smoke, Stewart h ad his me n cease fi ring. Constitution had moved 3
Tyrone G. Marcin , A Most Fortunate Ship (An napolis: Naval Institute Press, 1997) , 196.
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