Guns of the Constitution
| Location | Type | No. | Length | Weight lbs. | Bore inches | Powder charge | Approx. range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gun deck, for’d. and aft | 24-pdr., American | 12 | 9′ 5¾″ | 5,135 | 5.824 | 8 lbs. | 700 yds. |
| Gun deck, amidships | 24-pdr., English | 18 | 10′ 5¾″ | 5,733 | 5.824 | 8 lbs. | 700 yds. |
| Spar deck | 32-pdr., carronades | 20 | 5′ 5″ | 2,240 | 6.41 | 4 lbs. | 400 yds. |
| Spar deck, bow chasers | 24-pdr. | 2 | 9′ 9½″ | 4,170 | 5.824 | 8 lbs. | 700 yds. |
The two bow chasers are 18-pounders bored for 24-pound shot. They are lighter than the standard 24-pounder to reduce top weights. Total weight of broadside, 734 pounds. As shot were frequently underweight, this figure is not exact.
Her complement was 400 officers and men, but she usually cruised with about 50 men in excess. At sea the men were crowded closely together and there was much sickness. The ration was fixed by law and it made a monotonous diet. The legal ration for Sunday was 1½ lbs. beef, 14 oz. bread, ½ lb. flour, ¼ lb. suet, ½ pt. spirits. On week days pork was sometimes substituted for beef, with cheese or dried peas in place of suet. The meat was usually salted, the bread stale and moldy, the spirits good.