The Constitution was running down with the wind nearly aft. The Guerrière was on the starboard tack, and at five o’clock opened with her weather guns, but the shot fell short. She then wore round, and fired her port broadside, of which two shot struck the Constitution, the rest passing over and through her rigging. As the British frigate again wore, to open with her starboard battery, the Constitution yawed a little, and fired two or three of her bow guns. The Guerrière repeated her manœuvre three or four times, wearing and firing alternate broadsides, but with little or no effect, while the Constitution each time yawed, to prevent being raked, and occasionally she fired one of her bow guns. This continued for nearly an hour, as the ships were very far apart when the action commenced, and hardly any loss or damage was as yet inflicted by either party. At six the Guerrière bore up, and ran off, under her top-sails and jib, with the wind astern, or a little on the port quarter; when the Constitution set her main-top-gallant-sail and foresail, and in a few minutes closed within less than pistol shot, on her adversary’s port beam. A furious cannonade now ensued, each ship firing as her guns bore. At twenty minutes past six the ships were fairly abreast, and the Constitution shot away the Guerrière’s mizzen-mast, which fell over her starboard quarter, knocking a large hole in her counter, and bringing the ship round against her helm. Hitherto the English vessel had suffered very greatly, and the Constitution scarcely at all. The latter, finding that she was ranging ahead, put her helm aport, and luffed short round her enemy’s bows, delivering a heavy raking fire with her starboard guns, and shooting away the Guerrière’s main-yard. Then she wore, and again passed her enemy’s bows, raking the Guerrière with her port battery. The Guerrière’s mizzen-mast, dragging in the water, had by this time pulled her bow round till the wind came on her starboard quarter; and so near were the two ships that the Englishman’s bowsprit passed diagonally over the Constitution’s quarterdeck, and as the latter ship fell off, it got foul of her mizzen rigging, so that the ships lay with the Guerrière’s starboard bow against the Constitution’s port, or lee quarter-gallery.
The bow guns of the English frigate now made great havoc in Captain Hull’s cabin, which was set on fire by the close discharges, but the flames were soon extinguished. Both sides now called away boarders, and the British crew ran forward on their forecastle, but Captain Dacres gave up the idea of boarding when he saw the crowds of men on the American’s decks. The Constitution’s boarders and marines had gathered aft, but such a heavy sea was running that they could not gain the Guerrière’s forecastle. A close musketry fire was now kept up, and almost the entire loss of the Constitution occurred at this time. Lieutenant Bush, of that ship’s marines, sprang on the taffrail, to board, and was shot dead. Mr. Morris, the First Lieutenant, and the Master, Mr. Alwyn, both of whom had leaped upon the taffrail, to head the boarders, were wounded at this time, by musketry. The Guerrière suffered still more; most of the men on her forecastle being killed or wounded. Captain Dacres himself was wounded, by a musket ball from the Constitution’s mizzen-top, while he was standing on the hammocks, cheering on his crew. Two of his Lieutenants and his Master were also shot down. Lying thus, the ships gradually worked round till the wind was once more on the port quarter, when they separated, and the Guerrière’s fore and main-masts both went over the side at once, falling on the starboard side, leaving her a sheer hulk, rolling her main-deck guns into the water. It was now half-past six, and the Constitution boarded her tacks, ran off a little way to the eastward, and lay to. A few minutes were now occupied in splicing and reeving new running rigging, which had been much cut.
Captain Hull then stood down under his adversary’s lee, and the latter immediately struck. It was then just seven P. M., and exactly two hours from the time the first shot was fired. On the part of the Constitution, however, the actual fighting, exclusive of the six or eight guns fired during the first hour, while closing, occupied less than thirty minutes.
This account of the action is taken from Roosevelt, and we shall proceed to make some extracts from his judicious remarks upon the battle.
The Constitution had on board four hundred and fifty-six men, while of the Guerrière’s crew, two hundred and sixty-seven prisoners were received on board the Constitution. Deducting ten Americans who would not fight, and adding fifteen killed outright, we get two hundred and seventy-two. Twenty-eight of her crew were absent in prizes.
The loss of the Constitution was seven killed and seven wounded, and almost all this loss occurred from musketry, while the ships were foul.
The Guerrière lost twenty-three killed and fifty-six wounded. Roosevelt thus sums up: Constitution, 1576 tons; comparative force one hundred; comparative loss inflicted one hundred. Guerrière, 1338 tons; comparative force seventy; comparative loss inflicted eighteen.
The Third Lieutenant of the Constitution was sent on board the prize, and the American frigate lay by her during the night. At daylight she was found to be in danger of sinking, and Captain Hull at once began removing the prisoners; and at three o’clock in the afternoon set the Guerrière on fire, when she very shortly blew up.
He then made sail for Boston, where he arrived on the 30th of August.
“Captain Hull and his officers,” writes Captain Dacres, in his official letter, “have treated us like brave and generous enemies; the greatest care has been taken that we should not lose the smallest trifle.”