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when at sea, in about the latitude of New York, the Constitution made a strange sail to the southward and the eastward. Hull had already had information that an English frigate was cruising alone to the southward, and he suspected that this was the object of his search, and accordingly bore down for her. The wind was N.W., and the strange ship was sailing close-hauled on the starboard tack. At three o'clock the two ships were near enough to make each other out, and Hull's conjecture proved to be right. The stranger was the frigate Guerriere, of 38 guns, according to her nominal rating, which had left the squadron of Commodore Broke, and was on her way to Halifax.

At four o'clock the Constitution altered her course to S.S.W., gaining rapidly on her opponent; and at 4:45, being then between two and three miles distant, the Guerriere backed her main topsail and waited for the American ship to come up. Upon this the Constitution took in her topgallant sails, staysails and flying jib, took a second reef in the topsails, hauled the courses up, sent down the royal yards, prepared for action, and beat to quarters.

The two ships now closed. At five the Guerriere hoisted her colors, and five minutes later she began firing. According to the American reports, all her shot fell short. They were, however, returned with a few shots from the bow guns, and soon after the Guerriere wore, to prevent raking. The Constitution changed her course a little, to clear her opponent's quarter, and at 5:20 the latter fired a second broadside, and wore ship again. This maneuver was repeated three or four times, the ships discharging alternate broadsides as they were brought to bear. Finding that these movements separated the ships, Hull set his maintopgallant sail and steered directly for the enemy, who, finding at the same time that his maneuvers gave him no advantage, gradually bore up, and ran off under topsails and jib, with the wind on the quarter. The two ships were now heading nearly east, the Guerriere being still ahead and to leeward; but the Constitution closed rapidly up on her port quarter, at 5:45, and passed to her beam, at a distance of two hundred yards, and approaching nearer. At 6:05 both ships opened fire, as their guns could be brought to bear.

Vol. 9-15

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