Concluding Operations 165 



soon ceased. At 5 .30 the Cyane got within hail of 

 the Levant, and the latter's gallant commander ex 

 pressed to Captain Gordon his intention of engaging 

 the American frigate. The two ships accordingly 

 hauled up their courses and stood on the starboard 

 tack; but immediately afterward their respective 

 captains concluded to try to delay the action till 

 dark, so as to get the advantage of manoeuvring. 59 

 Accordingly they again set all sail and hauled close 

 to the wind to endeavor to weather their opponent ; 

 but finding the latter coming down too fast for them 

 to succeed, they again stripped to fighting canvas 

 and formed on the starboard tack in head and stern 

 line, the Levant about a cable's length in front of 

 her consort. The American now had them com 

 pletely under her guns and showed her ensign, to 

 which challenge the British ships replied by setting 

 their colors. At 6.10 the Constitution ranged up 

 to windward of the Cyane and Levant, the former 

 on her port quarter, the latter on her port bow, both 

 being distant about 250 yards from her 60 so close 



59 "Naval Chronicle," xxxiii, 466. 



40 Testimony sworn to by Lieutenant W. B. Shubrick and 

 Lieutenant of Marines Archibald Henderson before Thomas 

 Welsh, Jr., Justice of the Peace, Suffolk St., Boston, July 20, 

 1815. The depositions were taken in consequence of a report 

 started by some of the British journals that the action began 

 at a distance of three-quarters of a mile. All the American 

 depositions were that all three ships began firing at once, 

 when equidistant from each other about 250 yards, the 

 marines being engaged almost the whole time. 



