Concluding Operations 173 



out of the harbor in the order indicated, on the port 

 tack, passing close under the east point, and a gun 

 shot to windward of the British squadron, according 

 to the American, or about a league, according to the 

 British, accounts. The Americans made out the 

 force of the strangers correctly, and their own force 

 was equally clearly discerned by the Acasta; but 

 both the Newcastle and Leander mistook the Cyane 

 and Levant for frigates, a mistake similar to that 

 once made by Commodore Rodgers. The Consti 

 tution now crossed her topgallant yards and set the 

 foresail, mainsail, spanker, flying jib, and topgallant 

 sails; and the British ships, tacking, made all sail 

 in pursuit. The Newcastle was on the Constitu 

 tion's lee quarter and directly ahead of the Leander, 

 while the Acasta was on the weather-quarter of the 

 Newcastle. All six ships were on the port tack. 

 The Constitution cut adrift the boats towing astern, 

 and her log notes that at 12 .50 she found she was 

 sailing about as fast as the ships on her lee quarter, 

 but that the Acasta was luffing into her wake and 

 dropping astern. The log of the Acast of says : "We 

 had gained on the sloops, but the frigate had gained 

 on us." At i .10 the Cyane had fallen so far astern 

 and to leeward that Captain Stewart signaled to 

 Lieutenant Hoffman to tack, lest he should be cut 

 off if he did not. Accordingly the lieutenant put 

 about and ran off toward the northwest, no notice 



