tion_.
The _Constitution_ was most heavily armed for a vessel of that period.
On her main deck she carried no less than 30 twenty-four pounders,
while on her upper deck she had 24 thirty-two pounders, and two
eighteens. In addition to this, for a frigate, unusually heavy
armament, there was a piece mounted, under her capstan, resembling
seven musket barrels, fixed together with iron bands, the odd concern
being discharged by a lock--each barrel threw twenty-five balls, within
a few seconds of each other, making 145 from the piece within two
minutes. And she was well manned. Her crew consisted of 476 men. The
_Guerriere_ mounted only 49 carriage guns, and was manned by only 244
men, and 19 boys. On the 19th of August, the look-out of the
_Guerriere_ noticed a sail on the weather beam. The ship was in
latitude 40 deg.., 20 N., and in longitude 55 deg.. W., and was steering under
a moderate breeze on the starboard tack. The strange sail seemed to be
bearing down upon the _Guerriere_, and it was not long before the
discovery was made that the stranger was a man-of-war, of great size
and largely masted. Her sailing qualities, under the circumstances,
were considerably superior to those of the _Guerriere_, and it became
consequently necessary to prepare for an action, which it was
impossible to avoid. At three o'clock, in the afternoon, Captain
Dacres, the commander of the British frigate, beat to quarters. An hour
later and the enemy was close at hand. She seemed to stand across the
_Guerriere's_ bows and Captain Dacres wore ship to avoid a raking fire.
No sooner had this manoeuvre been executed than the _Guerriere_ ran up
her colours and fired several shots at her opponent, but they fell
short. The stranger soon followed the example set to him, and, hoisting
American colours, fired in return. Captain Dacres now fully aware of
the size, armament and sailing powers of his opponent, wore repeatedly,
broadsides being as repeatedly exchanged. While both ships were keeping
up a heavy fire, and steering free, the _Constitution_, at five
o'clock, closed on the _Guerriere's_ starboard beam, when the battle
raged furiously. Twenty minutes had hardly elapsed when the mizen mast
of the _Guerriere_ was shot away, bringing the ship up into the wind,
and the carnage on board became terrific. The _Constitution_, during
the confusion, caused by the loss of the _Guerriere's_ mast, was laid
across the British frigate's bow, and while one or tw