Alexandria Gazette, Commercial And Political

BRITISH ACCOUNT
OF THE
Capture of H B. M. ships Cyane and Levant,
BY THE
U. S. Ship Constitution.
Bridgetown. (Barbadoes) March 17.
Capture of his majesty's ships Cyane captain Falcon, and Levant; hon. captain Douglass, by the American frigate Constitution, captain Stewart.
The Constitution left Boston bay on the 17th day of December last, on a cruise.
On the 20th February, about 100 miles eastward of Madeira, she fell in with & captured after a very warm action, the British sloops of war Cyane and Levant, from Gibraltar bound to the Western Islands. The enemy was discovered by the largest of our ships, (which was the Cyane) about one o'clock in the afternoon when she soon tacked and stood towards her. At two o'clock, coming up within sufficient distance for the purpose she made signals to the Constitution, to ascertain whether she was friend or foe—but from their not being answered by the enemy, she knew her to be an American frigate, and immediately bore up & made all sail to the westward, for the purpose of communicating with her consort the Levant; making signals to her at the same time, and enforcing their observance with guns. The Constitution made all sail in chase, gaining fast; and on arriving within gun shot, commenced at about half past three o'clock, a fire from her bow chasers. At 45 minutes past three, the Constitution's main royal was carried away by a press of sail, which enabled the Cyane to distance her fire. The Levant, then to leeward, having answered the signals made by the Cyane, hauled her wind and crowded canvass to pass within hail of her consort which she accomplished at a few minutes before six. Our two ships at this time had concluded it most adviseable to delay the action, if possible, till the evening in order to gain the advantage of the enemy in their manœuvres. At 6, the Cyane and Levant hauled to on the starboard tack, and hauled up their main courses—when the Constitution hauled up on the same tack to preserve the weather gage, hauled up her courses also, & hoisted the American union. At ten minutes past six, the Cyane got upon the Constitution's larboard quarter, and the Levant upon her larboard bow, when the broadsides of all three ships immediately opened, with a tremendous and well directed fire. The action continued in this position nearly half an hour; when from the loss of her main top gallant mast and gaff, which had been shot away, and from other serious damage to her rigging, the Cyane broke round off, perfectly unmanageable. Just previous to this, the Levant on the Constitution's bow, ranged ahead with the intention of raking the enemy, which the latter frustrated by boarding her fore truck and thereby fore-reaching on her. This compelled the Levant to put her helm up, and receive the raking fire of the Constitution; which she did, and with all possible expedition made sail before the wind, having suffered very severely in her running rigging.
During these occurrences, the Cyane upon the Constitution's quarter, had endeavored to cross her stern, but from her disabled condition she could not effect her purpose.
When the Levant made sail. the enemy's frigate wore which brought the Cyane on her starboard bow, and then ranged along side of her. The Cyane being much disabled, and having five feet water in the hold, was not in a condition to renew the contest, and therefore struck her colors and fired a gun to leeward.
The Constitution put her 2d Lieutenant (Hoffman) and a prize crew on board—and at half past seven, made sail in pursuit of the other sloop of war, who had repaired damages, obtained the weather guage, and was standing down upon the Constitution. Arriving within a proper distance, she fired a broadside into the Constitution, and hauled her wind for the northward. The Constitution sailing much faster than the Levant, overhauled her at nine o'clock, when all further resistance being useless, she struck her colors—and the Constitution put her first Lieutenant (Ballard,) on board as prize-master.
The evening was a fair moonlight night.
The Constitution had 4 men killed and 12 wounded:—and the Cyane 4 killed and 13 wounded; and the Levant 6 killed and 16 wounded.
The next morning (Feb. 21) the ships stood to the westward, and at day light on the 23d, made Porto Santo, one of the Madeiras, bearing south. From this time till the 5th of March, they were under short cruizing sail, standing to the southward: and on the evening of the 8th, they anchored in the Isle of May, one of the Cape de Verds. On the 12th the Newcastle, Acasta, and Leander, which had been in search of the Constitution during her whole cruize, appeared off the harbor. The Constitution and her prizes immediately weighed anchor, and made all sail by the wind, and the 3 British frigates gave chase. At one o'clock, the Cyane, finding that she was unable to keep with the other two vessels, tacked to the northward and westward, and thereby made her way direct for the United States—having left the three British frigates in pursuit of the Constitution and Levant.
At 2 o'clock, the Isle of May ahead, the Constitution by a signal ordered the Levant to tack, which she obeyed. and the latter tacked after her, when the Acasta and Leander British frigate tacked also, and stood after her, soon opened their ports upon her, but she notwithstanding succeeded in regaining the harbor of Porto Praya (relying upon protection from the neutrality of the port) and anchored under the land, under a Portuguese Fort of between 50 and 40 guns. The Acasta and Newcastle her, took possession of her, and ordered her to Barbadoes, under the command of Lieutenant Jellico, formerly of the Cyane, having also acting lieut. Jones on board, belonging to her before her capture. The Constitution had put about 120 of her prisoners ashore at Porto Praya, before the British squadron hove in sight.
American frigate Constitution, arrived here in the Levant on Saturday last, and Mr. Johnson, assistant surgeon, and another officer are on Parole.
The Cyane and Levant were from Gibraltar bound to Madeiras, with supernumeraries, rigging, and other appurtenances for British ship building in the western islands. Many of the supernumeraries were among the wounded in action. The rigging same were among the killed.
into our possession again by the recapture of the Levant. 20 guns which are 18 25's: 2 long 9's, The Levant is rated in Steele's list at Lisbon. carronade on the top gallant fore-castle. likewise 2 9's: of much the same description as those of the Levant. Americans will say she mounts 24, which The Cyane is rated at 20 guns, but the carries 5--24 of which is 32lb. carronades, and the remaining 32 are long 24's. The Constitution, which is rated at 44. The Constitution had 458 men in action.