USS Constitution vs HMS Guerriere

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USS Constitution vs HMS Guerriere
Part of the War of 1812
USS Constitution vs HMS Guerriere by Michele Felice Cornè
Date 19 August 1812 Location Atlantic Ocean 41°42′N 55°33′W / 41.700°N 55.550°W / 41.700; -55.550 Result American victory
Belligerents
United States	United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Isaac Hull	James Richard Dacres
Strength
44-gun Frigate 56 guns 754lb broadside weight 480 U.S. Navy Sailors and U.S. Marine infantry[1]	38-gun Frigate 44 guns 526lb broadside weight 272 Royal Navy Sailors and Royal Marine infantry
Casualties and losses
7 killed 7 wounded[2]	Frigate sunk 15 killed 78 wounded 257 captured

USS Constitution vs HMS Guerriere was a battle between an American and British ship during the War of 1812, about 400 miles (640 km) southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia. It took place on the 19th of August 1812, one month after the war's first engagement between British and American forces. Guerriere was proceeding to Halifax for a refit, having been detached from a squadron which had earlier failed to capture Constitution. When the two ships encountered each other on August 19th, Guerriere's Captain James Richard Dacres engaged, confident of victory despite facing a bigger, stronger-manned, and better-armed U.S. ship. However, in the exchange of broadsides, Guerriere's masts were felled, and the ship reduced to a sinking condition. Constitution's crew took the British sailors on board and set Guerriere on fire, then returned to Boston with news of the victory, which proved to be important for American morale.