USS 'Constellation' takes French frigate 'L'Insurgente' 1799

[Valin]

USS Constellation versus L'Insurgente

 

While cruising through the Lesser Antilles4 the frigate Constellation, armed with 36 cannons and commanded by Thomas Truxton, sighted a large ship sailing south of her. The strange ship hoisted American colours as the frigate bore down on her, but did not reply to either the American or British secret identification signals. At 3.15 pm on 9 February, 1799, the L'Insurgente replaced the stars and stripes with her French national ensign and fired one of her 40 guns to windward, identifying herself as an enemy warship as was the custom of the day. As the two ships approached each other they were hit by a sudden squall which cost the French ship her main top mast. Truxton held his fire until he was confident that all his guns were in range and then he let loose a deadly broadside into the French ship. The two ships fought for over an hour cutting up each other's rigging. By careful manoeuvring, and the loss of the Frenchman's top mast, the American frigate managed to cross the front and rear ends of the french frigate in a position referred to as 'crossing the T'. The advantage of this position is not only that the enemy's guns cannot bear on your ship, but also that cannonballs can pass through the entire length of the enemy ship, wreaking swathes of devastation. By 4.30 pm, with the Constellation once more in a position to rake her decks, the L'Insurgente's captain Monsieur Barreaut struck his colours and surrendered his ship. The cost of this action was 70 French dead and wounded while the Americans suffered only one man killed and three wounded. After repairing the two ships as well as possible they sailed together to Philadelphia where Truxton reported his victory. At this time a most disturbing rumour began to spread across the waterfront that the one man killed had been shot by his own officer Lieutenant Andrew Sterett. When asked about this by the press Sterett replied 'We put men to death for even looking pale on this ship.' The public outcry supported by Jefferson and the anti-Federalists was heard throughout the country, but the Navy took no action on the incident. Thus was formed one of the first traditions of the American sailing Navy, 'no man will abandon his post under fire'.

 

L'Insurgente was taken into the US Navy where her name was anglicised to Insurgent. She had a successful cruise to European waters and the West Indies from August, 1799 to May, 1800. Under the command of Patrick Fletcher, she headed once more to the West Indies. On 8 August, 1800 she sailed from Hampton Roads, Virginia, and was never to be seen again. It is believed that she was lost in a hurricane on 20 September.

 

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