USS Constellation

Survived

Type	Frigate
Rate	Fifth rate
Guns	38 guns
Wars	Quasi-War, Second Barbary War

One of the six frigates of 1794, rated at 36 guns. Under Thomas Truxtun she took the French frigate Insurgente in February 1799, the US Navy's first victory over an enemy warship, and a year later fought the much bigger Vengeance to a standstill in a night action. Broken up at Norfolk in 1853; the sloop Constellation that replaced her is preserved at Baltimore.

Cropped image of the Constellation from original painting. Photo: Painting by Rear Admiral John W. Schmidt (Ret.) (John William Schmidt, 1906-1981) Crop by Kirhess (talk), Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Armament and specifications

Armament

28 × 18-pounder long guns
20 × 32-pounder carronades

Builder	David Stodder
Launched	7 September 1797
Displacement	1,265 tons
Length	164 ft (50 m) between perpendiculars length at Keel 136 feet
Complement	340 officers and enlisted

As built, from the ship's Wikipedia article. Figures there may cover later refits too.

Career

Launched

7 September 1797

USS Constellation vs L'Insurgente

Survived

9 February 1799 · Quasi-War

Thomas Truxtun

USS Constellation vs La Vengeance

Damaged

1–2 February 1800 · Quasi-War

Thomas Truxtun; lost her mainmast

Battle off Cape Gata

Survived

17 June 1815 · Second Barbary War

Fate

Survived

Broken up, 1853