USS Constellation vs La Vengeance

1–2 February 1800, West of Guadeloupe

Indecisive; Vengeance badly damaged but escaped

Truxtun sighted the big frigate Vengeance, carrying 52 guns and passengers for France, west of Guadeloupe and chased her all day. In the evening Constellation came up on her quarter and the two fought for five hours through the night, the French firing high to cripple her pursuer and the Americans into the hull. Vengeance was shot to pieces and twice tried to surrender, but her signals went unseen in the dark. Then Constellation's mainmast, its rigging shot away, went over the side, taking Midshipman James Jarvis and the men in the maintop with it, and Vengeance got away. She ran ashore at Curaçao to save herself from sinking.