USS Constellation vs L'Insurgente

Overview

USS Constellation vs L'Insurgente, or the action of 9 February 1799, was a single-ship action fought between frigates of the French Navy and the United States Navy during the Quasi-War, an undeclared war that lasted from 1798 to 1800. The battle resulted in USS Constellation's capture of L'Insurgente, after an intense firefight in which both sides exchanged heavy broadsides and musket fire.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The capture of L'Insurgente by USS Constellation was a significant engagement of the Quasi-War, the undeclared naval conflict between the United States and France that ran from 1798 to 1800. In a single-ship action between frigates, Constellation — with a smaller complement of 316 men against L'Insurgente's approximately 400 — succeeded in taking the French vessel after an intense exchange of broadsides and musket fire. The French suffered 330 casualties, a toll that underscored the severity of the engagement. As one of the defining frigate actions of the Quasi-War, the battle demonstrated the early combat effectiveness of the United States Navy and its ability to engage and defeat a larger French force at sea.

Tactics

Forces & casualties

Commanders (3)