The strange sail was first seen at two P.M., and at three she was made out to be a ship, under short canvas, and close hauled, apparently waiting for the Constitution to come down to her. At half past three, the stranger was distinctly made out to be a frigate, and little doubt was entertained of his being an enemy.

The Constitution continued to run down, until near enough to take a good look at the strange sail, when she came by the wind, and began to clear for action. While lying in this situation, the enemy having his main-topsail aback, gallantly waiting for his adversary, Hull reconnoitered, and made up his mind that he had a first-class English frigate to deal with. The top-gallant sails were furled, and her flying jib and all of her light staysails stowed. A second reef was taken in all the topsails, the courses were hauled up, and the royal yards sent down. By this time the ship was clear and the drum beat to quarters, when the crew responded with three hearty cheers. After this the helm was put up, and the ship bore directly down upon the enemy. The Constitution had about a league to run, before she could get alongside of the stranger. At five P.M., being then at long gun-shot, the Englishman showed three ensigns, in different parts of his vessel, and commenced firing at very long shot. After discharging the guns of one side, he would wear and fire those of the other. These manoeuvres induced the Americans to yaw, to prevent being raked, though they fired but three or four guns in approaching. These evolutions, and the short sail carried, retarded the approach of the Constitution essentially, and she was near an hour getting within a short range of her enemy. At six P.M., however, the Englishman bore up, and ran off with the wind on his larboard quarter, under his topsails and jib. The Constitution then set her main-topgallant-sail, to close. A few minutes later, the forward guns of the American ship, and the after guns of the English, bore, when each party commenced his fire, the two frigates being within a hundred yards of each other. As the Constitution had the most way on her, she drew gradually ahead, until she came fairly abeam. Just as the two ships were square with each other, the mizzen-mast of the stranger came down, over the starboard quarter. This, of course, caused the American frigate to draw ahead still faster, and in about fifteen minutes after she had begun to fire, she was so far forward, as to induce Hull to luff short round his enemy's bows, to rake him. After having fired three raking broadsides, the Constitution attempted to wear and resume her former course, parallel to that of the Guerriere, but owing to the loss of braces and other running-rigging, the Constitution wore so slowly that the bowsprit of the Guerriere passed diagonally over the quarter-deck of the Constitution, and finally dropped astern with her starboard bow against the Constitution's larboard or lee quarter gallery. This was an awkward position, and might have led to serious consequences, had not the enemy been pretty effectually threshed before it occurred. As it was, two or three of the Englishman's forward guns were discharged with effect into the stern and quarter of Old Ironsides, so close as to set fire to the cabin. Hoffman, who was in command there, behaved admirably, extinguishing the fire and protecting his men with great spirit and coolness.

While this scene was in the course of being acted below, one still more serious occurred on the quarter-deck. Both parties called away boarders, as the ships came foul. All the English boarders and marines collected forward, while the Americans rushed aft. Morris, Aylwin, and Bush (lieutenant of marines), were foremost among the Constitution's people. On the other hand, many of the English exhibited equal gallantry, and for a few moments the musketry did great execution. Lieutenant Morris was in the act of lashing some of the head-gear of the English frigate to the Constitution, when he was hit by a bullet in the body. Mr. Bush fell dead by a ball received in the forehead, and Mr, Aylwin was shot through the shoulder. Missiles were thrown by hand from ship to ship, but boarding was out of the question, on account of the sea, the distance between the bulwarks of the two frigates, and the force collected on the deck of each to repel such an attempt.