The wind was far from fresh, at E.N.E.

By'll A.M., the Constitution's officers were satisfied that the ship to windward was an enemy's frigate, and being now nearer to the land than was desirable, in the event of a chase, the ship was taken to the southward and eastward, to draw the stranger off shore. At the same time, the royals were set, and the main-tack boarded, the stranger sailing the best, in the light wind that prevailed. At meridian each vessel showed her ensign; signals were also made on board each ship, but they proved to be mutually unintelligible. Some time after 1 P.M., the Constitution hauled up her mainsail, and furled her royals.

The action commenced about two. The English ship, which was afterwards ascertained to be the Java, was about a mile to windward of the Constitution, both vessels now heading to the southward and eastward, the Java being well on her antagonist's quarter. In this state of things, the Englishman had hauled down his ensign, though he kept a jack flying, and Old Ironsides threw a shot ahead of him, to induce him to show his colors. By some mistake, the order to fire this gun brought on a discharge of the Constitution's broadside, which was immediately returned. The Java going much the faster in the light wind which prevailed, she was soon so far ahead as to be able to attempt crossing the Constitution's bow. This induced Bainbridge to keep off and to wear, the Java coming round at the same time. Both vessels now headed to the westward. These changes brought the two ships much closer together, and within pistol-shot. The Java repeated the attempt to cross the Constitution's bow, but was again foiled by the latter ship's wearing. Both vessels came round at the same time, with their heads again to the eastward. The Java forereached as usual, and with a view to keep her weatherly position, she attempted to tack, but missed stays. At the same time, the Constitution wore, having lost her wheel early in the action. Old Ironsides coming round the soonest, got an effective raking fire into her enemy.

Both ships now ran off free, wearing again, the English still to windward, though greatly injured. At fifty-five minutes past two, finding his berth too hot, the Englishman attempted to run Old Ironsides aboard, actually getting his jib-boom into her mizzen-rigging. In this situation the good old craft punished her bold assailant very severely, nor did she let him get clear until the head of his bowsprit was shot away. Soon after, his foremast came down, and, in passing ahead, the two vessels ran so close together that the stump of the Englishman's bowsprit actually scraped over the Constitution's taffrail. In a moment the Constitution wore, and passing her enemy to leeward, wore again. The Java keeping off, the two ships once more ranged fairly alongside of each other, during which time the Englishman's mizzen-mast came down, leaving nothing standing on board him but his main-mast, and of that, the yard was shot away in the slings.

By this time the Java's fire had ceased, and Bainbridge, supposing her to have submitted, boarded his main-tack, and passed out of the combat, luffing directly athwart his adversary's bows. Standing on, a short distance to windward, the Constitution came to the wind, and passed an hour in securing her masts, and reeving new running-rigging. At the end of that time, an ensign was seen flying on board the Java, when Bainbridge wore short round, and ran down directly across his enemy's forefoot. This evolution was sufficient, and before a gun was fired the English flag was lowered, for the second time, to Old Ironsides!

The prize was the Java, 38, Capt. Lambert, with a large number of supernumeraries in her, bound to the East Indies. Her commander was mortally wounded, but her first lieutenant reported her loss twenty-two killed, and one hundred and two wounded. This was a very severe loss, though Bainbridge thinks it was considerably greater. He says her loss was certainly sixty killed, and one hundred and one wounded. It is probable that more were killed, or died early of their wounds, than were reported by the English, and that fewer were killed than Bainbridge supposed. The English say that the ship's company and supernumeraries amounted to three hundred and seventy-seven souls, while the Americans affirm that they found a muster-roll in the ship, that was made out several days after she had sailed, and which had on it considerably more than four hundred names.