the capture of the British
war schooner _Pictou_, and a chase by two British frigates, the gallant
and "lucky" _Constitution_ remained in Boston eight or nine months. Late
in December, 1814, she sailed from Boston for the Bay of Biscay, in
command of Captain Charles Stewart, equipped with fifty-two guns and
fully manned. She cruised for a while off the port of Lisbon and further
southward; and late in February, 1815, she met, fought, and conquered
the English frigate _Cyane_ and her consort the _Levant_. The battle
occurred in the night--the moon shining brightly. For fifteen minutes
the three vessels kept up an incessant cannonade, and the moon was
obscured by a dense cloud of smoke. By superior seamanship as well as
gunnery, Stewart vanquished both his antagonists, while the
_Constitution_ was only slightly injured.

Stewart sailed with his prizes to Port Praya, Cape de Verde Islands. The
next day three large British vessels were dimly seen in a fog
approaching. The _Constitution_ slipped out of the harbor under cover of
the mist, followed by her prizes. The English vessels gave chase, but
Stewart, by expert seamanship, saved his own ship and the _Cyane_ from
capture, but the _Levant_ was overtaken and caught. This was the final
cruise of the _Constitution_ in the war of 1812-15, for peace had been
proclaimed before this victory was achieved. "Old Ironsides" was ever
afterward revered by the American people, and she is yet afloat in the
service.

In 1814 Lake Champlain as well as Lake Ontario was a theatre of valiant
deeds. In September a land and naval force invaded New York from Canada.
The Americans had created a little navy on Lake Champlain to oppose the
British, and placed it in charge of Commodore Macdonough. The hostile
fleets met in Plattsburg Bay, and while a sharp conflict was raging
between the land forces, a severe naval battle was fought on the lake.
The British Commodore (Downie) was killed, and Macdonough achieved a
brilliant victory, for which he was honored by citizens and by Congress.
Meanwhile, Chauncey and Sir James L. Yeo were manoeuvring for the
control of Lake Ontario without coming to any very serious blows.

In the summer of 1814 some new vessels were added to the navy. In June
the frigate _Guerriere_ was launched at Philadelphia in the presence of
50,000 people. In August the _Java_ was launched at Baltimore before
20,000 spectators. The public and private vessels were very active.
Indee