 By this point in the Quasi @-@ War , the 1 @,@ 265 @-@ ton Constellation carried 38 cannon despite officially being classified by the United States Navy as a 36 @-@ gun frigate . Previously her armament had consisted of 24 @-@ pounder guns , but these had proven inefficient during Truxton 's action with L 'Insurgente and as a result were removed and replaced with twenty @-@ eight 18 @-@ pounder cannon and ten 24 @-@ pounder carronades . Truxton and his crew were hardened veterans and were well prepared for a fight . Their French counterparts were not as ready for an engagement . Pitot 's frigate was carrying a large quantity of specie as well as 36 American prisoners of war and 80 passengers , two of whom were generals . Under such circumstances Pitot intended to avoid an engagement if possible , even though La Vengeance was a more heavily armed vessel carrying eight 42 @-@ pounder carronades , twenty @-@ eight 18 @-@ pounders , and sixteen 12 @-@ pounder cannon . The French also had a distinct advantage in the event of a boarding action , as Constellation had only 310 men to La Vengeance 's complement of 380 crew . 
