At 1:00 pm on 20 February 1815, two ships were sighted to the south, and Stewart set all sail in chase, in an easterly wind.
Constitution carried a main battery of 30 24-pounder long guns, and 20 or 22 32-pounder carronades and two long bow-chasers[REF] Having earlier detached 20 men to a prize, she had a crew of 410 officers and seamen and 41 Marines [REF].