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Frigate Constellation vs. French Frigate I'Insurgente

On February 9, 1799, during the Quasi-War with France, USS Constellation, commanded by Captain Thomas Truxtun, captured French frigate I'Insurgente off Saint Kitts and Nevis Island, West Indies, after a running fight of three quarters of an hour before the French frigate was required to strike her colors.   I'Insurgente was brought into port as a prize. 

A model of Constellation is on display in The Forgotten Wars of the 19th Century exhibit area in Building 76. 


NH 66417-KN: USS Constellation vs French frigate l’Insurgente, 9 February 1799. Quasi-War with France. Lithograph of an oil painting by John W. Schmidt. Courtesy of the Navy Art Collection.
Caption: NH 66417-KN: USS Constellation vs French frigate l’Insurgente, February 9, 1799. Quasi-War with France. Lithograph of an oil painting by John W. Schmidt. Courtesy of the Navy Art Collection.

USS Constellation vs French frigate l’Insurgente, February 9, 1799.    Artwork from a painting by Charles R. Patterson.  
Caption: NH 56897: USS Constellation vs French frigate l’Insurgente, February 9, 1799. Artwork from a painting by Charles R. Patterson.

USS Constellation vs French frigate l’Insurgente, February 9, 1799.    Photograph of original line engraving, painted and engraved by E. Savage.  
Caption: NH 56893: USS Constellation vs French frigate l’Insurgente, February 9, 1799. Photograph of original line engraving, painted and engraved by E. Savage.

USS Constellation vs French frigate l’Insurgente, February 9, 1799.    Copied from “Book of the Navy,” by John Frost.  Engraved by P. Roberts.  Drawn by William Croome. 
Caption: NH 2037: USS Constellation vs French frigate l’Insurgente, February 9, 1799. Copied from “Book of the Navy,” by John Frost. Engraved by P. Roberts. Drawn by William Croome.

USS Constellation vs French frigate l’Insurgente within view of Basseerre, February 9, 1799.    Copied from the Collection of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Corcoran Gallery, # 190.  
Caption: NH 56896: USS Constellation vs French frigate l’Insurgente within view of Basseerre, February 9, 1799. Copied from the Collection of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Corcoran Gallery, # 190.

USS Constellation vs French frigate l’Insurgente within view of Basseerre, February 9, 1799.    Photograph of a sketch by Bainbridge Hoff.  
Caption: NH 56892: USS Constellation vs French frigate l’Insurgente within view of Basseerre, February 9, 1799. Photograph of a sketch by Bainbridge Hoff.

USS Constellation vs French frigate l’Insurgente, February 9, 1799 Artwork by Rear Admiral John W. Schmidt, USN, (Retired). 
Caption: KN-2882: USS Constellation vs French frigate l’Insurgente, February 9, 1799 Artwork by Rear Admiral John W. Schmidt, USN, (Retired).

USS Constellation vs French frigate l’Insurgente, 9 February 1799.  Engraving on a commemorative punch bowl by J. Lovell Little.   
Caption: NH 42913: USS Constellation vs French frigate l’Insurgente, February 9, 1799. Engraving on a commemorative punch bowl by J. Lovell Little.

USN 902361:   USS Constellation vs French frigate l’Insurgente, 9 February 1799.   Unknown artist depiction of the battle.   
Caption: USN 902361: USS Constellation vs French frigate l’Insurgente, February 9, 1799. Unknown artist depiction of the battle.
Published: Wed Feb 10 13:12:44 EST 2021