Capture of HMS Cyane and HMS Levant

Capture of HMS Cyane and HMS Levant
Part of the War of 1812
USS Constitution captures HMS Cyane and HMS Levant
Date February 20, 1815 Location mid-Atlantic Porto Praya, Cape Verde Islands Result American victory
Belligerents
United States	United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Charles Stewart Archibald Henderson[1]	Gordon Falcon (POW) George Douglas (POW)
Strength
1 frigate 450 crew[2]	2 sixth-rates 175 men on Cyane[3] 135 men on Levant[3] 310 in total
Casualties and losses
6 killed 9 wounded	19 killed 42 wounded 249 prisoners[4][2] 2 ships captured (1 recaptured)

The capture of HMS Cyane and HMS Levant was an action which took place at the end of the Anglo-US portion of the War of 1812. The two British warships HMS Cyane and HMS Levant fought USS Constitution on 20 February 1815, about 100 miles east of Madeira. Following exchanges of broadsides and musket fire, both Cyane and Levant surrendered. The war had actually finished a few days before the action with the ratification of the Treaty of Ghent by both sides, but the combatants were not aware of this.

Constitution and the two prizes anchored in Porto Praya in the Cape Verde islands. Levant failed to escape when a British squadron appeared, and was recaptured.