In this battle the Constitution had 4 killed and 10 wounded, while on the Cyane and Levant 35 were killed and 42 wounded.  Of all the battles in which this famous ship was engaged, there was none more remarkable than this.  When Stewart advanced to the attack he believed both his enemies were frigates.  The manner in which he baffled every effort of the two to rake him, while he repeatedly raked them, was one of the many proofs that the American navy contained no finer seaman than he.  The grand old Constitution seemed to anticipate every wish of her commander and responded with a promptness that could not have been surpassed.  The discipline of the crew was perfect, and, after all, therefore, it is little wonder that one of the last acts of the famous ship was the most brilliant of them all.

It is stated by Richard Watson Gilder that when Captain Stewart was talking with the respective captains of the Cyane and Levant in his own cabin, the two fell into a dispute, each charging the other with failing to do the right thing during the engagement, and insisting that if it had been done they would not have been defeated.  Stewart sat amused and interested until he saw they were becoming angry, when he interfered.

“Now, gentlemen,” said he, “there’s no need of your growing warm over this affair; no matter what evolutions you made, or what you did, the end would have been the same.  If you don’t believe it, I will put each of you back on your ship with the same crews and we’ll fight it all over again.”

Neither of the gentlemen was prepared to accept this proposal, and there can be no doubt that Captain Stewart was warranted in his declaration, and his prisoners knew it.

Stewart started for home with his prizes, and early in March anchored in Port Praya.  While there, three powerful British frigates approached, which, through a series of singular coincidences, were blockading Boston at the time the Constitution made her escape some months before.  They were anxious, above everything else, to capture the most dreaded ship in the American navy.  Stewart knew that his only chance was to get away before they shut him in, for the experience of the Essex at Valparaiso proved that the neutrality of no port would protect an American cruiser.

Accordingly, he lost no time in getting to sea, leaving with the utmost haste and signalling to the Cyane and Levant to follow.  They obeyed, and were handled with such skill that all got to sea, with the squadron in hot pursuit.  The chase was continued for a long time, with the remarkable result that both the Constitution and Cyane safely reached Boston, while the Levant was recaptured—­a small reward for the exertions of the British squadron.