[5] 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.
The combined broadsides of the two British ships were slightly heavier than Constitution's, but were fired almost exclusively from short-range carronades, and at the range at which the action commenced, 250 yards (230 m), the effect of Constitution's main deck battery of 24-pounder long guns was decisive against the lighter structure and short range armament of the British vessels.
After broadsides had been exchanged for quarter of an hour, the cloud of smoke from the firing which gathered under Constitution's lee hid the British ships from view.
Stewart ordered his crew to cease fire, and the smoke cleared in time to allow the US crewmen to see Cyane attempting to cross their stern and rake Constitution.
At 8:00 pm, Stewart set off to pursue Levant, and at 8:50 discovered the British vessel beating back upwind to re-enter the fight, unaware that Cyane had surrendered.
[2] It was stated by the British officers, at the court-martial, that the crews of Cyane and Levant were for three weeks kept constantly in the hold of the Constitution, with both hands and legs in irons, and allowed but three pints of water during twenty-four hours.
It was further proved that, after the expiration of three weeks, upon the application of Captain Douglas, one third of the men were allowed to be on deck, four hours out of twenty-four, but did not have the means of walking, being still in leg irons; that on mustering the crews when they landed at Maranham, five of the Levant's boys were missing; that, upon application and search for them, two were found locked up in the cabin of the US Marine captain.
[4] Constitution and the two prizes made for Porto Praya in the Cape Verde islands, which were neutral Portuguese territory.
[10] The Portuguese later paid compensation to the United States for their failure to enforce their neutrality which allowed the recapture of Levant.
Sir George Collier was accused of cowardice or incompetence for his failure to engage Constitution at Porto Praya, and killed himself in 1824.