Engagement between the United States and the Macedonian

Engagement between the United States and the Macedonian is an 1813 oil painting by American painter Thomas Birch depicting the naval engagement fought near Madeira on October 25, 1812 between the US Navy heavy frigate USS United States and the Royal Navy frigate HMS Macedonian.

The battle resulted in the capture of the Macedonian, which became the first British warship to be brought to an American harbour as a prize.

Kennedy made plans to redecorate the Oval Office after his inauguration in 1961, and he wanted a painting of a naval battle to hang over the fireplace.

A report in The Philadelphia Inquirer led J. Welles Henderson (the lawyer, and son of Joseph Welles Henderson) to lend a painting of the engagement between the United States and the Macedonian and a second naval painting by Birch, which were part of his personal collection displayed at Philadelphia Maritime Museum.

HMS Guerriere was captured in August 1812, but was too damaged and could not be brought back to port, so was set on fire and abandoned.

Engagement between the "United States" and the "Macedonian" , on October 25, 1812, by Thomas Birch , 1813, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 70.48 cm × 91.1 cm (27.75 in × 35.87 in)
Engagement between the "United States" and the "Macedonian" , on October 25, 1812, by Thomas Birch , 1813, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 28 in × 34.5 in (71 cm × 88 cm)