The British ship had no right to expect a victory, for the disparity of force was even greater than between the “Constitution” and “Guerriere;” but in this case the British court-martial subsequently censured Captain Carden for mistakes. The battle lasted longer than that with the “Guerriere,” and Decatur apologized for the extra hour because the sea was high and his enemy had the weather-gauge and kept at a distance; but the apology was not needed. Decatur proved his skill by sparing his ship and crew. His own loss was eleven men killed and wounded; the “Macedonian’s” loss was nine times as great. The “United States” suffered little in her hull, and her spars and rigging suffered no greater injury than could be quickly repaired; while the “Macedonian” received a hundred shot in her hull, and aloft nothing remained standing but her fore and main masts and her fore-yard. Decatur saved the “Macedonian,” and brought her back to New London,--the only British frigate ever brought as a prize into an American port. The two ships arrived December 4, and from New London the “Macedonian” was taken to New York and received in formal triumph. Captain Jones of the “Wasp” took command of her in reward for his capture of the “Frolic.” Before the year closed, the “Constitution” had time for another cruise. Hull at his own request received command of the Navy Yard at Charlestown, and also took charge of the naval defences in New York harbor, but did not again serve at sea during the war. The “Constitution” was given to Captain Bainbridge, one of the oldest officers in the service. A native of New Jersey, Bainbridge commanded the “Philadelphia” when lost in the Tripolitan war, and was held for eighteen months a prisoner in Tripoli. In 1812, when he took command of the “Constitution,” though a year older than Hull and five years older than Decatur, he had not yet reached his fortieth year, while Rodgers, born in 1771, had but lately passed it. The difference in age between these four naval officers and the four chief generals--Dearborn, Wilkinson, Wade Hampton, and William Hull--was surprising; for the average age of the naval commanders amounted barely to thirty-seven years, while that of the four generals reached fifty-eight. This difference alone accounted for much of the difference in their fortune, and perhaps political influence accounted for the rest.