There was a squadron of ten ships under Commodore Barry, with his broad-pennant in the _United States_; a second of five under Captain Truxton in the _Constellation_; and a third of three under Captain Tingey. A number of French privateers were captured by each, but on February 8, 1799, the _Constellation_ sighted near the island of Nevis the French frigate _L’Insurgente_, of forty 12-pounders and 409 men, which, after a hot action of an hour, surrendered. The _Constellation_ carried 38 guns, those on her main deck being 24-pounders, and a crew of only 309. She was, however, distinctly superior in weight of gunfire. Among her midshipmen was David Porter of future fame, who was to be the father of an even more famous son. The _Insurgente_ was carried into St. Kitts under very difficult circumstances by Lieutenant Rodgers, later one of the navy’s worthies, and the progenitor of a famous family with now its sixth successive generation in the naval service. It was now, in 1799, that Preble, promoted to be a captain and in command of the _Essex_, 32, carried the first American man-of-war east of the Cape of Good Hope. By the beginning of 1800 France was disposed to peace, and on November 3d the _United States_ sailed with the American envoys. The victory of the _Constellation_ had warmed the American blood, and Congress in 1800 appropriated $2,482,593.90 for the naval service. This strictly naval war had now lasted a year and a half, and during 1800 we had thirty-five ships in the West Indies. Again the _Constellation_, and under the same captain, was the lucky ship. On February 1, 1800, she sighted off Guadaloupe a French frigate, _La Vengeance_, of 52 guns, which, deep with valuables which she was transporting to France, tried to avoid action. This, however, after a chase extending into the evening of the next day, was brought on, and lasted until 1:00 A.M. of the 3d, when the French frigate hauled by the wind. In the endeavor to follow, the _Constellation’s_ mainmast, every shroud of which had been shot away, went by the board despite the efforts to repair damages, carrying with it midshipman Jarvis and the topmen aloft, all but one of whom were lost. The _Constellation_ had fourteen men killed and twenty-five wounded, eleven of whom died later of their wounds. Her quarry got into Curaçao dismasted and in a sinking condition with fifty killed and one hundred and ten wounded. The engagement had lasted five hours within pistol shot. These brilliant actions not only brought Truxton a gold medal from Congress and a great name, but greatly increased the popularity of the navy, service in which was now sought by the best young manhood of the country.