Plate 3. A view of the action between the uss constitution, commanded by commodore wiliam bainbridge (1774-1833) and hms java, commanded by captain henry lambert, r. N. (d. 1813) at 17. 05 hours on 29 september 1812 off salvador, on the east coast of brazil resulting in the surrender and burning of the british ship. War of 1812. The three-hour action between the java and the constitution was an uneven contest between the small british 38-gun fifth rate frigate and the larger, heavier, 44-gun american 'super frigate'. This view shows the final stage in the engagement, at the point where the constitution had manoeuvred into a raking position, preparatory to the final onslaught of cannon, when lieutenant lambert decided to strike his colours and surrender. The title of this print gives the time of surrender as 17. 50, which is consistent with lieutenant chads's report. The log of the constitution records, at '5. 25 got very close to the enemy in a very rakeing position, athwart his bows & was at the very instance of rakeing him, when he most prudently struck his flag'. The original drawing for this print was made by lieutenant buchanan, r. N. , an officer on board the java, who was praised by first lieutenant henry ducie chads (later sir henry; rear-admiral; 1788-1868), who took over when captain lambert was mortally wounded. Chads said that he 'can never speak too highly' of buchanan and the other officers. The character of henry lambert appears in patrick o'brian's fortune of war in which the real life story of lambert's death on the java is told. Proof copy. The upper-case lettering in the title is engraved in outline. One of a set of four aquatints; the companion prints are at rcins 735179. A, b and d. Creator(s)
alexander buchanan (b. 1793) (artist)
drawn & etch'd by n. Pocock, from a sketch by lieut. Buchanan. ]
engraved by r. & d. Havell. ]
colnaghi & co. : cockspur street (publisher)
jan,y 1, 1814, publish'd by messrs boydell & co. No. 90 cheapside, and colnaghi & co. , cockspur street, london. Lords commissioners of the admiralty (dedicatee). Date: 1 January 1814. Place of creation: Cockspur Street, London.. Dimensions: 39.2 x 45.3 cm (image). Medium: aquatint with etching and engraving. Depicted Place: Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Collection: Royal Collection. San Salvador, 1812 RCIN 735179.c
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