The main yard of the enemy was shot away in the slings, and hull, rigging and sails were badly mangled.

A shot passing through the mizzenmast close to the deck, added to the stress from the sails, caused it to break in two and fall over the quarter.

One curious effect of this dragging in the water was to make the wreckage act like a rudder, bringing her up to the wind in spite of the opposition of the helm.

While the damage on the _Constitution_ was less, it clogged her action, but she secured a position from which she delivered two raking broadsides.

Then as the vessel see-sawed, the jibboom of the _Guerriere_ crossed the _Constitution's_ quarter deck.
Both crews made ready to board, but each found the other so fully prepared that neither attempted it.