During the lull Captain Carden called his surviving officers around him for council.

There was indeed but one thing to do, and it was agreed to surrender.

As the American was returning, therefore, to resume her appalling work the English colors were hauled down.

The victor lay to and lowered a boat, under charge of a lieutenant, who, as he climbed aboard, gave his name and that of the American 44-gun frigate as the _United States_, Captain Stephen Decatur.
The _United States_, whose crew numbered 478, had 5 killed and 7 wounded, while the 297 of the _Macedonian_ lost 36 killed and 68 wounded.
So it was that the old friends settled the question over which they had argued many times.

When the English officer came aboard of the _United States_ and offered his sword to Decatur the latter said: "I cannot receive the sword of a man who has defended his ship with such bravery." The chivalrous nature of Decatur was shown in a private letter in which he wrote: "One-half of the satisfaction arising from this victory is destroyed in seeing the mortification of poor Carden, who deserved success as much as we did who had the good fortune to obtain it." Everything possible was done to alleviate the sufferings of the prisoners.