The fate of the action was no longer in doubt.

The British frigate was on fire, Captain Lambert was mortally wounded, and all her guns had been silenced.

The _Constitution_ hauled off to repair damages and stood back an hour later to administer the final blow.

But the flag of the _Java_ fluttered down, and the lieutenant in command surrendered.
The _Constitution_ had again crushed the enemy with so little damage to herself that she was ready to continue her cruise, with a loss of only nine killed and twenty-five wounded.

The _Java_ was a fine ship utterly destroyed, a sinking, dismasted hulk, with a hundred and twenty-four of her men dead or suffering from wounds.