The U.S.S. Constellation in action against the French ship La Vengeance off the Barbary Coast, 1811

The Constellation was a 36-gun frigate launched in 1797 in Baltimore, Maryland. Interestingly, it took an act of Congress to allow completion of construction on the Constellation in 1795, as well as several other frigates. The Constellation saw her first action during the Quasi War with France at the end of the 18th Century. Under the command of Commodore Truxton, the Constellation captured the French frigates L' Insurgent and La Vengeance. She has been completely rebuilt twice, once in 1805 and again in 1854 when she was lengthened and cut down one deck, each time her lines altered to some extent. The Constellation has had a long and distinguished career and is still afloat.