"The Constellation and L'Insurgente" (9 Feb 1799)
Words and Music -- anonymous

  On the 9th of February, 1799, Commodore Thomas Truxton, while
cruising off the island of Nevis, West Indies, in the U. S.
frigate Constellation, thirty-eight guns and a crew of three
hundred nine men, fell in with, and after an hour's sharp
fighting, captured the French frigate L'Insurgente, forty.
Captain Barreault, with a complement of four hundred nine men.
The Constellation had three men wounded. The L'Insurgente had
twenty-nine men killed, and fourty-one wounded. The
Constellation is now (1902) used as a school ship for naval
apprentices at Newport, R. I.

— S. B. Luce, Rear-Admiral U. S. Navy (Retired)
[from page 40 of "Naval Songs"]

[Source: reprinted on pages 40-41 from "Naval Songs"]

1. Come, all ye Yankee sailors, with swords and pikes advance,
’Tis time to try your courage, and humble haughty France.
    The Sons of France our seas invade,
    Destroy our commerce and our trade,
    ’Tis time the reck’ning should be paid!
         To brave Yankee boys.

2. On board the Constellation, from Baltimore we came,
We had a bold commander, and Truxton was his name;
    Our ship she mounted forty guns,
    And on the main so swiftly runs,
    To prove to France Columbia’s sons
        Are brave Yankee boys.

3. We sailed to the West Indies in order to annoy
The invaders of our commerce, to burn, sink and destroy;
    Our Constellation shone so bright,
    The Frenchmen could not bear the sight,
    And away they scampered in a fright,
        From the brave Yankee boys.

4. ’Twas in the ninth of Feb’ry, off Montserrat we lay,
And there we spied the L’Insurgente just at the break of day;
    We raised the orange and the blue,
    To see if they our signals knew,
    The Constellation and her crew,
        Of brave Yankee boys.

5. Then all hands were called to quarters, while we persued in chase,
With well prim’d guns, our tompions out, wellsplic’d the main brace.
    Soon to the French we did draw nigh,
    Compell’d to fight, they were, or fly,
    The word was passed, “Conquer or die,”
        My brave Yankee boys.

6. Loud our cannons thunder’d with peals tremendous roar,
And death upon our bullets’s wings that drenched their decks with gore,
    The blood did from their scuppers run,
    Their chief exclaimed, “We are undone;”
    Their flag they struck, the battle won,
        By the brave Yankee boys.

7. Then for St. Kitts we steered, we brought her safe to port;
The grand salute was fired, and answered from the fort.
    And now around a flowing bowl,
    Come each glad heart and jovial soul,
    Drink as you fought, without control,
        My brave Yankee boys.

8. Here is a health to Truxtun, likewise to Berry *bright,
And unto all these Yankee boys, that for their country fight.
    John Adams in full bumpers toast,
    George Washington, Columbia’s boast,
    And now: “The Girl we love the most,”
        My brave Yankee boys.