The battle between the Constitution and the Guerrier resulted in an American victory. The prominence of the British and American flags emphasizes not only the nationality of the victor, but also of the defeated. This image depicts a naval battle between two ships.

This engraving portrays a battle during the War of 1812. This battle, like others in which Americans defeat the British at sea, was taken up as a subject by various American artists. One other example is Michele Felice Cornè's USS “Hornet” Sinking HMS “Peacock,” 1813. The ships in this image cross over the low horizon line.

Robert Cleveley was one of many marine artists hired by the navy to create paintings which were sold to the elite in British society. Many similar images were converted into prints and purchased by the general public (N. Tracy, Palette 5, 72). Two ships are portrayed in the center right of the image, a rowboat between them.