Single ship action between two cruising frigates. The larger Constitution out manned, and out gunned, both by number and weight of shot, its British opponent.
Both ships were well fought.
Java, a French built ship, was so badly damaged that it was sunk rather than taken as a prize.
This was the hardest fought and last of the American frigate victories.

South Atlantic off the coast of Brazil, approx. same latitude as the port of Salvador [then called Bahia ] and about thirty to forty miles out from the port. (South Atlantic)

Constitution had been cruising the Atlantic, North and South, in company with the sloop Hornet. They had bottled up the British sloop Bonne Citoyenne in Bahia and Bainbridge had left the Hornet to continue the blockade. The Constution drew back over the horizon in the hope that the Bonne Citoyenne would attempt to break the blockade.
Java was heading for the East Indies well laden/over burdened with the new Governor's staff and with materials,including copper sheathing, for ship being built in Bombay. She was sailing in company with an American merchant ship which she had recently taken. Java was intent on putting into Bahia to replenish her water.

On sighting the American frigate Java altered course towards her. Bainbridge thought it diplomatic to fight well outside neutral Portugese waters so he headed out to sea for two hours.
Java pursued and, deeply laden as she was, she managed to close with the Constitution and come up to widward of her.
The first exchange of broadsides was at about 2pm and at about 2.30pm Consitution had her wheel shot away. Using the brief manoeuvring advantage Lambert was able to rake the American ship from astern but this was not the killer blow it might have been. Bainbridge soon regained control of his steering.
Just before 3pm the jib-boom and head of the bowsprit on Java were shot away. This deprived the ship the use of her headsails and significantly hampered her tacking and wearing. Constitution was able to rake Java from astern but again this was not the crippling blow it might have been. In the broadside to broadside exchanges the superior weight of metal of the American began to tell and java took significant damage especially to her fore and main masts. An attempt by Lambert to board was thwarted when the damaged foremast finally went over the side.
About 4pm Captain Lambert was mortally wounded but the ship was fought on until the mizzen went overboard at 4.35pm. The Constutuion drew some way off to repair her damage and this took about one hour. When she again closed with Java, at about 5.30pm, she took up station across her bow and Java immediately struck her colours.

As in the case of the Guerriere the Java was a lightly built French frigate. The powerful American armament had done an enormous amount of damage both to the rigging and the hull.
Commadore Bainbridge landed the crew and supernumeraries at Bahia on parole and, in spite of the valuable cargo on board, fired the ship which blew up and sank. Because of the damage done to his own ship he discontinued his cruise and sailed for home.
Constitution managed to elude the British cruisers and docked safely in Boston, to a rapturous welcome, on the 18 February 1813

U.S.S. Constitution

Number engaged :

485

Casualties :

58 (11.96%)

H.M.S.Java

Number engaged :

377

Casualties :

124 (32.89%)