The American ship Stephen Decatur commanded when he captured HMS Macedonian was USS United States.
The engagement took place on October 25, 1812, in the Atlantic near Madeira. USS United States was a powerful 44-gun American heavy frigate, while Macedonian was a British 38-gun frigate commanded by John Surman Carden. Decatur used the American ship’s heavier long-range guns to batter Macedonian’s rigging and hull before forcing her surrender.
The victory was especially significant because Macedonian became the first British warship captured in the War of 1812 to be brought into an American harbor. Decatur and his crew spent about two weeks making repairs before sailing the prize to Newport, Rhode Island, where the arrival caused national excitement.
A common mix-up is USS Constitution, which won its own famous victories over HMS Guerriere and HMS Java. Decatur later commanded USS President, but President was captured by the British in 1815—not the ship that defeated Macedonian.