The USS Constitution had set out on her final wartime voyage in mid-December 1814, shortly after the American delegates in Ghent, Belgium, signed a treaty ending the War of 1812. Capt. Charles Stewart, who would live in Bordentown, N.J., for over 50 years, heard of the treaty in January 1815 and became desperate to find a British warship to fight before the treaty was ratified by the U.S. Senate.

Back home, the official announcement of peace came on Feb. 15 as Stewart still was searching in vain for any foe to…