Copy of Letter from Jones to Commodore Ezekiel Hopkins.
The Honble. E. Hopkins Esquire
Admiral of the American Fleet
Rhode Island.
P the Brig Sea Nymph
Capt. W. Hopkins.
Providence, at Sea in No Latd 37°. 40'
and W. Longd. 54° Septr. 4th. 1776--
_Honoured Sir_
I know you will not suspect me of flattery when I affirm that I
have not experienced a more sincere pleasure for a long time past
than the account I have had of your having gained your cause at
Philadelphia in spite of party.--Your late trouble will tend to your
future advantage; by pointing out your friends & Enemies you will be
thereby enabled to retain the one part while you guard against the
other.----You will be thrice welcome to your Native Land and to your
nearest concerns--after your late shock they will see you, as Gold
from the Fire, of more worth and Value, and Slander will learn to
keep silence when Admiral Hopkins is mentioned, but enough of this.
And now for my success--I sent in a Nantucket Whailer by Captn.
Grinnele 27th. Ulto.--She appeared by the voluntary testimony of the
master mate &ca to be the property of Rank Tories who had ordered
their Oil to be Carried to the London Market and the amot. of it to
be ship't out in English goods to Nantucket. Since that time I have
been further to the Southward when I brought too a number of French
Spanish & Danish Ships--but saw no Englishmen 'till the first Currt.
when I fell in with five Sail--one of them being very large we took
her to be either an Old East Indiaman or a Jamaica three Decker--but
she proved to be an English Frigate Mounting twenty six Guns upon one
Deck--She sailed fast and pursued us by the wind 'till after four
hours Chase, the sea running Very Cross, she got within Musquit Shot
of our Lee Quarter--as they had continued firing at us from the first
_without showing Colours_ I was angery at this low piece of Conduct
therefore ordered ours to be hoisted and began to fire at them--they
then hoisted American Colours and fired Guns to leeward--but the bait
would not take for having everything prepared I bore away across
his forefoot and set all our light sails at once so that before her
sails were trimmed and Steering-sails set I was almost out of reach
of Grape & soon after out of reach of Cannon Shot.--Our "Hairbreadth
Scape" and the saucy manner of making it must have mortified him
not a little--had he foreseen this motion and been prepared to
counteract it he might have fired several Broadsides while we were
within pistol shot--but he was a bad marksman and did not hit the
Providence with one of the many shot which he fired.--I met with no
other adventure 'till last night when I took the Brigantine Sea Nymph
bound from Barbados for London with a Cargo of two hundred and twenty
seven Hogsheads of Rum besides Oil Sugar Ginger and Madeira Wine---
I understand by this Brig that the A. Doria is off Bermuda and that
Captn. Weeks hath given a trimming to an English sloop of war off
Martinico.---- I am too late for West Indiamen but will not yet give
up hopes--I am much afraid that the Store Ships come out under Convoy
for who would have expected to find a Frigate with no more than two
Ships a Brig & a Sloop.
If I meet with further success I will write you in Course in the
meantime I rest assured that your good offices will not be wanting in
my favour when the Navy Rank and Seniority comes to be Settled--if I
was worthy of the Rank of Eldest Lieutenant of the Fleet I deserve
not to be superseded in favour of any person who then bore an
inferior or Juniour Commission.
It will be good policy if the Congress or Marine Committee fix the
Parity of Rank between land and sea Officers as it is on the English
Establishment Vizt. An Admiral ranks with a General a Vice Adml with
a Lieun. Genl. a Rear Adml. with a Major Genl. a Commodore with with
a Brigadeer Genl. a Captain with a Colonel a Master & Commander with
a Lieut. Colo, a Lieut. Commanding with a Major & a Lieutenant in the
Navy with a Captain of Foot or Marines--this would prevent numberless
disputes and deuelings which otherwise will be unavoidable--but I
remember that this agrees with your own opinion and therefore I need
use no argument to enforce it.--my best wishes and respects await
yourself and Family and I am with much Esteem and grateful Respect