Fanning's Account of the Taking Possession of the _Alliance_ by
Landais.
Great alterations were now made by the carpenters on board of the
Alliance frigate in almost every part of the ship, which put the
United States to a vast and unnecessary expence. However, Jones
was no so well suited with the command of her that he would have
everything done and altered to please his fancy on board of her; not
I presume, regarding what it cost, only as a secondary consideration.
The Alliance was however ready for sea by the middle of June, 1780,
and only waited for a wind to proceed to America.
About this time we heard that captain L----, who had commanded this
ship, had arrived in L'Orient, but it seems he went about that place
incog. He soon, notwithstanding this, came publicly forward upon
the stage and acted the part of a leading character as follows: One
day, (I think it was the 23d of June) at 2 o'clock in the afternoon,
captain Jones's officers (who were not then on shore) were below
at dinner, and captain Jones had gone on shore to dine with the
commandant of that place. L---- 's officers at this time were nearly
all upon the quarter-deck (being no doubt in the plot) of which the
first knowledge we (who were down below) had of it, we heard above
three loud huzzas. Such a sudden manoeuver surprised us, and we got
upon the quarter-deck as soon as our legs could carry us. Here L----
was walking fore and aft with a paper in his hand, and the yards
were manned. He immediately gave orders to Mr. Diggs, formerly first
lieutenant to him, to cause all captain Jones's officers to come upon
the deck as he had something to say to them. They were all mustered
accordingly, and as soon as they made their appearance; he, holding
his commission in his hand at the same time, addressed them in nearly
the following words: 'Here, you see gentlemen, the commission that
the Congress did give me (as he did not speak very good English)
for this frigate, and you see I now command her; and that there is
no man in France who has a right to take this commission from me:
therefore, gentlemen, all you who do not acknowledge me to be captain
of this ship you must directly to the shore go, taking with you your
baggage and every thing which belongs to you.' Accordingly, there
was no other alternative left us but to obey these orders; so that
all the officers who had served on board of the Good Man Richard
under capt. Jones were forced to leave the Alliance, excepting one or
two who chose to remain on board. However, L---- forbid any of the
crew quitting her. The Alliance in about three quarters of an hour
after this, with the assistance of part of the crews of several men
of war then lying in the harbour, unmoored her, made sail, passed
the citadel without molestation, and came to anchor under the Isle
of Groix, without gun shot of any of the French fortifications.
Jones being on shore when this singular manoeuver took place, and
not hearing any thing of it till the Alliance was safe at anchor,
as I just observed. Never, I am confident, was a man so dreadfully
enraged. His passion knew no bounds; and in the first paroxism of
his rage he acted more like a mad man than a conqueror. However,
as he now saw that he was out-generaled by L---- his sworn enemy,
he at length became more calm. The French commandant, at whose
table he was sitting when he heard this news, offered him all the
assistance in his power, and he appeared to entertain some hopes of
getting the Alliance again into his possession. For this purpose
he obtained leave of the commandant and French general, to possess
himself of a row galley then lying at the key, and which mounted 2
eighteen pounders forward and one abaft, rowed with sixteen oars,
and was rigged with latine sails. He was also furnished for this
expedition with three hundred (if I am not mistaken) French troops,
who were partly embarked on board of the row galley, and the rest
on board of boats. Jones flattered himself that this force was able
to take the Alliance; and besides, he did not much expect that
captain L----, nor his officers and crew, would make any resistance.
He required all his old officers who had served under him, to join
and lend their assistance in this Don Quixote undertaking; but they
all declined having any thing to do with or acting in this affair,
excepting one of his lieutenants, who, had the honour of commanding
this expedition. He (Jones) very prudently declined embarking, which
in my opinion he ought to have done. In that case I have no doubt
but all his officers would have resigned their lives with him. Every
thing being in readiness, the little squadron moved out of the
harbour wearing American and French colours, and proceeded on towards
the Isle of Groix, where the Alliance was at anchor. The captain
of which,[32] sent a flag with a message to the commander of the
expedition the purport of which was, that 'If they came within the
reach of his cannon he would sink them.'[33] The little fleet then
lay upon their oars a few minutes, after which they turned tail and
returned back into port no wiser than when they set out upon this
wonderful expedition. Jones, upon seeing them return without taking
the Alliance was so enraged that he could hardly contain himself for
some time. He swore bitterly--he stamped--he cursed, and grew almost
frantic with rage. Three French ships of the line were lying in the
harbour at this time, and Jones with the help of the commandant,
endeavored to prevail with the French admiral to send out one or
two of those ships, (which had their sails bent and were ready for
sailing,) in order to force the Alliance to return back to port.
But the admiral refused, and told captain Jones that he should not
interfere in the quarrel between him and captain L----. Besides, he
assured captain Jones that it was more than his commission was worth,
taking his head into the bargain, for him to order the departure of
either of the ships under his command; more especially on such a
piece of service as that was, which captain Jones wished her to be
sent upon. The fact was, this same French admiral was at this very
time as deep in the _mud_ as L---- was in the _mire_; and so was the
commander of the citadel, commonly called Fort Lewis, or Louis. L----
had been to this last place sundry times, as well as on board of the
French admiral, where the plot or conspiracy was first agitated, of
taking the Alliance out of Jones's hands, and where it was brought to
maturity, and succeeded as I have related.
[Footnote 32: L---- had been apprized of their coming to take them,
and was prepared to give them a warm reception, all hands being at
quarters.]
[Footnote 33: They were about a mile from the _Alliance_.]
[Transcriber's note: Obvious printer errors were corrected.
Everything else is as in the original.