This remarkable action is interesting not only on account of its bloody
and desperate character, and on account of the sensation it produced at
the time, but because it illustrates one phase of our great struggle
for independence; a considerable space is therefore devoted to it.
The hero of this action, John Paul, was born at Kirkcudbright, in
Scotland, July 6th, 1747; and was sent to sea, as an apprentice, at the
age of twelve. He afterwards made voyages as mate of a slaver, then an
honored and recognized employment for a portion of the English merchant
marine.
At twenty-one he had command of a vessel in the West India trade, so
that his merits as a seaman were early recognized. He afterwards became
a trader in a vessel of his own.
At the age of twenty-six he left the sea; and adopted the name of
Jones. The reason for this does not clearly appear. He may have had
some old scores to clear; and, settling in a new world, may have
thought a new name necessary.
In December, 1775, he was appointed a First Lieutenant in the United
Colonial Navy, and ordered to the Alfred, our first flag-ship. He
hoisted the first flag of the Colonies afloat; a yellow flag, with
the pine tree and rattlesnake. In this ship he participated in several
actions; and was afterwards in command of the Providence, when he only
escaped capture by excellent seamanship. He made many prizes in this
ship.
On Oct. 10th, 1776, he was named the 18th naval captain, and, in
command of the Alfred and Providence, captured a valuable armed ship,
and other prizes, again eluding recapture by good seamanship.
He next went to European waters in command of the Ranger, 18, and there
received, from a French squadron, the first salute to the Stars and
Stripes, by this time adopted.
He cruised in English waters, burning ships at White Haven, and spiking
guns in batteries on shore; and then attempted to carry off the Earl
of Selkirk. In this he failed, but having carried off some of that
nobleman’s plate, was branded by the English as a pirate. This epithet
came with a bad grace from a nation then celebrated for thorough
“looting” of every place which came into their hands, in India, and
elsewhere. The real offence was that Jones was an English subject,
who had renounced his allegiance, and was serving against the mother
country; like all the rest of those engaged in the Revolution. During
this cruise in the Ranger he took the Drake, of 20 guns.
After this he received from the French government an old Indiaman,
called the Duc de Duras, which he renamed the “Bonhomme Richard,” or
Poor Richard, in allusion to the publication by Benjamin Franklin.
He had some other armed vessels, mostly “letters of marque,” under his
command.
The Bonhomme Richard had 40 guns, and a mixed crew, of various
nationalities. Jones sailed under such hampering restrictions that he
was prevented from carrying out many promising projects; but at last,
on the 23d of September, he fell in with a Baltic fleet of merchantmen,
convoyed by the English frigate Serapis, 44, and the Countess of
Scarborough, 20. The result of the engagement which ensued will be
given hereafter.
To continue the sketch of Jones himself, we may say that, in 1780, the
year after this action, he sailed for the United States, in the Ariel,
20, but lost his masts in a severe gale of wind, and was obliged to
return to France; whence he sailed again and arrived safely, about the
beginning of 1781.
He was then launched in the America, 74, which was presented by our
Government to the French; and he made a cruise in her as a volunteer.
In 1783 he was prize agent of the United States in Europe; and finally,
in 1787, while in Denmark, he resigned, and entered the Russian
Navy--hoisting his flag, as Rear Admiral, in the “Vladimir,” on the
28th of June, 1788. He found so much jealousy and enmity towards him
that he resigned in about a year.
Afterwards he resided in Holland and France, and was appointed
Commissioner of the United Slates to Algiers--but his death occurred at
this time, at the age of forty-five.