"I do not know that Captain Pearson was a remarkable man; but I do
know he was a brave man. He was made Sir Richard Pearson by the
King for his bravery in this fight. When Paul Jones heard of that,
he said Pearson deserved the knighthood, and that he would make
him an earl the next time he met him. Of course, I only knew the
captain as a midshipman (we were 'volunteers' then) knows a
post-captain, and that for a few months only. We joined in summer
(the Serapis was just commissioned for the first time). We were
taken prisoners in September, but it was mid-winter before we were
exchanged. He was very cross all the time we were in Holland. I do
not suppose he wrote as good a letter as Jones did. I have heard
that he could not spell well. But what I know is that he was a
brave man.
"Paul Jones is one of the curiosities of history. He certainly was
of immense value to your struggling cause. He kept England in
terror; he showed the first qualities as a naval commander; he
achieved great successes with very little force. Yet he has a
damaged reputation. I do not think he deserves this reputation;
but I know he has it. Now I can see but one difference between him
and any of your land-heroes or your water-heroes whom all the
world respects. This is, that he was born on our side, and they
were born on the American side. This ought not to make any
difference. But in actual fact I think it did. Jones was born in
the British Islands. The popular feeling of England made a
distinction between the allegiance which he owed to King George
and that of born Americans. It ought not to have done so, because
he had in good faith emigrated to America before the Rebellion,
and took part in it with just the same motives which led any other
American officer.[H]
"He had a fondness for books and for society, and thought himself
gifted in writing. I should think he wrote too much. I have seen
verses of his which were very poor."
[_Mem_. by F.C. I should think Ingham's grandfather wrote too
much. I have seen letters of his which were very long, before they
came to their subject.]