A few years ago there was issued from the government printing office at
Washington, D. C., a volume entitled: _A Calendar of John Paul Jones
Manuscripts in the Library of Congress_.
The volume is of great interest, is arranged chronologically and
contains 883 entries. Most of these mention letters written to and from
Jones during the Revolution and cover a great deal of ground relating to
that trying period. These records are very valuable.
Frequent mention is made in them of Walsh’s Irish Regiment of Marine
Artillery, French Army, and the Calendar, as published, also mentions
other people of Irish birth or blood who took a prominent part in the
struggle for American liberty. We extract from the book:
1779. Feb. 5 =Fitz-Maurice=, ——, Chevalier de. _A captain in Walsh’s Irish
regiment, French army._ “Quimper.” [Quimber, France.] Letter
to Capt. [John Paul] Johnes [Jones], L’Orient. Recommends
“Mr. [Edward] Stack a Lieutenant of this Regiment”, who
desires service under Jones; his abilities; recommends also
“Mr. [Eugene] Macarty” [Macarthy]; requests that information
be given “those Gentlemen” respecting their pay and prize
money; it is necessary for them to obtain leave from Court;
desires information regarding method of procedure.
1779. Mar. 1. =Fitz-Maurice=, ——, Chevalier de. _A captain in Walsh’s Irish
regiment, French army._ Quimper, [Quimber, France.] Letter
to Capt. [John Paul] Jones, [L’Orient]. Acknowledges receipt
of letter of 26th ult.; is pleased with success of his
journey to Paris; makes him his “most sincere compliments”
on his fine command [the _Bon Homme Richard_]; thanks him
for his offer to accompany him; only possible by order of
the King; “would cheerfully comply” with such orders if
given; “our Gentlemen desire their compliments to you.”
1779. Mar. 3. =Macarthy=, [Eugene.] _A lieutenant in Walsh’s Irish Regiment,
French army._ Quimper, [Quimber, France.] Letter to Capt.
[John Paul] Jones, L’Orient. Has heard that Jones has
received the command of a frigate of 40 guns [the _Bon Homme
Richard_] and that he desires officers; wishes to “make
a Campaigne * * * under command of a Gentleman who has
Distinguished himself by his Superior talents”; requests
information on all things relating to his purpose.
1779. Mar. — =Fitz-Maurice=, ——, Chevalier de. _A captain in Walsh’s
Irish regiment, French army._ “Quimper”, [France.] Letter
to [Capt. John Paul] Jones, L’Orient. Hopes he mentioned
“Lts. [Edward] Stack and [Eugene] Macarty” [Macarthy] only
in writing to Court; impossible for Fitz-Maurice himself
to accompany Jones; latter should have seen that “such
expeditions are not fitt for persons of my rank”; if Jones
has taken any steps relative to Fitz-Maurice joining him
hopes he will “countermand” them; requests information
respecting the “conditions, treatment &c.” which will be
given the “two Gentlemen” of whom he wrote. Endorsed by
Jones: * * * rec’d May 1st.
1779. May 20. =Fitz-Maurice=, ——, Chevalier de. _A captain in Walsh’s
Irish regiment, French army._ “Painbœuf,” [France.] Letter
to Capt. [John Paul] Jones, L’Orient. Acknowledges receipt
of letter of 1st inst.; considers Jones’s offer as a mark
of “favour and friendship”; regrets that Jones mistook the
“sense” of his letter [of March —, 1779]; regards the
offer [to take Fitz-Maurice on the _Bon Homme Richard_] in
a “most flattering light”; did not desire any steps taken
“opposite the Court” as he feared Col. [Francois Jacques
Comte] Walsh[-Serrant]’s opposition; it might serve as an
impediment to Fitz-Maurice’s future advancement. Addressed
care of [James] Moiland [Moylan].
1779. Jun. 14. =Walsh-Serrant=, [François Jacques,] Comte de. _Colonel of
the Irish regiment of marine artillery, French army._
Paimboeuf, [France.] Letter [to Capt. John Paul Jones,
Groaix]. Reputation of Jones in Walsh’s regiment is such
that [James Gerald] O’Kelly, sub-lieutenant of grenadiers,
wishes to join his two comrades [Edward] Stack and [Eugene]
Macarthy in serving under his command; feels it best that
O’Kelly should serve against the common foe wherever he
wishes; recommends him in the highest terms.
1779. Jun. 18. =Moylan=, J[ames.] _Merchant and United States commercial
agent at L’Orient._ L’Orient, [France.] Letter to [Capt.]
John P[aul] Jones, [Groaix]. Introduces “Mr. [James Gerald]
O’Kelly”; he has resigned from Walsh’s regiment in hopes of
“going under your orders”; has strong recommendations; “he
will cheerfully embrace” any vacancy on the “_Poor Richard_”
[_Bon Homme Richard_].
1779. Jun. 18. =Nesbitt=, Jonat[han.] _Banker, L’Orient._ L’Orient, [France.]
Letter to [Capt.] John P[aul] Jones [Groaix]. Introduces
“Mr. [James Gerald] O’Kelly, Lieutenant of Grenadiers in the
regt. of Walsh”; his recommendations; service to O’Kelly
will be regarded as a favor to himself.
1779. Oct. 21. =Stack of Crotts=, _A captain in Walsh’s Irish regiment,
French army_. “pinboeuf” [Paimboeuf, France.] Letter [to
Capt. John Paul Jones, The Texel, Holland]. Requests
information respecting [his son] Edmond [Edward?] Stack,
Lieut., Walsh’s Irish regiment; was appointed [Lt. Col. of
Marines] on the _Bon Homme Richard_; fears he is dead; if he
has served like a “gentleman and a Soldier I Shant half
regret his death”; “his loss will lie heavy ’pon me the rest
of my days.”
1779. Oct. 22. [=Stack=, Edward.] _A lieutenant in Walsh’s Irish Regiment,
French army, and formerly Volunteer on U. S. S. “Bon Homme
Richard.”_ The Texel, [Holland]. Affidavit respecting escape
of deserters. Escape on Oct. 1st? of twenty-six seamen from
the _Serapis_; with aid from the _Pallas_ sixteen men were
captured; five were drowned and five escaped; Capt. [Denis
Nicolas] Cottineau [de Kloguene] gave an account of this
occurrence to the Commandant of the Road of Texel [Commodore
—— Reimersima]. Attestation of “Lt. Col” [Antoine Felix]
Wiebert [Wybert], Richard Dale, Samuel Stacy, John Mayrant
and Beaumont Kroube [Groube], officers of the United States
squadron, that the above statement is correct and that the
deserters were enlisted and swore allegiance to the United
States.
1779. Nov. 25. =Walsh-Serrant=, [François Jacques,] Comte de. _Colonel of
the Irish regiment of marine artillery, French army._
Paris. Letter to [Edward] Stack, [The Texel?, Holland]. Has
received orders from the [French] Court for the embarkation
of the second battalion of his regiment for the Antilles;
impossible for him to remain with [Capt. John] Paul Jones;
hopes this order for his immediate return to his regiment
will reach him through [Paul François de Quélen,] Duc de La
Vauguyon; he has the thanks of the King [Louis XVI] for his
brave conduct while with Jones.
1785. Apr. 13. =Jones=, [John] Paul. _Capt., U. S. navy._ Paris. Certificate
to [Lieut.] Edward Stack. Gives an account of Stack’s
services on the _Bon Homme Richard_; with the consent
of [Benjamin] Franklin gave him a commission of brevet
lieutenant of marines in the U. S. navy; on being ordered to
the West Indies in Nov. 1779 Stack received from Louis XVI a
commission of captain and a reward of 400 livres; now wishes
to join the Society of the Cincinnati; Jones has no doubt
that he merits the honor; considers that “a similar opinion”
from Comte d’Estaign, Comte de Rochambeau, Marquis de
Lafayette, Marquis de Saint Simon and Col. Humphreys “at the
foot hereof” with the payment of a months wages into the
charitable fund of the Society will give him standing in
America as a member.
1785. Apr. 17. =Macarthy=, [Eugene.] _A Captain in Walsh’s Irish regiment,
French army._ Paris. Certificate regarding “Commodore”
[Capt. John] Paul Jones. Certifies that at the time of the
action between the _Serapis_ and the _Bon Homme Richard_ the
latter vessel was rendered unseaworthy; on deciding to
abandon her the care incidental to transporting the wounded
to the _Serapis_ prevented Jones from saving his personal
effects or those of the crew.
1785. Apr. 19. =Stack=, [Edward.] _A Captain in Walsh’s Irish regiment,
French army._ Paris. Certificate regarding [Capt. John] Paul
Jones. Certifies that neither Jones nor his crew were able
to save their personal effects after the engagement between
the _Bon Homme Richard_ and the _Serapis_.
One battalion of the Regiment of Walsh fought at Savannah. The rest of
the command also rendered valiant service during the war, as did
likewise the Regiment of Dillon. The following general extracts are also
from the John Paul Jones papers:
1776. Nov. 3. =Gallagher=, Bernard. _Midshipman, U. S. brig “Providence.”_
Boston. Letter to Capt. John [Paul] Jones, Philadelphia.
Taken prisoner by the _Gen. Gates_, Capt. William Kilton,
and carried into Canser [Canso, Nova Scotia]; attempted to
escape but was captured and put in irons by Capt. [ ]
Dawson; owing to representations of Capt. [ ] Dory was
“fetched to Halifax”; confined for two weeks; then taken
to Marblehead, [Massachusetts] on the _Carlisle_; arrived
at Boston Nov. 2d with James Rogers and George Nicholson;
left Benjamin Allen, John Fears and [ ] Munroe ill on the
_Carlisle_; hopes to reach Philadelphia before Jones’s
departure; wishes his chest sent to James Gallagher.
1776. Nov. 15. =J[ones,]= J[ohn] P[aul.] _Capt., U. S. S. “Alfred.”_
_Alfred_, off Newfoundland. Orders to Philip Brown. Appoints
him to command the prize _Mellish_; is to accompany the
_Alfred_ and render assistance if called on; if separated is
to proceed to nearest port in the United States, preferably
Rhode Island. “By order of the Senior Officer, James Hogan,
Secretary.” Autograph draft signed.
1777. Jan. 18. =Gallagher=, Bernard. _Master, U. S. merchant ship._
[Philadelphia?] Letter to Capt. John Paul Jones, Boston. Has
written two letters to him; last was sent in care of John
Manley; wishes money due [George] Lovie [Lavie?] and [James]
Beckup to remain unpaid until his articles [list enclosed]
of which they disposed to widow Weeding and others in
Newport, are returned; if money be allowed him, wishes it
remitted to Conyngham & Nesbitt, Philadelphia merchants, of
whose private ship he is engaged as master; the _Favorite_
has been retaken and carried to the Bermudas; has seen [ ]
Wesley and [ ] Hardy.
[1777. Mar.] =Manley=, John and others. _Capts., U. S. navy._ [Boston.]
“Uniform dress for the Navy agreed to at Boston by the major
part of the Captains.” Signed by Captains John Manley,
Hector McNeill, Dudley Saltonstall, E[lisha] Hinman, Joseph
Olney, John Roche, John Paul Jones, Hector McNeill for
Thomas Thompson, Joseph Olney for Abraham Whipple. Copy by
Hector McNeill.
1778. May 10. =MacNamarra=, —— Chevalier de. _Lieutenant French ship of war
“Charmante.”_ Brest, [France.] Letter to Capt. [John Paul]
Jones, [Brest]. Regrets not having seen him before leaving;
desired to compliment him on his success; reasons therefor;
“Le Chevr. de Clonard,” his friend, expresses his regrets
also; apologizes for writing in French; will wait for him at
San Domingues.
1778. Nov. 10. =Moylan=, James. _Merchant and United States commercial agent
at L’Orient._ L’Orient, [France.] Letter to Capt. J[ohn]
P[aul] Jones, Brest. Acknowledges receipt of his letter by
[Joseph] Whittal [Whitall]; has received his letter of 4th
inst. also; information respecting ships suitable for
purchase; the _Beaumont_ not yet returned from America; the
_Turgot_ sold; recommends the _Duras_ [_Bon Homme Richard_];
sends orders from Samuel Smalliorse of the _Hampden_ for
£670 to [Lieut. Peter] Amiel; [Capt. Thomas] Bell sends
“compts.”
1778. Dec. 19. =Mehegan=, John. _Clergyman and chaplain to Comte
d’Orvilliers._ Brest, [France.] Letter to [Capt.] John Paul
Jones, [L’Orient]. Has not heard from him for sixteen days;
regrets being deprived “of news of a man * * * so much
valued and esteemed”; hopes to be informed by him respecting
the “encouragement you so merit”; regards to [Lieut. Peter]
Amiel; message is being sent by [ ] Le Lay; compliments to
[James] “Moyland”; the “Colfat” wishes to be remembered; an
escaped prisoner from the British ship _Losely_ offers Jones
his services; [ ] Monier wishes his nephew to enlist as a
volunteer.
1778. Dec. 21. [=Jones=, John Paul.] _Capt., U. S. navy._ L’Orient, [France.]
Letter to “The Revd. John Mayhagan” [Mehegan], Brest.
Capt. Thomas Bell may deliver this letter to him; if so,
requests that Mehegan obtain for Bell two hogsheads of
porter belonging to Jones but now with the King’s store; one
is to be taken to Robert Morris, the other is for Bell and
J[ohn] Brown. Autograph draft.
1778. Dec. 23. [=Jones=, John Paul.] _Capt., U. S. navy._ L’Orient, [France.]
Letter to “The Revd. Father John” [Mehegan], Brest.
Acknowledges receipt of letter of Dec. 19th by [ ] Le Lay;
is not “occupied either by Love or War”; to write would have
given him some “token of existence merely not of Life”; a
few days will “remove my doubts or realize my fears”; will
write him the “true account”; has given Capt. [Thomas] Bell
a letter to him respecting the delivery of his [Jones’s]
porter; has sent to the American Commissioners the memorial
of [British] prisoners; will do all in his power to effect
an early exchange; [Lieut. Peter] Amiel is well and returns
his compliments; “Present my compliments to the Bishop, and
the _Calfateur_”; congratulates him on the safe delivery of
the Queen [of France]; “She is a _Sweet Girl_ and deserves
to be Happy”; requests that inventories of prize ships at
Brest be sent to John Ross, Nantes, and [Joseph] Whitall,
Bordeaux, in care of [John] Bonfield [Bondfield]. Autograph
draft.
1779. Mar. 9. [=Jones=, John Paul.] _Capt., U. S. S. “Bon Homme Richard.”_
[L’Orient, France.] Letter to Capt. John Plaince, Cork,
[Ireland]. Has been impossible to forward the within bill
until now; “It is the last of the set drawn by Mr. [ ]
Newberry”; those drawn by [Louis Daniel] Charrier are
lost; letter [of Mar. 9, 1778] will explain everything,
both as to “present and future Remittances from the same
hand”; this letter “contained no Sentiment whatsoever that
did not * * * flow directly from the Heart of the Author”;
Miss Plaince’s answer to letter of June 1st was received
open; “interruption of that correspondence has been owing
to no change of Sentiment * * * and the parties are now
and will continue real Friends.” Autograph draft.
1779. Apr. 11. [=Jones=, John Paul.] _Capt., U. S. S. “Bon Homme Richard.”_
L’Orient, [France.] Orders [to Lieut. Peter Amiel, Brest].
Is to proceed to Paimboeuf to join [Matthew] Mease with
Americans who have enlisted to serve under Jones; if wind is
favorable is to bring them to L’Orient in vessel provided by
[Jonathan] Williams; otherwise to come by land; hopes that
others will join them when they know that Jones is about to
sail for America; is then to proceed to Angoulême to the
cannon foundry of [Louis] Sezarac L’ainé et fils; is to
send proportions of 8 and 18 pounders to [James] Moylan;
instructions governing his stay at Angoulême. Secretary’s
draft.
1779. Apr. 30. [=Jones=, John Paul.] _Capt., U. S. S. “Bon Homme Richard.”_
L’Orient, [France.] Letter to “Revd. father John” [Mehegan,
Brest]. Is informed by [Jonathan] Williams, his “Friend and
Attorney”, that the American agent at Nantes [John D.
Schweighauser] wishes a revaluation made of the Countess of
Selkirk’s plate; has given his consent to this; thinks [ ]
Cortentine will feel affronted at the revision of the first
estimate; directions concerning the revaluation; requests
that Mehegan be present; judges that Williams will forward
[plate] to L’Orient when revalued; desires a chaplain;
arrived from Paris a few days since; met [Lt.] Gen. [Louis
Guillouet, Comte] d’Orvilliers “on the road”; is “this day
so sick” that he writes in bed; wishes an early reply.
1779. May 1–3. [=Jones=, John Paul.] _Capt., U. S. S. “Bon Homme Richard.”_
L’Orient, [France.] Officers of auxiliary vessels under
command of. (May 1.) _Pallas_: Denis Nicolas Cottineau de
Kerloguen [Kloguene], Captain; Henry Ange François Le
Meignan, Pierre François Magonet and Beninge Worle des
Essart Mischateau, Lieutenants; François Pettibon de La
Masc, Master; Maurice O’Connell, Capt. of Marines; Jean
Petit, Surgeon. (May 2.) _Cerf_: Joseph Varage, Captain;
Armand Coudre La Coudrais, Lieutenant. (May 3.) _Vengeance_:
Philippe Nicolas Ricot, Captain; Pierre Vinet de Nantes and
Nicolas Lejoille de St. Valery, Lieutenants; Jean Beaudot de
Rennes en Bretagne, Master.
1779. May 18. =Manoville=, ——, Le Chevalier de. Brest, [France.] Letter to
Capt. John Paul Jones, [L’Orient]. Understands that he can
obtain from Jones some Irish salted butter; if such is the
case would like to purchase some.
1779. Dec. 17. =O’Connell=, [Maurice.] _Capt., U. S. marines._ Rotterdam,
[Holland.] Letter to [Capt. John Paul] Jones, The Texel.
Regrets that he could not have seen Jones before leaving
the Helder; considered himself too old to be under [Capt.
Paul de] Chamillard’s orders; if he had been embarked with
Jones, would not have left; has been taken for “the brave
Paul Jones” in many places; as a result has been highly
complimented; will rejoin him if needed; letters should be
addressed to him in care of “Marquis De Brancas” [Louis
Marie Bufile Brancas, Marquis de Lauraguais?]; wishes
Jones would write a line to [Benjamin] Franklin in his
behalf. Endorsed: “From Captain O’Connally * * *”
1780. May 15. =Sarsfield=, ——, Count. [Paris.] Letter to [Capt. John Paul]
Jones, Passy. Understands that Jones is to leave on
Wednesday, [May 17th]; wishes an interview before that time;
will remain at home Tuesday afternoon; would go to Passy but
fears that they will miss each other; “will certainly call
upon Dr. [Benjamin] Franklin Wednesday morning”; if Jones
postpones his departure until the afternoon will be happy to
wish him Godspeed.