Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1853-01-27
ApIu.ert,,,ps Renlni.ee.ee.


mand of the renowned Paul Jones
and the Scraps. 1t will be reat
with interest.-Washington Union
Particulars of the engagement be
t,oeen the Bon Homme RichdrC
and the Serdpis, furnished b,
First Lieutenant Richard Ddle, o.
the Bon Homme Richard.
On the 23d of September, l779
being below, | was reused by ar
unusual noise on deck. This induced
me to go upon deck, when / found
the men were swaying up the roya
yards preparatory to making sail fol
a large feet under our lee. | asked
the coasting pilot what feet it was.
He answered: "The Baltic feet,
under convoy of the Scraps, of A
guns, and the Countess of Scar
borough, of 90 guns" A general
chase then commenced Of the Bon
Homme Richard, the Vengeance,
the PalIas, and the Alliance, the
latter ship being then in sight after a
separation from the squadron of
nearly three weeks, but which ship,
as usual, disregarded the private
signals of the Commodore. AT this
time our fleet headed to the north
ward, with a light breeze. Flam-
borough Head being about two
leagues distant. Att P. NJ, it was
evident that the Baltic fleet perceived
we were in chase, from the signal
from the Scraps for the merchants
men TO stand in shore. At the same
time, the Scraps and Countess OF
Scarborough tackled ship and stood
off shore, with the intention of
drawing off our attention from the
convoy. When these ships had
separated from the convoy about
two miles, they again tackled, and
stood in shore after the merchant
men. At about s, being within hail,
the Scraps demanded, "What ship
is that?" He was answered, 81 can't
hear what you say" Immediately
after. the Scraps hailed again:
"What ship is thai7 Answer im>
mediately, or | shall be under the
necessity of fling into you?" At
this moment | received orders from
Commodore Jones to commence the
action with a hroadside, which, In
deed, appeared simultaneous on
board both ships. Our position
being to windward of the Scraps,
we passed ahead of her. and the
Scraps, coming up on our larboard
quarter, the action commenced
abreast Of each other. The Scraps
soon passed ahead of the Bon
Homme Richard; and when he
thought he had gained distance suf-
ficien; to 60 down athwart the FORE
foot to rake US, found he had not
enough distance, and that the Bon
Homme Richard would be aboard
him, put his helm alec, which
brought the two ships on line, and
the Bon Homme Richard, having
head-way, ran her bows into the
stern of the Scraps.
We had remained in this situation
but a few minutes, when we were
again hailed by the Scraps, "Has
your ship struck" To which Cap
tain Jones answered, 81 haze not get
begun to fight" As we were unable
to bring a single gun 10 bear upon
the Scraps, our topsails were backed,
while those of the Scraps being
filled, the ships separated. The
Scraps wore short round on her
heel, and her jib>boom ran into the
mizzen rigging of the Bon Homme
Richard. In this situation the ships
were made fast together with a
hawser, the bowsprit of the Scraps
TO the mizzen mast of the Bon
Homme Richard, and the action re~
commenced from the starboard side
of the two ships. With a view OF
separating the ships, the Scraps let
go her anchor, which maneuvre
brought her and the stern Of the
Bon Homme Richard to the wind,
while the ships lay closely pressed
against each other. A novelty in
naval combats was now presented 10
many witnesses, but to few admirers.
The rammers were run into the
respective ships 10 enable the men to
load after the lower ports of the
Scraps had been blown away, to
make room for running out their
guns, and in this situation the ships
remained until between 10 and III
O'Clock P. NJ, when the engagement
! terminated by the surrender OF the
Scraps.
i From the commencement to the
termination Of the action there was
not a man on board of the Bon
Homme Richard ignorant Of the
superiority of the Scraps, both in
weight of metal and the qualities oI
the crews. The crew of that ship
! was picked seamen. and the ship
itself had been only a few months
L L.