The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1859-09-10
PauI-Jones

re TtrgtzS0 L7adeE Is publishing series
of interesting sketches, by Mr.. Thomas
Chase of Chesterfield, of .sThe Life, Char
aeter, and Times of Paul Jones' They
throw much light on the character of Paul
Jones, and give, We doubt not; a most faith
full account of the famous battle of his
ship, the Bon Homme Richard, with the
Serapis After stating that the ships were
locked together, which was effected by
Jones, because he saw that to keep off al fair
gun-shot, with a new and strong frigate
like the Scraps, would never do for such a
crazy old hulk as the Bon Homme Richard,
Mr.. Chase proceeds: ysH
1.-The working of the big guns had been
suspended during the time of flashing the
ships together, but was now resumed. OF
course neither ship could use but her guns
on one side, and these were nearly muzzle
to muzzle-so near that those who handled
the ramrods sometimes hit eeach other
..Fair play, you damned Yankeei'' an En-
glishman would exclaim. "Mind your
eye, John Bull, or I'll," DC.
/ t.The firing was not rapid, particularly on
Jones's part, for it could do the ships no
hurt, except to knock the guns about lit
tie, and knock off the gunwales, and occa-
sionally raise cloud of splinters from
each others decks. Jones and his men
kept very sharp look -out that Pearson and
his men did not'cut the lashings and sever
the ships. Neither of these ships was dam
aged s'between wind and water nor could
they now be by any use of the big guns.
Both had men in the rigging doing all the
mischief they could. In this kind of play.
Jones had the best of it; for his men were
more terrible, and his spars and yards were
longer, still Pearson would not surrender,
insisting that Jones ought to-. .e a
"Capt Landais, with the Alliance, came
up to help Jones, and fred broadside; but
of necessity it hurt Jones as much as it
did Pearson. Jones Immediately cred out,
.sCapt. Landais, let us alone; can handle
him. Both ships were often on fire, and
as often was the fire extinguished. Had it
not been for the men in the rigging, this
was one of the safest sea-fghts, so far as
ever bappened--I mean after the ships were
lashed together. The flash of the guns
would go clear across each deck, and the
men, by keeping a good lookout could
avoid being hurt, only by stepping little
aside.
"Had the Bon Homme Richard been a
new, strong ship, as was the Scraps, both
might have lain there and burned powder
and thrown shot until they rotted as to
sinking either with the guns of the other.
But the Bon Homme Richard was old and
rotten, and was leaking badly before Jones
made her fast to the Scraps; and thus fast,
the strain upon her against the other ship
and from the explosion of the guns made
her leak worse. and it was evident that she
must ere long go down.
''Some of Jopes's men and one of his
officers told him she must soon go down,
and suggested surrender. "You never
mind that; you shall have better ship to
go home in, said Jones, pleasantly. Jones
and all his men, and Pearson and his crew,
very we'll knew that if the Bon Homme
Richard was about to sink, she would cap
size the Scraps, and both must 60 down to-
gether. 1t was, therefore, likely to be a
test between Jones and Pearson-which,
for the sake of saving himself and men
from watery grave, would strike first.
s'But Jones had recourse to stratagem,
which was completely successful He Sc
cretly sent his men below, one by one, with
the stIictest possible orders to be fully pre-
pared for boarding, and at a given signal to
rush on deck, and he would lead them on
to the deck of the Scraps, and clear it. So
Jones's men seemed to diminish, though
not very fast, until only about thirty were
left on his deck. Pearson, supposing they
were killed or badly wounded. and that
Jones must soon strike, was thrown COM
pletely off his guard. This was Jones's
time. Giving his signal, his men were
ready in an instant, and with Jones ahead,
with his deadly sword. rushed like "hell-
hounds upon the deck of the Scraps, Kill
ling everything they could reach. and in a
very short time would have killed every
thing on board; but Captain Pearson, see
ing his time had come, cried with loud
voice, Captain Jones, I surrender''-at
the same time taking his sword by the blade,
and presenting the handle to Jones, and
with the next breath ordered the colers to be
taken down.
This was in the night. The next day
evening, the Bon Homme Richard went
down head foremost. Thus terminated the
strongest naval fight on record. Paul Jones
took the Scraps, but Captain Pearson sunk
the Bon Homme Richard"
A NOVEL MISUNDERSTANDING most
remarkable advertisement of those which
daily fall under our notice In hundreds OF