Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-09-26

Tuesday Sept. 23d was the centennial
anniversary of one of the most brilliant and
desperate naval engagements ever fought.
The hero of the fight, John Paul Jones, was
a native of Scotland, but citizen of the
United States and a regularly commissioned
officer in the American Navy. What he
could do with single, swift half armed YES
sci he had shown year before, taking many
prizes on the undefendcd English coast. For
months thereafter he fumed and fretted in a
French port begging for another vessel. At
last an old French merchantmen, equipped
as Il ship of war, was given him and he
changed its named TO lie Bonhomme Rich
ard in compliment TO Franklin. -Four other
small vessels were added; and with this
small squadron he sailed TO the coast of Scot
land intending TO enter the harbor of Leith,
which was without adequate defence, and to
take possession of the city of Edinburg. He
might have done it, but II strong westerly
gale drove his ships out of the Firth of Forth
into the North sea. A few days later he
encountered off Marlborough Head fleet of
British merchantmen under convoy of the
frigate Scraps and two or three other armed
ships Paul Jones, in the Richard, imme-
diately attacked the Scraps, and at the first
discharge of his broadside two of his eigh-
teen pound guns burst, killing several of his
crew and tearing up the main deck, so that
his ship at the beginning of the action look
ed like a wreck Not at all disheartened, he
kept up vigorous fire, and both ships were
soon SO far disabled in their rigging that
they driftcd together, and at the same time
the American ensign was cut down by shot.
"Have YOU surrendered" said the British
captain NO" said Paul Jones, 81 have not
begun to fight" The British attempted
boarding, but were repulsed. The rigging
was entanglcd and the ships were firmly
dashed together by Joncs's order. The
Americans in the tops with their small arms
kept the deck of the British ship clear, but
the Brittons below served their guns with
such effect that almost the whole side of the
Richard was torn away and she was leaking
rapidly One of the Americans threw
hand grenade down the main hatch of the
Scraps, which ignited some lose powder and
caused an explosion, which killed score of
the British crew, and the Scraps surrendered.
The Richard was then ready to sink, and
there was hardly time totransferthe prisoners
and wounded TO the Scraps before she went
down. The Scraps, which had also been
roughly handled, was taken into friendly
port. In the engagement Captain Paul
Jones lost more than half his crew. The
Countess of Scarborough, the consort of the
Scraps, was also captured. For this exploit
the king Of France conferred on Jones an
order OF merit and gave him a gold-hilted
sword. Paul Jones afterwards entered the
Russian service with the rank of Rear Ad-
miral, but not receiving the command which
he thought his merit and experience de-
served he became dissatisfied and retired.
He died in poverty at Paris in 1892. His
great sea fight has been sung by an Ameri-
can poet, Walt Whitman.
'Our foe was skulk in his ship tell you;
His WAS the English pluck,-and there is no tough
er or truer and never was and never will be,
Along the lowering eve he came, horribly raking |
us"
Our fTlgaic was anre.
The other asked II We demanded quarter!
II our cUlOrs struck and the fighting done ! !
laughed content when heard the voice OF nv |
little captain
We have not struck" he cOmposedy cried. We /
have just begun our part Of the fighting"
Only three guns In use.
Not moments cease.
The leaks gained fast on the pumps-the fire eat |
towards the powder magazine.
one OF the pumps was shot away-li was generally !
thought We were sinking
Serene stood the little captain
He was not hurred-his voice WAS neither high /
nor low.
His eyes gave more light to us than our battle
lanterns.
Toward twelve al night, there in the beams of the
moon, they surrendered Ia us.
Stretched and still lay the midnight.
Two great hulls mOtOnless on the breast of the |
Our vessel riddled and slowly sinking
Black and iinpassve guns, litter Of powder par
GELS, strong scent.
Delicate shifts Of seahreeze, smells OF sedgy grass
and fields hy the shore.
. Ii