Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-10-03
COMMODORE PAUL JONES.
How the American Naval Hero OF the
Revolution Fought an English war
Vessel OF the Coast of England.

How the American Naval Hero of the
Revolution Fought an English War
Vessel on the Coast OF England
The recent centennial anniversary of
the most fercely fought naval battle OF
the Revolution brought forth the follow
ing graphic recital of that event, written
for the New York Sun by George Jones,
the Count Joannes," who. olalIhs 10
he a descendant of the victorious Amer
ican commodore: n |
On the evening of Sept. %. A. u.
I7T9 the harvest moon then rising IN her
full splendor. Commodore PauI Jones
ond his three yaOsels, the Bon Homme
P;cbard A uidnce and Tallas, doubled |
Eiomboy0ugh Head, and suddenly be-
haId a fleet of merchantmen bound to |
sne Baltic, and leaving Scarborough har-
Dor under the convoy of two British ves-
sells of war. The full moon rising,
quickly developed the character of the
combatants, and the merchant feet flew
in every direction. The larger of the
English ships proved to be new man
of-war, the Serapis, of fifty guns and 800
men, commanded by Capt. Richard
Pearson, q distinguished officer and sea-
man, who regarded the ''rebels ,. as
traitors. The Bon Homme Richard had
forty cannon and motley crew of 227
of several nations, and also, as an in
cumbrance, nearly 200 prisoners, taken
in the Ranger fight, etc. The Bon
by firing the first shot, which was an
swered by distant broadside from the
Scraps without damage, as the rough
tide careened the ship at the moment of
firing.
The two ships of war gradually ap-
preached each other, and at last the
bowsprit of the Serapis, forming right
angle with the Bon Homme Richard,
passed over the quarter deck. Then
Paul Jones, quick as flash, with the
very genius of action, and with his own
hands, lashed and secured the bowsprit
to his own mizzenmastl He then drop
ped anchhors fore and aft. The Scraps
fioated round, and the vessels came close
together, broadside to broadside. Paul
Jones then grappled, and both ships
were as one vessel, firmly fixed to each
while the anchors held them in one
place. This extraordinary naval combat
was then begun. The manner of the con-
flict was entirely different in the minds of
the two comanders. Capt. Pearson, per-
ceiving the decayed condition of the
rebel ship, brought his guns to bear upon
the hull, so as to destroy the timbers
and sink the Bon Homme Richard and
all on board. Paul Jones attempted
nothing of that kind, but had fixed his
mind upon capturing this new ship of
war, though his own vessel might be
shattered and find its watery grave. 10
this result he gave orders to clear the
deck, tops, etc, of his adversary's Off
GERS and men; and this to consider
able extent was effected. The port
holes of each vessel, when grappled,
were opposite to each other, and, as the
cannon were loaded, the ramrods of
each protruded into the embrasures of
the opposite vessel. This constant firing
into the wooden hull of the Bon Homme
Richard made distinctions splinters "
as fatal as cannon balls to the crew, who
fell dead and wounded in great numbers,
A small magazine exploded, killing
thirty-two men and wounding others, as
well as disabling several cannon. After
the fight had been Kept up for more
than an hour, the carpenter came on
deck affrighted and shouted, "The ship
is on fire and sinking! "Wel,n said
the Commodore" the water will put
out the fire! Go back to your dutyr'
The combat was continued with mutual
fury. Yet amid the wreck and ruin
around him, Paul Jones was undaunted
and resolute, and gave with calmness
his orders to Lieut.. Dale, who ably sec
onded his chiefs commands.
Many of the prisoners escaped through
the portfolios of the two vessels, and al
one time they threatened to rise in mu-
) tiny, but were quickly quelled by a mes
sage from Paul Jones that, if they did
forfeit their parole, not prisoner should
be left alive. And in this resolution he
was supported by another Welshman
viz, King Henry ", at the battle o.
Agincourt, where the prisoners were
aughtered in self defence of the Eng
, lish army.
Again the panic-stricken carpenter
rushed upon the quarter deck, shouting
"The ships on tire!" and, passing Pau
Jones to the aft halliards, suddenly
hauled down the American flag, where
. upon the Commodore instantly drew hi
7 pistol and shot him dead. And before
the flag was re-raised, Capt. Pearson
seeing that it was down, shouted through
9 his speaking trumpet: 6 Ship ahoy
You Internal rebel, have you surren
: Cered?" To which question, while re
hosting the flag, Paul Jones replied
with sailor animation, " surrendered
f, Surrender, never I've not begun t.
5 fight yetm And this, after nearly tw'
hours of continued conflict, the dead AM
. diving around him, the decks slipper,
+ with human blood, his ship twice ol
fire, and gradually sinking!
4 Believing that Capt. Pearson might at
a tempt to ungrapple the two ships, ant
then with broadsides actually sink tn
y Bon Homme Richard, Paul Jones re
a solved to cripple his adversary, AM
l., make a wreck of his ship, so that h
could not move it. Consequently, 70
a this purpose, he took charge of and con
n tinually loaded and fired ten-poun
0 carronade, and constantly aimed at tn
mainmast of the Serapis, as the ship
n were fixed to each other. After sewers
n rounds the mainmast was cut in two, an
!, it fell. with all the spars and rigging
l with tremendous crash, on the stal
board side. Had it fallen upon the lal
e board, and across the Bon Homm
u Richard, it would have crushed thf
s ship, it being smaller than his advel
e sary's. Hardly had this grand ratSe Q
er Q,terre been accomplished when too
place a treachery unknown in nav;
Up warfare, viz Captain Landais of ii
81 Alliance bore down on the starboard (
ID the Bon Homme Richard, and actua,
a fired two broadsides into bis command
err er's ship, in the base beliefthat he wou.
ct sink that vessel, then advance upon Il
Serapis, in its crippled state from Il
r wreck of the mainmast, take that shi
", and return to France, clnimi the vi
y, tory! Paul Jones quickly made up h
e. mind what to do in this emergency, al
us that was to board and capture the Ser
or pis. No sooner thought than done. l
vs. led the first boarding party, followed
m Lieut.. Dale and others, the British ma
of-war was captured, and the Americ;
aar Aooted from, the foremast. Capta