Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1931-11-05
REVOLUTIONARY WAR
HERO WOULD HAVE
BEEN 1874 THIS YEAR

In the little parish of Kirkbean in
Scotland, one of Americas greatest
heroes was born July 6, 1747. His
family name was Paul and he was
christened John. Later in life he was
to add Jones to his name and become
famous as a commander in the Con-
tinental navy whose brilliant achieve
ments on the sea rivalled those Of
George Washington on the land.
The 184th anniversary of John Paul
Jones' birthday is marked as a date
of significance to all Americans by
the Division of Information and Pub
LEGATION of the United States George
Washington Bicentennial commission.
Every citizen of the United States has
reason to be grateful for the services
of the first great American sea fighter.
Young John Paul went to sea when
he was but IL years old, and at the
age of 81 he was captain of trader.
In 1878 he came to America and
settled on his brothers plantation in
Virginia which he had inherited upon
the death of the latter. 1t was here
that he first used the name Jones.
When the break between England
and her colonies widened into actual
warfare, Jones applied to Congress for
a naval commission which was
granted in December, ITS. That
month, as a lieutenant in the new
Continental navy, he is said to have
hoisted with his own hands the first
naval flag of an American squadron.
This was the we'll known yellow silk
banner with the rattlesnake and the
warning Don't tread on mel"
The young officer soon was given
an independent commission in COM
mand of the little ship Providence"
With crew of but seventy men and
dozen four-pound guns, Jones be-
came a terror to British shipping, de-
destroying a million dollars worth of
enemy property. Later, in the cal
fred" he continued his work, captur-.
ing valuable munitions intended for
Burgoyne.
He was commissioned captain Oc-
tober 10, 1776, and June IA, 1776 was
ordered to the Ranger" On this
ship, July 4, he raised the first stars
and stripes that ever flew from an
American warship. In the Ranger"
he carried to France the news of Bur-
goyne's surrender and received the
first salute ever given the United
States flag by a foreign fleet
From France Jones sailed to the
north coast of England where he
landed at Whitehaven, spiked the Eng
lish guns, burned some shipping and
thoroughly alarmed the country. This
was the only invasion of British ter
ritary by an American force during
the Revolutionary War.
The most famous battle in which he
was engaged was that which took
place September %, 1779, with the
British man of war Scraps" off
Marlborough Head. At that time
Jones was in command of an ancient
ship which he had refitted in France
and named Bon Homme Richard" in
honor of Benjamin Franklin. Despite
the great odds against him the intre-
pid American unhesitatingly engaged
the far superior enemy in battle
which has gone down in history as one
of the greatest sea fights of all time.
The rotten sides of the American
ship were almost completely shot
away when the English commander
called ON Jones to surrender. In re-
ply he received the terse statement,
Il have not begun to fight" Utterly
dismayed at such courage, the Eng
lishman struck his colors. Jones
transferred his crew to the Scraps"
and the bon Homme Richard" COM
pletely shattered, sank to her glorious
grave.
After the Revolution John Paul
Jones entered the service of Cath
crime of Russia where he again re-
vealed his remarkable courage and
ability as a sea fighter. Being the
victim of intrigues by jealous Russian
officers, Jones left that country and
went to France where he died July
IS, 1892. In 1905 his body was To-
Gated and identified by the American
ambassador to France. 1t was brought
to this country and inferred with full
honors at the United States Naval
Academy at Annapolis.