Saturday, September 23, 2006
This Day in American History
On this day in 1779, Scot born American patriot John Paul Jones, on the elderly, former French East Indiaman, named (in honor of Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard books) Bonhomme Richard, engaged the brand new British frigate HMS Serapis in the North Sea off Famborough Head, England. Serapis had 44 18 pounder cannon, the BR had 28 12 pounders, 6 6 pounders and Jones had added 6 18 pounders below the gun deck. Outgunned, BR was blasted in the initial broadside the two ships exchanged, losing much of her firepower and many of her gunners. Captain Richard Pearson, commanding Serapis, and a gentleman, called out to Jones, asking if he surrendered. Jones replied: "I have not yet begun to fight!" What a guy. Since he had been at sea since age 13, it is difficult to know if he said it in a Scots accent.
And the Americans waged a desperate, bloody battle. Sharpshooting Marines and seamen in BR's tops raked Serapis with rifle fire, clearing the weather decks, even as their ship began to sink beneath them. Only after the BR rammed, and Marines and sailors boarded, the Serapis did Capt. Pearson tear down his colors and surrender his ship. Bonhomme Richard sunk the next day and Jones wisely transferred to Serapis, named after a lesser Egyptian god. The battle was a huge black eye to the British Navy which did not suffer many such defeats until the war resumed in 1812.
And the Americans waged a desperate, bloody battle. Sharpshooting Marines and seamen in BR's tops raked Serapis with rifle fire, clearing the weather decks, even as their ship began to sink beneath them. Only after the BR rammed, and Marines and sailors boarded, the Serapis did Capt. Pearson tear down his colors and surrender his ship. Bonhomme Richard sunk the next day and Jones wisely transferred to Serapis, named after a lesser Egyptian god. The battle was a huge black eye to the British Navy which did not suffer many such defeats until the war resumed in 1812.
# posted by Roger Fraley @ 8:12 AM 
