Okla-homey
9/23/2006, 07:29 AM
Today, as the University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane takes on the Middies at USNA, it is especially appropriate to remember what happened 230 years on this day in 1776 to a guy buried at the Naval Academy.
September 23, 1779 John Paul Jones victorious
http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/1448/serapisandbon0yb.jpg
A epic naval battle to the death
During the American Revolution, the Continental warship Bonhomme Richard, commanded by John Paul Jones, won a hard-fought engagement against the British ships of war HMS Serapis and HMS Countess of Scarborough off the east coast of England.
http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/9962/john15c20john20paul20jones2su.jpg
Scottish-born John Paul Jones first sailed to America as a cabin boy and lived for a time in Fredericksburg, Virginia, where his brother had a business. He later served on slavers and merchantmen and proved an able seaman. After he killed a sailor while suppressing a mutiny, he went to the American colonies to escape possible British prosecution.
http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/2144/johnpbirth4lc.gif
Jones' Scottish birthplace is maintained as a shrine to the "Father of the US Navy" by the British governement.
With the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War in 1775, he traveled to Philadelphia and was commissioned a senior lieutenant (O-3) in the new Continental Navy. He soon distinguished himself in actions against British ships in the Bahamas, the Atlantic, and the English Channel.
In August 1779, Jones took command of Bonhomme Richard. She was an old French frigate, presented to the Continental Navy by France in hopes she would be used well against the British. Her name literally means "Poor Richard" au francais in recognition of Ben Franklin's witty periodical "Poor Richard's Almanac" which, like Jerry Lewis, was wildly popular in France for no apparent reason.
While certainly appreciated, the ship was quite long in the tooth, and had quite a bit of rotten timber. Jones did his best with her nonetheless and took up a cruise around the British Isles looking for a fight.
On September 23, Bonhomme Richard engaged HMS Serapis and the smaller Countess of Scarborough, which were escorting the British Baltic merchant fleet. Serapis was a state of the art, modern and well maintained Royal Navy frigate and easily outclassed the much older Bonny Dick.
http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/2140/johnrichard8gf.jpg
Bonhomme Richard in foreground, Serapis and Countess behind
After inflicting considerable damage to the old Bonhomme Richard, Richard Pearson, Serapis' skipper, asked Jones if he had struck his colors, the naval signal indicating surrender.
From his disabled ship, Jones replied, "I have not yet begun to fight," and after three more hours of furious fighting Serapis and Countess of Scarborough surrendered to him. After the victory, the Americans transferred to Serapis from Bonhomme Richard. The following day, leaking like a sieve, Bonhomme Richard promptly sank.
http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/4555/jpjonesfight5wv.jpg
Jones yelling at Pearson. Your correspondent believes the experienced old salt Jones very probably peppered that "I have not yet begun to fight!" line with a few extra expletives -- but that's just me. ;)
http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/4462/johnjonesflag2og.png
Jones' American ensign seen here, was the first American flag ever saluted by a foreign power when he put into a Dutch port flying this flag aboard the now Continental Navy warship Serapis.
I expect Jones' words were prolly more like, "I have not yet begun to fight ya English bastage! Before I'm done you and your lime-sucking crew of English sodomites will be beggin' for mercy.":D
Jones was hailed as a great hero in France, but recognition in the United States was somewhat belated. He continued to serve the United States until 1787 and then served briefly in the Russian navy before moving to France, where he died in 1792 at the age of 45, amid the blood and chaos of the French Revolution. He was buried in an unmarked grave.
In 1905, his remains were located under the direction of the U.S. ambassador to France and then escorted back to America by U.S. warships. His body was later enshrined in a crypt at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/7690/xxxxxxxxjohn3ffhf1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Jones' tomb at the USNA
http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/3859/image2841pj.jpg
USS John Paul Jones...DDG 53. A modern guided missile destroyer.
http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/4169/insane7zo8iz.jpg
September 23, 1779 John Paul Jones victorious
http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/1448/serapisandbon0yb.jpg
A epic naval battle to the death
During the American Revolution, the Continental warship Bonhomme Richard, commanded by John Paul Jones, won a hard-fought engagement against the British ships of war HMS Serapis and HMS Countess of Scarborough off the east coast of England.
http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/9962/john15c20john20paul20jones2su.jpg
Scottish-born John Paul Jones first sailed to America as a cabin boy and lived for a time in Fredericksburg, Virginia, where his brother had a business. He later served on slavers and merchantmen and proved an able seaman. After he killed a sailor while suppressing a mutiny, he went to the American colonies to escape possible British prosecution.
http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/2144/johnpbirth4lc.gif
Jones' Scottish birthplace is maintained as a shrine to the "Father of the US Navy" by the British governement.
With the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War in 1775, he traveled to Philadelphia and was commissioned a senior lieutenant (O-3) in the new Continental Navy. He soon distinguished himself in actions against British ships in the Bahamas, the Atlantic, and the English Channel.
In August 1779, Jones took command of Bonhomme Richard. She was an old French frigate, presented to the Continental Navy by France in hopes she would be used well against the British. Her name literally means "Poor Richard" au francais in recognition of Ben Franklin's witty periodical "Poor Richard's Almanac" which, like Jerry Lewis, was wildly popular in France for no apparent reason.
While certainly appreciated, the ship was quite long in the tooth, and had quite a bit of rotten timber. Jones did his best with her nonetheless and took up a cruise around the British Isles looking for a fight.
On September 23, Bonhomme Richard engaged HMS Serapis and the smaller Countess of Scarborough, which were escorting the British Baltic merchant fleet. Serapis was a state of the art, modern and well maintained Royal Navy frigate and easily outclassed the much older Bonny Dick.
http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/2140/johnrichard8gf.jpg
Bonhomme Richard in foreground, Serapis and Countess behind
After inflicting considerable damage to the old Bonhomme Richard, Richard Pearson, Serapis' skipper, asked Jones if he had struck his colors, the naval signal indicating surrender.
From his disabled ship, Jones replied, "I have not yet begun to fight," and after three more hours of furious fighting Serapis and Countess of Scarborough surrendered to him. After the victory, the Americans transferred to Serapis from Bonhomme Richard. The following day, leaking like a sieve, Bonhomme Richard promptly sank.
http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/4555/jpjonesfight5wv.jpg
Jones yelling at Pearson. Your correspondent believes the experienced old salt Jones very probably peppered that "I have not yet begun to fight!" line with a few extra expletives -- but that's just me. ;)
http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/4462/johnjonesflag2og.png
Jones' American ensign seen here, was the first American flag ever saluted by a foreign power when he put into a Dutch port flying this flag aboard the now Continental Navy warship Serapis.
I expect Jones' words were prolly more like, "I have not yet begun to fight ya English bastage! Before I'm done you and your lime-sucking crew of English sodomites will be beggin' for mercy.":D
Jones was hailed as a great hero in France, but recognition in the United States was somewhat belated. He continued to serve the United States until 1787 and then served briefly in the Russian navy before moving to France, where he died in 1792 at the age of 45, amid the blood and chaos of the French Revolution. He was buried in an unmarked grave.
In 1905, his remains were located under the direction of the U.S. ambassador to France and then escorted back to America by U.S. warships. His body was later enshrined in a crypt at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/7690/xxxxxxxxjohn3ffhf1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Jones' tomb at the USNA
http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/3859/image2841pj.jpg
USS John Paul Jones...DDG 53. A modern guided missile destroyer.
http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/4169/insane7zo8iz.jpg