John paul jones in battle, 1779 eyewitness to history. John paul jones, uss bonhomme richard and a satellite image of the u. On the night of september 22, 1779, bonhomme richard and the british ship of war serapis engaged in an epic battle off flamborough head on the yorkshire coast by the north sea, just south of scarborough. Stafford had jumped into the sea and retrieved paul jones flag, receiving a wound that troubled him for the rest of his life. The battle took place on september 23, 1779 in the north sea off flamborough head, england, and lasted over 3 hours. Navy, bonhomme richard emerged victorious from the battle, but proved irreparably damaged. The remains of the famous revolutionary war frigate uss bonhomme richard have been discovered off the coast of the u. Bonne homme richard vs serapis september 23, 1779 the most remarkable single ship duel of the american revolution was between the bonne homme richard commanded by john paul jones and the hms serapis. Their mission was to escort troop transports and merchant vessels under the convoy to bordeaux, france, and cruise against the british in the bay of biscay. Combining data from historical accounts of bonhomme richard s sept. Serapisthe american warship bonhomme richard in battle with the british frigate serapis, september 23, 1779. Being retired navy, the historical significance and achievement in finding bonhomme richard is beyond words, said hensons civilian medical.
Soon they would go where glory awaited them in the famous sea battle against her majestys ship hms serapis at the battle of flamborough head. On september 23, 1779, bonhomme richard met hms serapis off the coast of flamborough head, near yorkshire. The uss alliance did not engage the british but fired on the bonhomme richard instead. The captain of the bonhomme richard john paul jones won the battle at great costs. Bon homme richard vs serapis account by lieutenant richard dale. On june 19, 1779, jones sailed bonhomme richard from l orient, france. Serapis was a 44gun brandnew twodecker with frigate lines, commanded by a seasoned captain and crew. On the evening of 22 september, jones in bonhomme richard an armed. The debris and ballast mound of the bonhomme richard lie somewhere between twentyfive and thirtyfive miles out to sea from flamborough head.
At one point in the battle, a volley from serapis blew a large portion of the bonhomme richard s mast off, causing captain pearson of serapis to ask whether jones had struck his colors in surrender. Engagement between bonhomme richard and serapis united. Bonhomme richard is best known for its battle with hms serapis. During the revolutionary war john paul jones took bonhomme richard into an epic battle against hms serapis, earning immortality.
Bonhomme richard serapis engagementbonhomme richard serapis engagement. Challenged by a large combined french and spanish fleet, the british navy was too preoccupied to prevent american. Jones eventually won the day, captured serapis and successfully transferred his crew off the fatally damaged bon homme richard. On september 23, 1779, john paul jones stood issuing battle orders from the deck of the french bon homme richard as the ship was locked in battle with serapis. While bonhomme richard s smallarms fire was having a devastating effect on serapis s crew, the british cannon were equally successful in decimating american cannon. Bonhomme richard and serapis by william gilkerson, beverley r. During the third hour of battle, jones found himself left with only three small 9pounders on the quarterdeck. An eyewitness account of john paul jones in naval battle. Archive photos getty images on september 23, 1779, an americanfrench squadron led by bonhomme richard made contact with a convoy led by the british. In this episode of history brief, john paul jones takes on the hms serapis in english waters. Sailing from france in august 1779 with a small squadron, noted american naval commander commodore john paul jones sought to circle the british isles with the goal of wreaking havoc on british merchant shipping. Bon homme richard and serapis, is the right answer.
In this section, the narratives of war continue, this one telling of the revolutionary war sea battle off the british coast between john paul joness bonhomme richard and the british ship serapis. Despite all efforts to save the ship, bonhomme richard sank into the north sea on september 25th, 1779. Their marine commander was edward stack, who was born in country kerry, ireland. The most famous sea battle of the revolution was between the. Battle of flamborough head in the american revolution. According to stafford family legend, the bonhomme flag was shot from the masthead and fell into the sea, but a young lieut. This induced me to go upon deck when i found the men were swaying up the royal yards, preparatory to making sail for a large fleet under our lee. British victory seemed inevitable, as the more heavily armed serapis used its firepower to rake bonhomme richard with devastating effect. The ordeal of john paul jones crew of the bonhomme richard repelling boarders from the serapis, september by anton otto fischer. We know from the log of the serapis in an entry immediately after the richard s sinking that the fleet was on an ese heading, speed about one and a half knots. The serapis bore short round upon her heel, and her jib boom ran into the mizen rigging of the bonhomme richard. In the gathering dark, pearson then hailed the potentially hostile ship to ask some pertinent questions. The battle continued for the next four hours, costing the lives of nearly half of the american and british crews. In late september, 1779, jones was in the north sea in the bonhomme richard in command of a commerce raiding squadron consisting of the corvette alliance, with 36 guns, the french frigate pallas, 32 guns, the brigantine vengeance, 12 guns, and the bonhomme richard, with 40 guns.
The most prominent single ship engagement of the american revolution began on 23rd september 1779. The battle took place on september 23, 1779 in the north sea off. On 23 september she engaged the american warship uss bonhomme richard under the command of captain john paul jones in the north sea at flamborough head, england. Why was the battle of bonhomme richard and the serapis. Naval battle between the serapis and bonhomme richard by. This action resulted in a court martial for landias upon his return to france. On the night of september 22, 1779, bonhomme richard and the british ship of war serapis engaged in an epic battle off flamborough head on the yorkshire coast by the north sea. Source for information on bonhomme richardserapis engagement. She was broken and on fire after a long and bloody battle with hms serapis that resulted in the british ship striking to the upstart american and jones taking serapis as prize. Between 21 may and 9 june, 2012, the naval history. John paul jones lost half his men in this vicious battle between great britain who was fighting with a ship called the serapis against america.
The battle of flamborough head was a naval battle that took place on 23 september 1779 in. In search of john paul jones bonhomme richard the sextant. Battle of thermopylae spartans vs persians duration. The ship, captained by john paul jones, engaged in fierce combat with hms serapis during the battle of flamborough heserad off the english coast on sept.
Serapis was commissioned in march 1779 under captain richard pearson. In the 1779 naval battle of flamborough head, the bonhomme richard, captained by john paul jones, engaged in battle with captain richard pearsons serapis in the north sea, sailing in close, lashing his vessel to the british ship, and fighting the battle at point blank range. From his disabled ship, jones replied, i have not yet begun to fight, and after three. The battle against hms serapis on june 19, 1779, jones sailed bonhomme richard from l orient, france accompanied by alliance, pallas, vegeance, and cerf. In the end, the serapis surrenders to jones and the bonhomme richard sinks.
Serapis the bonhomme richard, commanded by john paul jones, attacks the british warship serapis. At the time of this battle, the ship carried 50 guns, having an extra six 6pounders. Captained by the formidable john paul jones, who is often credited as the father of the u. Bonhomme richard on september 23rd of 1779, john paul jones flagship bonhomme richard sank in the icy waters off flamborough head, yorkshire, england. Finally, a little after 7 pm, bonhomme richard was within pistolshot of the battleready serapis. The real immortal words of john paul jones journal of. Bonhomme richard and serapis entered a bitter engagement at about 6.
The battle of flamborough head was fought september 23, 1779, between bonhomme richard and hms serapis and was part of the american revolution 1775 to 1783. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Flamborough head 1779 duel lardas, mark, rava, giuseppe, bull, peter on. Sas 8th grade history chapter 6 the american revolution. This article incorporates text from the public domain dictionary of american naval fighting ships. These irishmen became the american marines for john paul jones bonhomme richard. During the night of september 2324, 1779, captain john paul jones led his frigate, bonhomme richard, into its legendary fight with serapis. Going northwest around the british isles into the northern sea and down the eastern. The serapis was a 50 gun ship that outgunned the bonne homme richard which was barely sea worthy. The author takes time to explain why this difference in design between the two ships influenced how the battle was fought. Engagement between bonhomme richard and serapis, sept. Continental navy midshipman nathaniel fannings eyewitness account of the american revolutions most famous naval battle is. History central bonne homme richard vs serapis september 23, 1779. It was a duel between the john paul jones command, bonne homme richard and the hms serapis.
Richard dale november 6, 1756 february 26, 1826 was an american naval officer who fought in the continental navy under john barry and was first lieutenant for john paul jones during the naval battle off of flamborough head, england against hms serapis in. Whitmans greatgrandfather served under jones, and whitman absorbs the account of the battle that his greatgrandfather passed on to him through whitmans maternal grandmother he also depends. Captain robert pearson captain robert pearson british casualties 117 killed and injured where was the. This epic battle between two very similar ships and crews off the coast of britain in september 1779 created two naval heroes. In the midst of a battle that was not going well for the americans, british captain richard pearson asked.
Scottishborn john paul jones first sailed to america as a cabin boy. John paul jones lost half his men in this vicious battle. Serapis was a british naval ship with 44 guns built in 1779 and commanded by richard pearson. Painting, the bon homme richard and hms serapis national. During the historic sea battle between the hms serapis and the uss bonhomme richard, the us ship was the target of friendly fire from the french warship named the alliance. Jones took a look at the burning wreckage of his crippled warship, which taking on water and littered with dead bodies, set his jaw, and declared. Described as being somewhat reckless in his bravery, dale commanded the forward guns in the close fighting of the battle. The battle between bonhomme richard and serapis journal of the. Although emerging victorious from the battle, bonhomme richard was irreparably damaged, and, despite all the efforts to save the ship, sank into the north sea on sept. Stafford was given the flag because he had been aboard the bonhomme richard during the battle. Serapis was sent to protect merchant ships against piracy and on its first voyage was confronted by bonhomme richard. Pirate art pirate ships sea pirates john paul jones saturday evening post port royal pirate treasure tall ships anton. The shipwreck of one of americas first warships was just. The battle global foundation for ocean exploration.
Americanfrench casualties 170 killed and injured captain pierre landis commodore ranger john paul jones who was the british commander. Who won the battle of bonhomme richard vs serapis answers. Though serapis was better equipped, faster and more maneuverable, richard pearson surrendered serapis to john paul jones. The battle between bonhomme richard and serapis journal. Remains of us revolutionary war frigate discovered off uk. Where was the battle between the bonhomme richard and the.
Start studying sas 8th grade history chapter 6 the american revolution. As we were unable to bring a single gun to bear upon the serapis, our topsails were backed, while those of the serapis being filled, the ships separated. Jones and his crew transferred to his newlywon prize serapis, as bonhomme richard, a victor in the battle considered a turning point in the american revolutionary war, was broken and rudderless. On the 23d of september, 1779, being below, was roused by an unusual nose upon deck.