John Paul Jones and the American Navy
John Paul Jones and the American Navy
When someone mentions ?naval hero? only one name should come to mind, John Paul Jones. Jones was born in Kirkcudbright, Scotland, on July 6, 1747(Abbazia). He became a merchant at the age of 12-13, and went out to sea, to learn the art of seamanship. He sailed among merchantmen and slavers without any worry in the world. In 1769 he received his first in command. After several years as a merchant skipper in the West Indies, John Paul immigrated to North America and added ?Jones? to his name. This name change was probably because when commander of a merchant vessel he killed a mutinous crewman. John Paul thought the Jones would conceal his identity enough for him to live a meaningful life.
At the outbreak of the war with Britain in 1775, John Paul Jones went to Philadelphia, obtaining a lieutenant?s commission in the Continental Navy (Morison). The following year he became a captain of the sloop Providence. In his first couple of adventures he was very prosperous. He destroyed British fisheries and captured 16 British Ships. Then in 1777 he took command of the sloop Ranger. ?During the spring he terrorized the coastal population of Scotland and England by making daring raids ashore and destroying many British Vessels (John Paul Jones).? His reputation greatly enhanced, receiving from the French government, a converted French merchantman. The Duras, which he renamed Bonhomme (Good Man Richard) in honor of Benjamin Franklin (250th Anniversary of the Birth of John Paul Jones).
Jones was then promoted to commodore and placed in command of a mixed fleet of American and French Ships. Setting sail as the head of this small squadron on Aug. 14 1779. He captured 17 merchantmen off the British coast and, on September 23, fell in with a convoy of British merchant (Morison). ?With the muzzles of their guns touching, the two warships fired into each other?s insides (Morison).? Although his smaller vessel was on fire and sinking, Jones rejected the British demands for surrender. There he said
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these famous seven words, ?I have not yet begun to fight.? More than three hours later they surrendered and Jones took command of their ship.
Although hailed as a hero in both...