| The Serapis |
Wikipedia Account
The Serapis Flag: Designed with 13 stripes alternating red , white
and blue. This flag was raised by Captain John Paul Jones on the
British frigate Serapis during the most famous Revolutionary naval
battle.
John Paul Jones (July 6, 1747–July 18, 1792) was America's first
well-known naval hero in the American Revolutionary War. John Paul
Jones was born John Paul in 1747 in the Stewarty of Kirkcudbright
on the southern coast of Scotland. John Paul’s father was a gardener
in Arbigland, and his mother was a member of Clan MacDuff.
John Paul adopted the alias John Jones when he fled to his brother's
home in Fredericksburg, Virginia in 1773 in order to avoid legal
troubles in Tobago after he killed a sailor involved in a mutiny. He
began using the name John Paul Jones as his brother suggested
during the start of the American Revolution.
Though his naval career never reached the heights predicted for him
after his victory over the Serapis with the converted slaver
Bonhomme Richard, John Paul Jones remains the first genuine
American Naval hero, and a highly regarded battle commander. His
service in Russia showed the mark of genius that enabled him to
defeat the Serapis. Jones simply was not as good a politician as he
was a naval commander, in an era where politics determined
promotion, both in America and abroad. Though he was originally
buried in Paris, after spending his last years abroad, he was
ultimately reinterred at the United States Naval Academy, a fitting
homecoming for America's first naval hero.
The first USS Bonhomme Richard, formerly Duc de Durae, was a
frigate in the Continental Navy.
She was originally an East Indiaman, a merchant ship built in France
for the French East India Company in 1765, for service between
France and the Orient. She was placed at the disposal of John Paul
Jones on February 4, 1779, by King Louis XVI of France as a result
of a loan to the United States by French shipping magnate, Jacques-
Donatien Le Ray. Jones renamed her Bonhomme Richard, the
French language equivalent of "Poor Richard," in honor of Benjamin
Franklin's almanac called Poor Richard's Almanac.
On June 19, 1779, Bonhomme Richard sailed from Lorient
accompanied by Alliance, Pallas, Vengeance, and Cerf with troop
transports and merchant vessels under convoy to Bordeaux and to
cruise against the British in the Bay of Biscay. Forced to return to
port for repair, the squadron sailed again August 14, 1779. Going
northwest around the west coast of the British Isles into the North
Sea and then down the east coast the squadron took 16 merchant
vessels as prizes.
On September 23, 1779, they encountered the Baltic Fleet of 41 sail
under convoy of HMS Serapis (44) and Countess of Scarborough
(22) near Flamborough Head. After 18:00 Bonhomme Richard
engaged Serapis and a bitter engagement ensued during the next
four hours that cost the lives of nearly half the American and British
crews. At first, a British victory seemed inevitable as the more heavily
armed Serapis used its superior firepower to rake Bonhomme
Richard with devastating effect, killing Americans by the score.
However, the Americans eventually pulled along side and lashed the
two ships together. An attempt by the Americans to board Serapis
was repulsed, as was an attempt by the British to board Bonhomme
Richard. Finally, an American party under command of Nathaniel
Fanning seized control of the enemy tops and used this position to
clear the deck below with grenades, mortars and gunfire, causing
Serapis to strike its colors. Bonhomme Richard, shattered, on fire,
and leaking badly defied all efforts to save her and sank at 11:00 on
September 25, 1779. John Paul Jones sailed the captured Serapis to
the United Provinces for repairs.
Though Bonhomme Richard sank subsequent to the battle, the
outcome of the battle convinced the French crown of the wisdom of
backing the colonies in their fight to separate from British authority.
The defeat of Serapis, no less in home waters, stung the British
admiralty.
Bonhomme Richard's final resting location is the subject of much
speculation. A number of efforts have been conducted to locate the
wreck. As of 2005, these efforts have been unsuccessful. The
location of the wreck is presumed to be Flamborough Head in
Yorkshire, a headland near where her final battle took place in
approximately 180 feet of water. The number of other wrecks in the
area and a century of fishing trawling operations have complicated all
searches.
The Serapis Flag: Designed with 13 stripes alternating red , white
and blue. This flag was raised by Captain John Paul Jones on the
British frigate Serapis during the most famous Revolutionary naval
battle.
John Paul Jones (July 6, 1747–July 18, 1792) was America's first
well-known naval hero in the American Revolutionary War. John Paul
Jones was born John Paul in 1747 in the Stewarty of Kirkcudbright
on the southern coast of Scotland. John Paul’s father was a gardener
in Arbigland, and his mother was a member of Clan MacDuff.
John Paul adopted the alias John Jones when he fled to his brother's
home in Fredericksburg, Virginia in 1773 in order to avoid legal
troubles in Tobago after he killed a sailor involved in a mutiny. He
began using the name John Paul Jones as his brother suggested
during the start of the American Revolution.
Though his naval career never reached the heights predicted for him
after his victory over the Serapis with the converted slaver
Bonhomme Richard, John Paul Jones remains the first genuine
American Naval hero, and a highly regarded battle commander. His
service in Russia showed the mark of genius that enabled him to
defeat the Serapis. Jones simply was not as good a politician as he
was a naval commander, in an era where politics determined
promotion, both in America and abroad. Though he was originally
buried in Paris, after spending his last years abroad, he was
ultimately reinterred at the United States Naval Academy, a fitting
homecoming for America's first naval hero.
The first USS Bonhomme Richard, formerly Duc de Durae, was a
frigate in the Continental Navy.
She was originally an East Indiaman, a merchant ship built in France
for the French East India Company in 1765, for service between
France and the Orient. She was placed at the disposal of John Paul
Jones on February 4, 1779, by King Louis XVI of France as a result
of a loan to the United States by French shipping magnate, Jacques-
Donatien Le Ray. Jones renamed her Bonhomme Richard, the
French language equivalent of "Poor Richard," in honor of Benjamin
Franklin's almanac called Poor Richard's Almanac.
On June 19, 1779, Bonhomme Richard sailed from Lorient
accompanied by Alliance, Pallas, Vengeance, and Cerf with troop
transports and merchant vessels under convoy to Bordeaux and to
cruise against the British in the Bay of Biscay. Forced to return to
port for repair, the squadron sailed again August 14, 1779. Going
northwest around the west coast of the British Isles into the North
Sea and then down the east coast the squadron took 16 merchant
vessels as prizes.
On September 23, 1779, they encountered the Baltic Fleet of 41 sail
under convoy of HMS Serapis (44) and Countess of Scarborough
(22) near Flamborough Head. After 18:00 Bonhomme Richard
engaged Serapis and a bitter engagement ensued during the next
four hours that cost the lives of nearly half the American and British
crews. At first, a British victory seemed inevitable as the more heavily
armed Serapis used its superior firepower to rake Bonhomme
Richard with devastating effect, killing Americans by the score.
However, the Americans eventually pulled along side and lashed the
two ships together. An attempt by the Americans to board Serapis
was repulsed, as was an attempt by the British to board Bonhomme
Richard. Finally, an American party under command of Nathaniel
Fanning seized control of the enemy tops and used this position to
clear the deck below with grenades, mortars and gunfire, causing
Serapis to strike its colors. Bonhomme Richard, shattered, on fire,
and leaking badly defied all efforts to save her and sank at 11:00 on
September 25, 1779. John Paul Jones sailed the captured Serapis to
the United Provinces for repairs.
Though Bonhomme Richard sank subsequent to the battle, the
outcome of the battle convinced the French crown of the wisdom of
backing the colonies in their fight to separate from British authority.
The defeat of Serapis, no less in home waters, stung the British
admiralty.
Bonhomme Richard's final resting location is the subject of much
speculation. A number of efforts have been conducted to locate the
wreck. As of 2005, these efforts have been unsuccessful. The
location of the wreck is presumed to be Flamborough Head in
Yorkshire, a headland near where her final battle took place in
approximately 180 feet of water. The number of other wrecks in the
area and a century of fishing trawling operations have complicated all
searches.
CRW FLags Account:
This is the flag used on board the captured British ship "Serapis" in
1779, Captain John Paul Jones. This ship was captured following
the famous sea battle between the "Serapis" and the "Bonhomme
Richard" in which the latter's flag staff was blown away; the British
Captain asked if Jones had struck his colors; and Jones replied
"Struck, Sir? I have not yet begun to fight!" The "Bonhomme
Richard" was so badly damaged that it sank with its colors flying.
After putting into the Dutch port of Texel for refitting, the British
authorities in the Netherlands demanded Jones be arrested as a
pirate since he flew no known flag. The Dutch replied that they
would consult their archives. Sometime between then and a few
days later when they replied to the British that they had evidence in
their files that the flag used on the "Serapis" was a recognized flag
and that Jones would be allowed to refit, a painting of this flag (and
that of the Alliance) was made. Besides the unconventional use of
blue stripes as well as white and red, if you examine the painting
closely you will see there are 12 eight pointed stars and one seven
pointed star on the flag. It is also nearly square.
Dave Martucci, 6 December 1997
This is the flag used on board the captured British ship "Serapis" in
1779, Captain John Paul Jones. This ship was captured following
the famous sea battle between the "Serapis" and the "Bonhomme
Richard" in which the latter's flag staff was blown away; the British
Captain asked if Jones had struck his colors; and Jones replied
"Struck, Sir? I have not yet begun to fight!" The "Bonhomme
Richard" was so badly damaged that it sank with its colors flying.
After putting into the Dutch port of Texel for refitting, the British
authorities in the Netherlands demanded Jones be arrested as a
pirate since he flew no known flag. The Dutch replied that they
would consult their archives. Sometime between then and a few
days later when they replied to the British that they had evidence in
their files that the flag used on the "Serapis" was a recognized flag
and that Jones would be allowed to refit, a painting of this flag (and
that of the Alliance) was made. Besides the unconventional use of
blue stripes as well as white and red, if you examine the painting
closely you will see there are 12 eight pointed stars and one seven
pointed star on the flag. It is also nearly square.
Dave Martucci, 6 December 1997
