Father Of The American Navy

John Paul Jones is famous in the Usa as the 'Father of the American Navy'. He was born in poverty and through his skills became a distinguished naval officeholder fighting for both the The states and Russia. In United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland he is rather remembered as a pirate. Indeed, Benjamin Disraeli, an early biographer, wrote that the nurses of Scotland hushed their crying charges by the whisper of his name. In Holland a Dutch song "Hither comes John Paul Jones", that fine fellow is yet sung by schoolchildren. He was awarded a golden medal and a aureate sword for his exploits but he was buried in an unmarked grave for over a century. The following explains a little about the life of this talented, charming just often prickly man.

"I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not canvass fast, for I intend to go in damage'due south way."

John Paul Jones –Alphabetic character to Le Ray de Chaumont (16 Nov 1778),

A GARDENER'S SON

John Paul, (he added the Jones later) was built-in on the manor of Arbigland, southward w Scotland on 6th July 1747. He was the fourth child of John Paul and Jean Duff. They had seven children in all simply 2 died in infancy. His father was the head gardener of the estate. Originally the family unit were from Fife only John Paul Snr was born in Leith, near Edinburgh where William Craik, the owner of Arbigland had met him and hired him to lay out his gardens.

John Paul went to Kirkbean Schoolhouse merely spent much of his time at the nearby port of Carsethorn on the Solway Firth, which was the port for Dumfries until the end of the 1800s. In later life William Craik'south son recalled that he would run to Carsethorn whenever his begetter would let him off, talk to the sailors and clamber over the ships; and that he taught his playmates to maneuver their lilliputian boats to mimic a naval battle, while he, taking his stand on the tiny cliff overlooking the roadstead, shouted shrill commands at his imaginary fleet.

It was from Carsethorn that at the age of 13 that he boarded a vessel to go to Whitehaven across the Solway where he signed up for a seven-twelvemonth seaman'due south apprenticeship. His first voyage as ships boy took him to Barbados and Fredericksburg in Virginia on theFriendship of Whitehaven. At that place he stayed with his older brother William, a tailor, who had emigrated at that place and flourished. The ship was in port in Fredericksburg for several months and he spent the time learning navigation.

SLAVING AND A MURDER TRIAL

After his return to Whitehaven he institute that the Friendships' owner, John Younger was in financial difficulties. He released John Paul from his apprenticeship. At the historic period of seventeen he went straight into the slave trade as tertiary mate on the King George of Whitehaven. Two years later in 1766 he transferred as kickoff mate to the brigantine Ii Friends of Kingston, Jamaica. Only 50′ long with a crew of six and conveying 77 Negroes from Africa it must have been a terrible voyage. The olfactory property from 'black-birders' as they were called could be detected for many miles. He quitted the slave traffic in disgust calling it an 'abominable trade' and was given free passage home on the 'John' of Kirkcudbright, a new ship. During the voyage the helm Samuel McAdam and the mate died of fever. Paul took command every bit the just qualified officer and brought the ship safely back home. The owners Currie, Beck and Co were so pleased they appointed him master and supercargo (in accuse of buying and selling the cargo) for John's next voyage to America.

John Paul had become a captain by his own merits at the age of twenty-one. He was slight and wiry in body, about 5′ v″ tall, with a sharp, wedge-shaped nose, loftier cheekbones, and a strong cleft chin. He was known equally a 'dandy skipper' and had adopted the way of a young gentleman. He was always neatly dressed and had an eye for the ladies. He had, however, a violent atmosphere which manifested itself throughout his career. It was while serving on the John that he was accused in Tobago past Mungo Maxwell, the ships carpenter, of having flogged him excessively with the cat o nine tails. Maxwell, the son of a prominent Kirkcudbright worthy, was examined and his complaint was dismissed as frivolous. Later he died whilst returning home on the Barcelona Bundle of Yellow Fever and his male parent complained that his son was most unmercifully, wounded on his dorsum…and of which wounds he soon afterward died.

Helm Paul was arrested when he returned to Kirkcudbright and charged with murder but testify from Tobago and a annunciation from the master of the Barcelona Packet that Maxwell was in perfect wellness when he came on board was sufficient to carry him. Presently after he was accustomed equally a stonemason which revealed that few people in Kirkcudbright believed the accuse. The story, nonetheless, dogged his unabridged life.

WHITEHAVEN RAID

In October 1772 Captain John Paul took control of the Betsy. He traded back and forth between the England, Madeira, Westward Indies and, Tobago and seems to have accumulated considerable sums. In 1773, nonetheless, he had to leave the Due west Indies after he killed the ringleader ( a prodigious animal of thrice my forcefulness ) of a mutiny with his sword, in a dispute over wages. The man was a local and the feeling was against him, and then he fled to Virginia, irresolute his name, first to John Jones and later to John Paul Jones.

Events were working upward to the American Revolution. From his letters information technology tin can be seen that he was strongly on the colonists side. When Congress formed a 'Continental Navy' Paul Jones offered his services and he was commissioned as first lieutenant on seventh Dec 1775. His offset send was the Alfred. The American Navy at this time consisted of the ships Alfred and Columbus, the brigantines Andrew Doria and Cabot and the sloop Providence. Thirteen frigates were ordered to be built. As lieutenant of the Alfred and later a captain of the Providence, Jones gained useful experience of naval warfare. His reputation rose quickly and he advised Congress on the drawing up of Navy regulations. In November 1777 he sailed in the 'Ranger' for French republic where he struck up a rapport with the American Commissioner in Paris, Benjamin Franklin and, at Quiberon, forced the French to salute the American Flag – the first time it had been hoisted in a foreign harbour.

On x April 1778, Jones sailed from Brest on a cruise to the Irish Body of water capturing and destroying small vessels. Despite a near-mutinous crew he carried out a hit and run raid on Whitehaven. A shore party of two boats landed at midnight in calm weather. There were two forts guarding the harbor and the plan was for each boat to capture ane. Jones' gunkhole did so bloodlessly and spiked the fort'south cannon but when he went to the other fort he discovered that the other boat's crew had gone to the pub instead. He knocked out the other fort, set fire to some colliers and managed to get all the raiding party safely back to the ship.

ST MARY'S Island

4 hours after at ten AM, Jones reached Kirkcudbright Bay, more familiar territory to him. His plan was to capture the Earl of Selkirk who lived on St Mary's Island to exchange him for captured American sailors. When they landed they met the head gardener and told him that they were a British press gang. Word of this spread and acquired the locals to abscond! They learned, however, that the Earl was absent. Jones wished to get out immediately just his crew insisted on looting the mansion as they had returned empty-handed from Whitehaven. He agreed to let them take the family silverish only. The Countess had just finished breakfast when she saw some horrid looking wretches surrounding the business firm. The butler tried to hide the plate but was discovered and to be certain of taking the lot the senior officer asked for an inventory of the silver. When it was counted it was noticed that the coffee and teapot were missing. These were produced with the teapot yet full of wet leaves from the breakfast. A friend of the Countess, Mrs. Elliot took the opportunity to inquire them 'a thousand questions' about America and she subsequently reported that they behaved with great civility.

When Jones heard that The Countess had acted with not bad dignity he was filled with admiration for her. He purchased the silver himself and returned information technology later the war was over with a letter of apology.

Letter of the alphabet from John Paul Jones to the Earl of Selkirk and letter from the Earl of Selkirk to John Paul Jones

Subsequently leaving Kirkcudbright he spottedHMS Drake, a 20 gun sloop, near Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland. Both vessels were well matched and the battle lasted only over an hour. Captain Burden of The Drake was killed and his second in control Lieutenant Dobbs was mortally wounded. The Drake surrendered.

"I have non notwithstanding begun to fight!"

John Paul Jones – Boxing of Flamborough Head,

FLAMBOROUGH HEAD

The cruise was over and information technology made Jones' name a household word throughout Uk; a squadron of ships was ordered to seek him out and militia units were mobilized along the coast in instance of raids.

Returning to Brest he was given command of the Duc de Duras, a French East Indiaman which he had converted every bit a warship. He renamed her Bonhomme Richard in honour of Benjamin Franklin, whose book 'Poor Richards Almanac' had been translated into French with the title 'Les Maximes du Bonhomme Richard'. On 14th Baronial 1779 he set up sail on another prowl of U.k. as commodore of a squadron of seven ships. The programme was to destroy British commerce in the North Sea and Jones sailed circular Ireland and Scotland inbound Leith harbour on 16th September. He intended to capture it and extract a ransom of £fifty,000 only he was thwarted when a gale sprung up and blew him out of the Firth of Along.

Merely before that ane of the most amazing incidents of the voyage took place. Sir John Anstruther who owned a mansion on the north shore of the Firth of Forth was worried that the American "pirate" might attack. He had a cannon and shot to protect himself but no powder so he sent his yacht out to borrow a barrel of gunpowder from H.Thou.S.'Romney' which was nearby. The yacht mistook the 'Bonhomme Richard' for the 'Romney'. In render for information on coastal defences innocently given by the boatman, ironically Jones gave him the gunpowder!

Eight days afterwards, on the night of 23rd September 1779, he fought his nearly famous battle when he engaged H.M.S. 'Serapis' and the 'Countess of Scarborough' off Flamborough Head.

The 'Serapis' had superior burn power and Jones had to manoeuvre skilfully to bring his ship alongside and lash her to the 'Serapis'. During the dreadful three 1/2 hour fight on a millpond sea, the 'Brotherhood', role of Jones' squadron, fired at the 'Bonhomme Richard,' holing her so desperately that she after sank. Over one-half of the crews of the two ships, including Jones himself, were either killed or wounded and many men were horribly burned. It was during this battle when asked if he wished to surrender that Jones gave the answer "I have non yet begun to fight". Jones had to transfer his coiffure to the 'Serapis' and together with her sister transport the 'Pallas' which had captured the 'Scarborough' he sailed to the Texel in Holland with over 500 prisoners.

Written report on the Boxing past John Paul Jones
Report on the Battle by Captain Pearson of HMS Serapis
Extracts from the Journals of my Campaigns by Paul Jones

"…he who would win glory and laurels for the nation and for himself, must not as well closely count the odds; if he does, he will never see such a day as that when Cushing sank the Albemarle."

President Theodore Roosevelt –Address to Annapolis

Male parent OF THE AMERICAN NAVY

Later he received a gold sword and the Order of Military machine Merit from Louis Sixteen. He became the toast of Paris and a bosom of him was commissioned. Jones had another 20 made to ship to his friends. In 1781 he returned to America in the 'Ariel' and Congress passed a vote of thanks to him for the mode he had sustained the laurels of the American fleet and in 1787 awarded him a gold medal. He was to be given control of the 'America' which was still under structure and was to exist the largest transport in the American navy but eventually this was denied him and he spent the remaining years of the war advising on the establishment of the navy and the grooming of naval officers.

A RUSSIAN ADMIRAL

When peace came Jones returned to Paris to collect prize money for the officers and men of the 'Bonhomme Richard'. He took another mistress Mrs. Townsend, the French widow of an Englishman who probably diameter him a son. Nil is known of his fate. Whilst there, Thomas Jefferson, the new American Ambassador, recommended him for service with Russia. In 1788 he was made a Rear Admiral in the Russian Navy by Empress Catherine 2, a rank higher than he had received in the United States. As Kontradmiral Pavel Ivanovich Jones he served with stardom under Prince Potemkin against the Turks in the Black Sea entrada. At the Battle of Liman, he reconnoitered the Turkish Fleet in a rowboat during the night; repulsed the Turkish attacks killing about 3000 Turks, destroying 15 vessels and taking over 1600 prisoners at a cost to his squadron of one frigate and 18 killed. He wrote, "I am delighted with the backbone of the Russians, which is more glorious because it is without prove-off."He was awarded the Lodge of St Anne a military accolade for valour and distinguished service in the military.

He was falsely charged with molesting a x-year-former butter seller, Katerina, the girl of a German language immigrant whilst living in St. Petersberg. The charge was dropped but in 1789 after a brief audience with Catherine, Jones left Russia never to render.

RUE DE TOURNON PARIS

Afterwards a cursory trip to England where he narrowly escaped being murdered on landing at Harwich, he returned to Paris in May 1790 taking an flat at 52 Rue de Tournon. His wellness was failing and he spent his final years writing letters to Catherine, to his two married sisters in Scotland, who were not on speaking terms, begging them to make upward, and to the French Minister of Marine to pay arrears of salaries due to the men of the 'Bonhomme Richard'.

On the 18th July 1792, sitting in an easy chair, ill in body only of sound mind, he dictated his will to Governour Morris, the American to France. Morris then left for an important dinner date and when he returned at eight p.chiliad. Jones had already died. Alone he had walked to his chamber and had laid himself face down on the bed. Morris found him in this position. He had nephritis and jaundice only pneumonia had hastened his stop. He was 45 years erstwhile.

ANNAPOLIS

His body lay in an alcohol-filled bury in an unmarked grave in a cemetery for foreign Protestants for over a century. The plough of this century was a time of great American naval expansion, encouraged by the President Teddy Roosevelt , and an intensive search was made to detect his body. In 1905 it was rediscovered. Among great ceremony, information technology was brought back to the The states in USS Brooklyn accompanied by 3 other cruisers. Seven battleships met them off The American coast and as a single column sailed into the Chesapeake Bay. There the first four battleships peeled off firing 15 gun salutes while the Brooklyn sailed on to Annapolis.

In 1913 his torso was finally laid to rest in a magnificent marble sarcophagus, modeled on the tomb of Napoleon, in the chapel crypt of Annapolis Naval Academy; a far cry from his apprehensive beginnings in Scotland.

Text copyright John Paul Jones Museum.