COMMODORE JOHN PAUL JONES
On the morning of the 23rd of September 1779 at 5.30 am, two ships were spotted by the Bonhomme Richard they were the Frigates Alliance and Pallas. Counting the Corvette Vengeance, Commodore John Paul Jones now had four ships under his command.
The Squadron sailed slowly toward Flamborough Head. At 3pm the Commodore saw that his long - sought opportunity had arrived.
A Fleet of 41 Sail appeared off Flamborough Head, bearing North - Northeast from the Bonhomme Richard
Comodore Jones Knew that this was a convoy from the Baltic escorted by the Frigate HMS Serapis ( 44 guns ) and a sloop of war HMS Countess of Scarborough ( 20 guns ).
HMS Serapis was commanded by Captain Richard Pearson RN, and was a new copper-bottomed frigate rated at 44 guns, but she acctually had 50 guns; a main battery of 20 eighteen pounders on the lower gun deck, 20 nine pounders on the upper covered gun deck and 10 six pounders on the Quarterdeck.At 6pm just as the sun was setting, Commodore Jones made the signal "Form Line of Battle" A blue flag at the fore, blue pendant at the Mizzen.
Captain Pearson hailed "what ship is that", Commodore Jones was flying British colors, he told Master Stacy to reply "The Princess Royal" "where from" the answer was not heard on HMS Serapis, Captain Pearson hailed "Answer Immediately or I shall be under neccessity of firing into you".
Commodore Jones struck his British Colors, and caused the American Ensign to be raised, and gave the word to fire his Starboard Broadside.
HMS Serapis fired hers almost simultaincously.
At the first or second salvo, two of Commodore Jones eighteen pounders burst, killing many gunners and ruining the rest of the battery, as well as blowing up part of the deck above.
"The Battle Being Thus Begun" wrote Commodore Jones in his narrative, "Was continued with unremitting fury".
Commedore Jones realised that a gun to gun duel would be fatal for him, he must attempt to board and grapple.So he put his helm a-weather ( to-port ), and ran Bonhomme Richard up on HMS Serapis's starboard quarter and attempted to board.
The English sailors repulsed the boarders, and Commodore jones sheered off,
"Has your ship struck" called Captain Pearson, Commodore Jones made the
immortal reply
" I HAVE NOT YET BEGUN TO FIGHT"
The two ships topsides clamped together so that the muzzles of their guns were touching. Commodore Jones shouted "Throw on board her the grappling irons and stand by for boarding!"
Commodore Jones with his own hands seized a forstay of HMS Serapis which had fallen accross Bonhomme Richard's quarterdeck and made it fast in his mizzenmast.
Captain Pearson then dropped anchor in 15 to 20 fathoms of water; ( Serapis when anchored was one league = 3 nautical miles East by South of Flamborough Head.) Captain Pearson hoped the tide would swing Bonhomme Richard clear, but on the contrary the two ships spitting fire at each other pivoted through half a circle.
People from Scarborough and Bridlington flocked to Flamborough Head attracted by the Gunfire. They witnessed a Naval Battle which had never been fought before or since.
For 2 long hours Bonhomme Richard and HMS Serapis are spliced to-gether, guns muzzle to muzzle, at one point the sails of both ships are ablaze, and the killing is suspended while damage control parties fight the flames, then they carry-on blasting at each other.
The Alliance one of Commodore Jones Squadron fired into Bonhomme Richard's port quarter which holed her, he then passed ahead and fired a broadside into the forcastle where it killed more men, this cannot have been an accident as Commodore Jones had his night recognition signals burning, and the scene was illuminated by moonlight, gun flashes and fires. Captain Landais confided later to a French Colnel that he would have liked to have sunk Bonhomme Richard then boarded HMS Serapis and emerge as the Hero and Victor? After Alliance fired his last broadside at around 10pm Captain Landais returned to a safe distance to think up more mischief. His crew suffered not one casualty, and his ship had no damage.
The time had now reached 10pm, the battle was to rage for 30 more minutes. A few minutes before 10:30pm the Mainmast of HMS Serapis began to tremble, Captain Pearson decided to strike his colors.
Commodore Jones estimated his casualties at; 150 killed or wounded out of 322, Captain Pearson's casualties at; 49 killed and 68 wounded.
Commodore Jones flying his flag on HMS Serapis, sailed his squadron, now comprising, Alliance, Countess of Scarborough, Pallas and Vengeance sailed straight accross the North Sea into Dutch Waters.
