The Story of John Paul Paul Jones

John Paul Jones
6 July 1747 – 18 July 1792
Adapted from Pitre’s article for SWONET

Jones was born John Paul and 6 July 1747, and Kirkcudbright, Scotland. At the age of 12 he entered the British merchant marine and went to see the first time at the cabin boy.

He became first mate on a salver brigantine in 1766, but soon enough that trade in disgust. He was appointed master in 1769. In 1773, he killed the leader of his mutinous crew in self-defense at Tobago, in the West Indies. To avoid trial, he fled to Virginia and was considered a fugitive by the British. He concealed his identity by adding the surname Jones.
At the outbreak of the American revolution in 1775, Jones went to Philadelphia and entered the Continental Navy. He was commissioned a lieutenant on the first American flag ship, Alfred. Jones was quickly promoted to captain in 1776, and was given command of the sloop Providence. While on his first cruise the board Providence, he destroyed British fisheries in Nova Scotia and captured sixteen prize British ships.

In command of the Ranger in 1777 in 1778, he operated in British home waters and made audacious raids on England’s shore. In recognition of his exports, he was placed in command of five French and American vessels. Aboard his flag ship, Bonhomme Richard, Jones lead his small squadron in the capture of seven merchantmen off the Scottish Coast. On 23 September 1779, Jones fought one of the bloodiest engagements in your history with the 44-gun Royal Navy frigate Serapis. Although his own vessel was burning and Sinking in, Jones would not accept the British commander for surrender, replying, “I have not yet begun to fight. “More than three hours later, Serapis surrendered and Jones took command.
According to some historians, Jones remained appealing as much for his actions as for his personality. British chapbooks, an early form of dime novels, pictured him as a ruthless marauding pirate akin to Blackbeard. His attacks on British ships were often sudden and sometimes bloody. The vision of a swarthy scallywag persisted even to the writings of Rudyard Kipling a century later.

According to some historians, Jones remained appealing as much for his actions as for his personality. British chapbooks, an early form of dime novels, pictured him as a ruthless marauding pirate akin to Blackbeard. His attacks on British ships were often sudden and sometimes bloody. The vision of a swarthy scallywag persisted even to the writings of Rudyard Kipling a century later.

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