Bon Homme Richard (CVA 31) - Naval Cruise Book

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BONHOMME RICHARD since the cruise began, now changed. A shght wind billowed the ragged and shot-torn sails and the water-logged ship forged ahead. The rudder was swung hard to starboard, and the frigate crossed the I bow of SERAPIS. Captain Pearson had backed his top- I sails in an attempt to keep from locking and thus be ' forced into a boarding action. But Captain Jones ' action was too quick, and SERAPIS rammed BONHOMME I RICHARD on her starboard quarter, and the jib-boom I snared itself in the mizzen shrouds. A stout line was I placed about the jib boom and lashed to the mizzen mast • to insure that the two ships would remain together. Captain Pearson now hoped to drop his anchor and let the ships drift apart, but as man after man approached the anchor to cut away the ring-stopped and shank- painter, the musketry from the men mounted in tiic shrouds of BONHOMME RICHARD cut them down. But as the two ships drifted starboard-to-starboard, the lower gun ports of SERAPIS opened, and the guns which had not fired in the battle bellowed forth and cut a clean line through BONHOMME RICHARD ' s already crumb- ling side. One of the American 9-pounders was hauled from the port side, and witii the two ser ' iceablc cuts and one other salvaged 9-pounder, a steady fire was directed at the masts of SERAPIS. The steady rain of musketry from BONHO.MME RICHARD had cleared the main deck of SER. PIS except for Captain Pearson. Once again .ALLIANCE appeared on the scene, and as she circled the two locked ships, she fired indiscriminate broadsides into the two ships and cut down many of the Americans. Siie then sailed off. But as the boarding parties prepared to go over the side, the sudden shout of fire halted all action. .A fire had been started below and was burning within inches of the

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sliding about on the planks which were covered completely with blood and the detached fragments of heads, bodies and limbs. BONHOMME RICHARD ' s hull had been pierced many times by 18-pounder shots from SERAPIS and already some three feet of water was in the frigate ' s hold and gaining rapidly. BONHOMME RICHARD had already settled two feet in the water and Captain Jones informed his crew that they could not stand another continuous broadside battle. They would have to close SERAPIS and take her by boarding. Captain Jones ' attention was suddenly drawn to star- board by the cheers of the crew and he made out ALLIANCE. Now, he thought, the battle would surely end. However, to the amazement of everyone and to the screams of anguish of the men on the quarterdeck, ALLLANCE fired a broadside into the BONHOIVLME RICR RD and close-hauled to the northward out of gunshot. (In later years, at the court-martial of the commanding officer of ALLIANCE for the above action and subsequent maneu- vers, a plea of extreme darkness was made as the reason he thought BONHOMME RICHARD to be the English warship.) Captain Pearson pulled ahead and fired a brtjadside which opened up the whole starboard side of BONHOMME RICHARD. Then as he backed his topsails in his familiar maneuver, Captain Jones set his helm hard to windward and all sails were set. The luck that had evaded Hu

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magazine. But, then, the English firgate iiho stopped firing, and it was e vident that she too was on fire and her gunners had been called away from their cannon to fight the flames. One of the American crewmen called to Captain Jones to strike his colors, but he replied, I may sink, but will never strike. Captain Pearson heard only parts of the conversation and called out, Quarter, Captain? Are you asking for quarter? It was then that Captain John Paul Jones replied with his famous epitiiet thai has lived through the ages. 1 have not yet begun to fight. riun ihc hatchway of BONHOMME RICHARD opened and there spewed forth some of the :50() prisoners taken from ihe merchanl ship prizes. These men, had they reached SERAPIS, (ould have turned the battle. But, some American seamen quickly rounded up the Britishers and drove them below to man the pumps and control the fires. Halches or board SERAPIS now opened and the English Marines and sailors ran out with cutlasses and boarding pikes. Captain Pearson now was going Id Like the silualion in hand by boarding. But the British were mel .il (he bulwark and ,i haiui in-hand battle ensued. Captain Jones had noled ihal following I he sil.-ii.e of SERAPIS ' guns when the cannoneers were evideniK figliling ihe lues below decks thai the guns fired so constantly that it was evident the powder boys were pulling powder from the magazines and storing it behind each gim for use when the gunners rettu-ned. Captain Jones sent several officers and seamen aloft to the maintop with some grenades. The men walked along the foot- ropes of a spar until they were directly over the main deck of SERAPIS. Then several grenades were lighted and dropped through an open hatch. One ignited the stacked powder, and SERAPIS erupted in a huge gush of flame and smoke. But she remained afloat. Now the battle was a hand-to-hand affair, but Captain Pearson could stand no more bloodshed and he personally struck his colors. As he was doing so, the mainmast of SERAPIS, riddled by shot from the American guns, and weakened by the internal explosion, came down across the decks of BONHOMME RICHARD. The American seamen had won the battle at the bulwark, and 30 of them vaulted over the rails onto the deck SERAPIS just after the explosion. ttictwt apari. frn J coBinBii ' ' sinienderi rope arou imiiiediaii liopethe: