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vessel, continued after the bat- (1757–91), while imprisoned on
tle on board the captured Serapis board the Alliance. Jordan was a
by Second Lieutenant Henry native of the small port of Sandwich
Lunt and another hand (possibly in the English county of Kent, and
Midshipman Beaumont Groube). his letter appeared solely in the local
paper, the Kentish Gazette, on 20
On the British side, however, November 1779, probably submit-
accounts have been limited to the ted by a proud family member. It
understandably terse, strictly fac- was not republished subsequently.
tual reports of Captains Richard
Pearson of the Serapis and The second rediscovered account
Thomas Piercy of the Countess of was written by First Lieutenant
Scarborough, written that October Richard Sainthill (1739–1829)
from captivity at the Texel in the of the Countess of Scarborough
neutral Netherlands, where Jones’ and published in The United
squadron ended its voyage. Service Journal and Naval and
Military Magazine, 1830, part 1,
Now, however, two more British 32–37, then republished verba-
accounts have come to light during tim by Sainthill’s numismatist son
the author’s research into the cir- in An Olla Podrida; or Scraps,
cumstances surrounding the battle. Numismatic, Antiquarian, and
Neither of these accounts has been Tight alongside and bow-to-stern, the Literary (London: Nichols & Son,
Bonhomme Richard and HMS Serapis pummel
quoted or referenced in any previ- each other mercilessly in one of the most bitterly 1844, 292–339).
ous work, leading to the assump- fought ship-on-ship duels in the annals of naval
tion that they have remained for- history. Alamy Although the narratives do not con-
gotten until now. flict with the two British captains’
accounts, the unearthed documents do provide much
The longer of the two was written on 14 October 1779 detail, which effectively means that a definitive account of
by one of the Serapis’ six midshipmen, David Jordan the battle is yet to be written.

Bonhomme Richard vs. Serapis—Midshipman Jordan’s Account
On the 23rd of September, at daylight, we made the (known by the name of Paul Jones) and his squadron,
land, Scarborough Castle very near and Flamborough the man that plundered Lord Selkirk’s house about 12
Head more to the southward of us; under our convoy, months since, and set fire to Whitehaven, which town he
at this time, about 45 sail of vessels. … The wind being came from, and his father a gardener of Lord Selkirk’s.
contrary, our convoy stood in there and anchored under Before we had drank our toast ’round, we were disturbed
Scarborough Castle. We and the Countess of Scarborough with the beat for all hands to quarters as four vessels just
(a 20-gun ship in government service) stretched off the hove in sight, three appearing very large; we immediately
land, in order to get to windward of the hindmost of our made the signal for the Countess of Scarborough to close
convoy. … At noon came on board a customhouse boat under our stern, and we hoisted English colours.
from Scarborough … to give us intelligence of American
vessels that had much pestered their coast. … The boat We soon perceived they had all the sail they could crowd,
departed, and we kept a good lookout from the mast head. coming right down to us; and, then by squareness of their
yards, were certain they were men of war, but of what
I dined with the lieutenants in the ward room; our chief nation could not form any judgment. There being but lit-
topic was these Americans. As the signal guns were very tle wind they came up very slow. Just after sun set, their
brisk, and very near, we conceived it must be John Paul fastest sailing ship (this very frigate I write from) came
continued on page 18

The Naval Enlisted Reserve Association 17