Page 19 - NERA1_Mariner-Winter-23-24

ports at the same time as a man was putting a cartridge
into the gun, which blew up, and communicated to many
more on the same deck, which blew up also, with about
40 seamen. The flame went into our cockpit and blew
up the two surgeon’s mates, from whence the fire went
into the magazine-passage and fortunately no further (or I
should never have told you the story).

This was a terrible stroke on us, losing so many men at
once. Some people … who thought the ship was on fire
and … would blow up, jumped overboard … Jones’s ship
… was sinking alongside of us, and the people coming on Jones’ sharpshooting Marines in the tops of the Bonhomme
Richard rain deadly musket fire and hand grenades down onto the
board to save themselves; we not knowing the meaning crowded, burning deck of the Serapis. “We lost many bold fellows
of this, being very deaf, piked them as fast as they came by it,” recounted David Jordan. Charles Waterhouse, Fighting
on our gunwale, and they dropped overboard; they that Tops; U.S. Marine Corps Art Collection
were on board immediately cried, “We have struck [col-
ors], the ship’s a’sinking.” We took no notice, as they had Richard’s [and] could not bring one gun to bear on her,
not ceased firing—for Jones would have sunk ship, men, Pearson struck [our colours]—like a Captain Pearson—
and himself before he would have struck. When they told not a Jones who would have suffered himself and crew
him his ship was sinking, [Jones said] “Let her sink and be to have gone in one grave; no, Pearson loved his men too
damn’d, she cannot [sink] in a better place than alongside well to sacrifice them to obstinacy.
an English man-of-war.”
Pearson, as soon as struck, went on board of Jones and
…The boatswain went on board [the Bonhomme gave himself up as prisoner of war, with this salute to
Richard] to take possession of her; he was received with Jones, “I hope you will use us as well as we have fought
a Frenchman’s smallsword in his groin and another lunge you well.” He answered he would.
in his breast; he came on board again and died instantly.
I went into the cockpit of our ship, and such a scene I
… Immediately I took a large cutlass and jumped on the never beheld or conceived; the dead all lying on the living,
gunwale of [the Bonhomme Richard’s] quarterdeck, I was and the contrary; some without arms, and some without
received with pikes and fixed bayonets at my breast, but legs, bleeding to death for want of dressing, there being
perceiving them before they lunged, … [I] jumped off many, and two doctors out of three blown up, could
her gunwale backwards, and then sprang into our waste not be served fast enough. The terrible appearance the
among some steering sails that were on fire, never hurting blown-up men had, I never shall forget.
myself but a little in my arms and legs.
I went to the doctor’s cabin and got a drink of grog, for
Full of spleen, I immediately went to the captain on the I was almost famished, and then went to my berth in
quarterdeck and informed him of my repulse, which sur- the main hatchway. … My best companion and friend,
prised him much; we then fired our lower-deckers, the [Midshipman William] Brown, shook his head and held
ships being so close. … After engaging this ship about out his hand …; curiosity led me to look at his wound. I
two hours and a half, the Alliance had worked up under saw it was mortal; his insides hung out of a shot hole in
our stern, and began to rake us very hot, so much, that the his belly. He shook hands again, and I put a pillow under
men on our upper deck at the after guns, were obliged to his head, which was an old jacket. He’s gone, with many
lie on their faces. more, and if anyone has right to hope for happiness, I
conceive he has, for he was what I wish to be.
Seeing this, and considering the number of men blown
up, with the number killed and wounded … and [that] I took out of my trunk what trifles I had, with my
our yardarms [were] locked in with the Bonhomme watch, and went up on deck, there I saw young [George
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The Naval Enlisted Reserve Association 19