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Dear Sir,—I have no doubt of your having heard long easy sail towards the Serapis, which had from the begin-
before this of our misfortune in being taken, the particu- ning been literally yardarm-engaged with Jones, the ships
lars of which are as follows. On the 23d ult., being then in being lashed alongside each other so that the lower-deck
company with his Majesty’s Ship Serapis and the convoy guns of each could not be run out, and both ships were
from Elsineur, about four o’clock in the afternoon, several several times on fire.
of the merchant ships to windward hoisted their colours
at the masthead and fired guns; and soon after we spoke
with one of them, who acquainted us that a boat had been
aboard of him, and informed him that the ships which
were then in sight off Flamborough Head, were a French
squadron, consisting of two ships of 40 guns, one of 36,
and a snow [a vessel with a square-rigged foremast and
mainmast and a third small “snow-mast” carrying a fore-
and-aft gaff sail].

The Serapis being then about four miles to leeward, we
immediately bore away, made the signal to speak with her,
and cleared the ship for action. About half past five, our
captain went on board to receive directions from Captain
Pearson, and soon returned with orders to keep in a close
line of battle astern of the Serapis. We then backed our
main-topsail and laid by for the enemy’s ships, which were
coming down with all their sail set, there being little wind.
Having moved his flag to the damaged but still-floating Serapis,
We afterwards found them to be the Bonhomme Richard, Jones (center) and his defeated adversary, Captain Richard
of 40 guns, commanded by Paul Jones, who was the com- Pearson, watch the Bonhomme Richard sink to her final resting
modore; the Alliance, of 36 guns, an American frigate place. Witnessing the ship go down, Jordan observed, “I never
beheld anything so battered.” J. L. G. Ferris, The Ship That Sunk
commanded by a Frenchman; the Pallas, a French frigate In Victory; Alamy
under American colours; and a snow, of 12 guns.

About half-past seven, the Bonhomme Richard began the In this situation, the Serapis, having engaged both ships
engagement with the Serapis; at the same time the Alliance for some time, was also under the necessity of striking, and
fired her broadside into us, which we returned, and con- soon after her mainmast went overboard. The Bonhomme
tinued engaging her about half an hour, when she got so Richard was almost torn to pieces, had seven feet of water
far astern, that our guns could not be brought to bear on in her hold, and was on fire near the magazine at this time.
her, nor did she seem desirous of again coming up. Captain Pearson was in this dreadful situation a great part
of the night, in danger of being blown up or sinking,
By this time the Pallas, which sailed heavily and had not which certainly would have happened if the weather had
yet been able to come up, was near us, and in a few minutes not been very fine.
came under our stern and gave us her broadside. We then
continued to engage her nearly one hour and a half, when The following day they got out the powder and all the
our ship—being much damaged in her hull, mast, and rig- men, except a few of the wounded; and we had the sat-
ging, the braces, bowlings, &c. being shot away, seven of isfaction to see the Bonhomme Richard go down. The
our guns dismounted, and 25 men killed and wounded— number of killed and wounded it is impossible to give
we struck to this ship, which had behaved nobly. you any account of at present, but you must suppose it
is very considerable; perhaps, near 300 in this ship; and
The Alliance, which had all this time kept astern, now upwards of 100 in the Serapis; in the Pallas 16 or 18,
came up and hailed our ship, and then stood under an who are all dead.

The Naval Enlisted Reserve Association 21