2016년 7월 4일 월요일

Commodore Paul Jones 15

Commodore Paul Jones 15


The English captain was a brave but very stupid or very confident man.
Jones was more than a match for him at best, and when the mistakes of
Burdon are considered the comparison is painful. The English knew that
the Ranger was on the coast; the Drake had picked up her anchor (it
was, of course, recaptured), and an alert mind would have connected
the recovered anchor with the attempt of the night of the 20th. The
suspicious actions of the stranger--and there must have been some
indication in her maneuvers and appearance at least to inspire
caution--the failure of the boat crew either to return or to make any
signal, should have made the English captain pause and consider the
situation. But with the usual "uncircumspect gallantry" of his kind he
charged down, bull-like, on his enemy, was promptly raked, hammered to
pieces, killed, and his ship surrendered. He proved his courage in
battle--which no one would question, bravery being usual and to be
expected--and he died in the attempt to atone for his rashness; but
professionally he was a failure, and his demise was fortunate for his
reputation and future career. His death probably prevented some very
inconvenient questions being asked him.
 
Jones treated his prisoners with a kindness and consideration the more
remarkable from the fact that the contrary was the custom with the
British toward American captives. During the night and the whole of
the next day, the weather being moderate, the two ships were hove to
while the Drake was refitted as well as their resources permitted.
Late the next afternoon a large brigantine, actuated by an unfortunate
curiosity, ran down so near the two ships that she was brought to by a
shot from the Drake and taken possession of. Having repaired damages
and put the Drake in as good trim as possible, Jones first determined
to return to Brest by the South Channel, the way he had come, but the
variable wind shifted and came strongly, and he decided to run
northward before it and pass around the west coast of Ireland. In
spite of his previous insubordination Simpson was placed in command of
the Drake.
 
Before they left these waters, however, something still remained to be
done. On the evening of the 25th the two ships sailed once more for
Belfast Lough. There Jones hove the Ranger to, and, having given the
poor Irish fishermen, whom he had captured on the 21st and held, one
of the Drake's boats, and having charitably bestowed upon them all the
guineas which he had left in his private purse (not many, I suppose)
to remunerate them for the loss they had sustained, he sent them
ashore. They took with them one of the Drake's sails, which would
attest the truth of their story of what had happened. The grateful
Irishmen were delighted and touched by such unusual treatment, and
they signalized their gratitude to their generous and kindhearted
captor by giving Jones three cheers from the boat as they passed the
Ranger's quarter. The Americans then bore away to the northwestward.
 
The voyage around the coast of Ireland was uneventful. Lieutenant
Dobbs, of the Drake, died on the cruise, and he and Captain Burdon
were buried at sea with all possible honors, Jones himself reading the
usual Church service. The cruise was continued without incident until
the morning of the 5th of May, when the Ranger being off Ushant, and
having the Drake in tow, Jones cut the towline and bore away in chase
of a sail which had been sighted. Simpson, instead of continuing
toward Brest, as he had been directed, hauled off to the south, so
that when Jones had overtaken the chase and found her a neutral, the
Drake was almost entirely out of sight to the southward.
 
The Ranger chased her and made various signals, to which no attention
was paid. Simpson changed his course aimlessly several times. During
the whole of the day the same eccentric maneuvers on the part of the
Drake continued. To Jones' great annoyance, the inexplicable actions
of the prize prevented him from chasing several large vessels which he
saw standing into the Channel, among which he would probably have made
many valuable captures. He was forced to abandon any attempt to take
them and follow the Drake, which he only overhauled late in the
evening. By Jones' orders Lieutenant Elijah Hall immediately replaced
Simpson in command of the Drake, and the latter was placed under
arrest. On the 8th of May both vessels arrived safely at Brest, from
which point Jones promptly dispatched the following remarkable letter
to the Countess of Selkirk:
 
 
"Ranger, Brest, _May 8, 1778_.
"_The Right Hon. the Countess of Selkirk_.
 
"Madam: It can not be too much lamented that, in the profession of
arms, the officer of fine feelings and real sensibility should be
under the necessity of winking at any action of persons under his
command which his heart can not approve; but the reflection is doubly
severe when he finds himself obliged, in appearance, to countenance
such actions by his authority. This hard case was mine, when, on the
23d of April last, I landed on St. Mary's Isle. Knowing Lord Selkirk's
interest with his king, and esteeming as I do his private character, I
wished to make him the happy instrument of alleviating the horrors of
hopeless captivity, when the brave are overpowered and made prisoners
of war. It was perhaps fortunate for you, madam, that he was from
home, for it was my intention to have taken him on board the Ranger
and detained him until, through, his means, a general and fair
exchange of prisoners, as well in Europe as in America, had been
effected.
 
"When I was informed, by some men whom I met at landing that his
lordship was absent, I walked back to my boat, determined to leave the
island. By the way, however, some officers who were with me could not
forbear expressing their discontent, observing that in America no
delicacy was shown by the English, who took away all sorts of movable
property, setting fire not only to towns and to the houses of the
rich, without distinction, but not even sparing the wretched hamlets
and milch cows of the poor and helpless, at the approach of an
inclement winter. That party had been with me the same morning at
Whitehaven; some complaisance, therefore, was their due. I had but a
moment to think how I might gratify them, and at the same time do your
ladyship the least injury. I charged the officers to permit none of
the seamen to enter the house, or to hurt anything about it; to treat
you, madam, with the utmost respect; to accept of the plate which was
offered, and to come away without making a search or demanding
anything else. I am induced to believe that I was punctually obeyed,
since I am informed that the plate which they brought away is far
short of the quantity expressed in the inventory which accompanied it.
I have gratified my men, and when the plate is sold I shall become the
purchaser, and will gratify my own feelings by restoring it to you by
such conveyance as you shall please to direct.
 
"Had the earl been on board the Ranger the following evening he would
have seen the awful pomp and dreadful carnage of a sea engagement,
both affording ample subject for the pencil, as well as melancholy
reflection for the contemplative mind. Humanity starts back from such
scenes of horror, and can not sufficiently execrate the vile promoters
of this detestable war.
 
 
"'For they, 'twas they unsheathed the ruthless blade,
And Heaven shall ask the havoc it has made.'
 
 
"The British ship of war Drake, mounting twenty guns, with more than
her full complement of officers and men, was our opponent. The ships
met, and the advantage was disputed with great fortitude on each side
for an hour and four minutes, when the gallant commander of the Drake
fell, and victory declared in favor of the Ranger. The amiable
lieutenant lay mortally wounded, besides near forty of the inferior
officers and crew killed and wounded--a melancholy demonstration of
the uncertainty of human prospects and of the sad reverses of fortune
which an hour can produce. I buried them in a spacious grave, with the
honors due to the memory of the brave.
 
"Though I have drawn my sword in the present generous struggle for the
rights of men, yet I am not in arms as an American, nor am I in
pursuit of riches. My fortune is liberal enough, having no wife and
family, and having lived long enough to know that riches can not
secure happiness. I profess myself a citizen of the world, totally
unfettered by the little mean distinctions of climates or of country,
which diminish the benevolence of the heart and set bounds to
philanthropy. Before this war was begun, I had, at an early time in
life, withdrawn from sea service in favor of 'calm contemplation and
poetic ease.' I have sacrificed not only my favorite scheme of life,
but the softer affections of the heart, and my prospects of domestic
happiness, and I am ready to sacrifice my life also with cheerfulness,
if that forfeiture could restore peace among mankind.
 
"As the feelings of your gentle bosom can not but be congenial with
mine, let me entreat you, madam, to use your persuasive art with your
husband, to endeavour to stop this cruel and destructive war, in which
Britain can never succeed. Heaven can never countenance the barbarous
and unmanly practice of the Britons in America, which savages would
blush at, and which, if not discontinued, will soon be retaliated on
Britain by a justly enraged people. Should you fail in this, and I am
persuaded you will attempt it (and who can resist the power of such an
advocate?), your endeavour to effect a general exchange of prisoners
will be an act of humanity, which will afford you golden feelings on
your deathbed.
 
"I hope this cruel contest will soon be closed; but, should it
continue, I wage no war with the fair. I acknowledge their force, and
bend before it with submission. Let not, therefore, the amiable
Countess of Selkirk regard me as an enemy; I am ambitious of her
esteem and friendship, and would do anything, consistent with my duty,
to merit it. The honor of a line from your hand, in answer to this,
will lay me under a singular obligation, and if I can render you any
acceptable service in France or elsewhere I hope you see into my
character so far as to command me, without the least grain of reserve.
I wish to know the exact behaviour of my people, as I am determined to
punish them if they have exceeded their liberty.
 
"I have the honor to be, with much esteem and with profound respect,
madam, etc.,
 
"John Paul Jones."
 
 
The shrewd Franklin says of this extraordinary document: "It is a
gallant letter, which must give her ladyship a high and just opinion
of your generosity and nobleness of mind." But I seem to read a gentle
laugh in the tactful words of the old philosopher. I like this epistle
less than any of Jones' letters I have read, but it certainly does not
merit the severe censures which have been passed u                         

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