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