Commodore Paul Jones 17

Commodore Paul Jones 17

How he managed under such circumstances he relates in a journal which

he prepared in later years for submission to the King of France.

 

"Yet during that time, by his [Jones'] personal credit with Comte

D'Orvilliers, the Duc de Chartres, and the Intendant of Brest, he fed

his people and prisoners, cured his wounded, and refitted both the

Ranger and the Drake for sea."

 

He could, of course, have relieved himself of some of his burden by

turning over his prisoners to France, but, as that country was still

nominally neutral, the people he had captured would have been set

free at the demand of England. As long as he held possession of them

it was possible that the circumstance would force an exchange for

Americans--a thing the commissioners had been bent upon since their

arrival in Europe. The English Government had long since sanctioned

and carried out the exchange of soldiers, but for arbitrary and

inadequate reasons seamen stood upon a different footing apparently.

When Franklin previously wrote Lord Stormont, the British ambassador,

offering to exchange one hundred men captured by the Reprisal for an

equal number of American seamen held in English prisons, no answer was

made to his letter; a second letter brought forth the following curt

reply:

 

 

"The king's ambassador receives no applications from rebels, unless

they come to implore his Majesty's mercy."

 

 

To this insulting and inexplicable message the following apt and

dignified reply was made:

 

 

"In answer to a letter which concerns some of the material interests

of humanity, and of the two nations, Great Britain and the United

States of America, now at war, we received the inclosed indecent

paper, as coming from your lordship, which we return for your

lordship's more mature consideration."

 

 

Of course, the ostensible reason for refusing this exchange was that

the captured seamen were traitors, and as such had no belligerent

rights, yet how they differed from soldiers it is impossible to see.

Indeed, the English authorities went so far as to call them pirates,

and they could not have treated them worse--short of hanging them--if

they had actually merited the opprobrious title. The real reason,

however, lay in the hope that the Americans, having no place in France

in which to confine their prisoners, would be compelled to set them

free. This hope was frequently justified, and it was not until March,

1779, that the persistent determination of Franklin brought about a

complete general recognition of the principle of exchange for which he

had so valiantly contended, although he had been partially successful

on particular occasions before that time. Jones knew the situation

perfectly, and so with his usual grim determination he held on to his

precious prisoners.

 

The prize agents were dilatory and incompetent. The seamen, lacking

food, clothes, salary, and prize money, were naturally mutinous and

discontented. But Jones repressed the crews, hurried up the sales, and

managed at last to weather all his troubles.

 

The malcontent Simpson was a constant incentive to discord and mutiny,

and he was finally removed to a French guardship, called the Admiral,

where he was well treated and allowed the freedom of the deck. While

there, he behaved in such a contumacious manner that D'Orvilliers, the

French commander, sent him to the prison of the port. All his expenses

during this interval were paid by Jones himself; indeed, when he did

not pay personally, nobody did. There was nothing sordid or avaricious

in Jones' character. He was greedy for glory and fame and reputation,

but he cared nothing whatever for money. To dismiss a tiresome

subject, Jones, with extraordinary complaisance, finally accepted

Simpson's apologies and released him on his parole not to serve in the

navy until he had been regularly tried by a court-martial. He even

went further than this. He offered to relinquish the command of the

Ranger to him in order that he might take her back to the United

States and there take his trial.

 

While these efforts were pending, the commissioners, misunderstanding

their tentative character, restored Simpson to the command of the

Ranger, unconditionally, much to Jones' disgust. He was quite willing

to relinquish the command of his little ship, because the King of

France had requested the commissioners to allow France to avail

herself of the services of Jones in a naval expedition which was

projected. But that such contumacy and lack of subordination as had

been exhibited by Simpson should go unpunished, and that he should

receive the absolute command of the ship as a reward for his action,

and should be allowed to return home without even an investigation,

was not only harmful to the service, but an apparent reflection upon

himself--though, of course, nothing was further from the

commissioners' thoughts, as they specifically declared. In the end

Jones acquiesced in the situation, and the matter was dropped. Simpson

was never employed in the service after he returned home.

 

The famous action between the Arethusa and the Belle Poule, on June

17th, having made it clear to every observer that war between France

and England was inevitable, though the formal declaration was not

issued until the following September, the first enterprise which it

was desired Jones should undertake under the auspices of France was

proposed to him by Franklin as follows:

 

 

"The Jersey privateers," he says, "do us a great deal of mischief by

intercepting our supplies. It has been mentioned to me that your small

vessel, commanded by so brave an officer, might render great service

by following them where greater ships dare not venture their bottoms;

or, being accompanied and supported by some frigates from Brest, at a

proper distance, might draw them out and then take them. I wish you to

consider of this, as it comes from _high authority_."

 

It was not a particularly brilliant prospect; all the hard work and

dangerous labor was to be performed by Jones, and the glory was to be

reaped by the French frigates; but, with a noble disinterestedness in

his desire to serve his country, he at once expressed his perfect

willingness to co-operate. Before anything came of it, however,

Franklin offered him the command of the Indien, in the following

letter:

 

 

(Private.)

 

"Dear Sir: I have the pleasure of informing you that it is proposed to

give you the command of the great ship we have built at Amsterdam. By

what you wrote to us formerly, I have ventured to say in your behalf,

that this proposition would be agreeable to you. You will immediately

let me know your resolution; which, that you may be more clear in

taking, I must inform you of some circumstances. She is at present the

property of the king; but, as there is no war yet declared, you will

have the commission and flag of the States, and act under their orders

and laws. The Prince de Nassau will make the cruise with you. She is

to be brought here under cover as a French merchantman, to be equipped

and manned in France. We hope to exchange your prisoners for as many

American sailors; but, if that fails, you have your present crew to be

made up here with other nations and French. The other commissioners

are not acquainted with this proposition as yet, and you see by the

nature of it that it is necessary to be kept a secret till we have got

the vessel here, for fear of difficulties in Holland, and

interception; you will therefore direct your answer to me alone. It

being desired that the affair rest between you and me, perhaps it may

be best for you to take a trip up here to concert matters, if in

general you approve the idea.

 

"I was much pleased with reading your journal, which we received

yesterday."

 

 

This is the first mention of the Prince of Nassau-Siegen, who will

appear prominently hereafter, and be described in his proper place.

Jones was naturally delighted with the flattering prospects, and at

once wrote to the prince, acquainting him of the pleasure he

anticipated in having him associated with him. A few days later

Franklin wrote Jones again as follows:

 

"Passy, _June 10, 1778_.

 

"Dear Sir: I received yours of 1st instant, with the papers inclosed,

which I have shown to the other commissioners, but have not yet had

their opinion of them; only I know that they had before (in

consideration of the disposition and uneasiness of your people)

expressed an inclination to order your ship directly back to America.

You will judge from what follows whether it will not be advisable for

you to propose their sending her back with her people, and under some

other command. In consequence of the high opinion the Minister of the

Marine has of your conduct and bravery, it is now settled (observe,

that it is to be a secret between us, I being expressly enjoined not

to communicate it to any other person), that you are to have the

frigate from Holland, which actually belongs to Government, and will

be furnished with as many good French seamen as you shall require. But

you are to act under Congress commission. As you may be likely to have

a number of Americans, and your own are homesick, it is proposed to

give you as many as you can engage out of two hundred prisoners, which

the ministry of Britain have at length agreed to give us in exchange

for those you have in your hands. They propose to make the exchange at

Calais, where they are to bring the Americans. Nothing is wanting to

this but a list of yours, containing their names and rank; immediately

on the receipt of which an equal number are to be prepared, and sent

in a ship to that port, where yours are to meet them.

 

"If by this means you can get a good new crew, I think it would be

best that you are quite free of the old, for a mixture might introduce

the infection of that sickness you complain of. But this may be left

to your own discretion. Perhaps we shall join you with the Providence,

Captain Whipple, a new Continental ship of thirty guns, which, in

coming out of the river of Providence, gave the two frigates that were

posted to intercept her each of them so heavy a dose of her 18- and

12-pounders that they had not the courage or were not able to pursue

her. It seems to be desired that you will step up to Versailles (where

one will meet you), in order to such a settlement of matters and plans

with those who have the direction as can not well be done by letter. I

wish it may be convenient to you to do it immediately.

 

"The project of giving you the command of this ship pleases me the

more as it is a probable opening to the higher preferment you so