Commodore Paul Jones 9

Commodore Paul Jones 9

"This led the Milford entirely out of the way of the prizes, and

particularly the clothing ship, Mellish, for they were all out of

sight in the morning. I had now to get out of the difficulty in the

best way I could. In the morning we again tacked, and as the Milford

did not make much appearance I was unwilling to quit her without a

certainty of her superior force. She was out of shot, on the lee

quarter, and as I could only see her bow, I ordered the letter of

marque, Lieutenant Saunders, that held a much better wind than the

Alfred, to drop slowly astern, until he could discover by a view of

the enemy's side whether she was of superior or inferior force, and to

make a signal accordingly. On seeing Mr. Saunders drop astern, the

Milford wore suddenly and crowded sail toward the northeast. This

raised in me such doubts as determined me to wear also, and give

chase. Mr. Saunders steered by the wind, while the Milford went

lasking, and the Alfred followed her with a pressed sail, so that Mr.

Saunders was soon almost hull down to windward. At last the Milford

tacked again, but I did not tack the Alfred till I had the enemy's

side fairly open, and could plainly see her force. I then tacked about

ten o'clock. The Alfred being too light to be steered by the wind, I

bore away two points, while the Milford steered close by the wind, to

gain the Alfred's wake; and by that means he dropped astern,

notwithstanding his superior sailing. The weather, too, which became

exceedingly squally, enabled me to outdo the Milford by carrying more

sail. I began to be under no apprehension from the enemy's

superiority, for there was every appearance of a severe gale, which

really took place in the night. To my great surprise, however, Mr.

Saunders, toward four o'clock, bore down on the Milford, made the

signal of her inferior force, ran under her lee, and was taken!"

 

 

With the exception of one small vessel, which was recaptured, the

prizes all arrived safely, the precious Mellish finally reaching the

harbor of Dartmouth. The Alfred dropped anchor at Boston, December 15,

1776. The news of the captured clothing reached Washington and

gladdened his heart--and the hearts of his troops as well--on the eve

of the battle of Trenton.

 

The reward for this brilliant and successful cruise, the splendid

results of which had been brought about by the most meager means, was

an order relieving him of the command of the Alfred and assigning him

to the Providence again. When he arrived at Philadelphia the next

spring he found that by an act of Congress, on the 10th of October,

1776, which had created a number of captains in the navy, he, who had

been first on the list of lieutenants, and therefore the sixth ranking

sea officer, was now made the eighteenth captain. He was passed over

by men who had no claim whatever to superiority on the score of their

service to the Commonwealth, which had been inconsiderable or nothing

at all. Indeed, there was no man in the country who by merit or

achievement was entitled to precede him, except possibly Nicholas

Biddle.

 

If the friendless Scotsman had commanded more influence, more

political prestige, so that he might have been rewarded for his

auspicious services by placing him at the head of the navy, I venture

to believe that some glorious chapters in our marine history would

have been written.

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER V.

SUPERSEDED IN RANK--PROTESTS VAINLY AGAINST THE INJUSTICE--ORDERED TO

COMMAND THE RANGER--HOISTS FIRST AMERICAN FLAG.

 

 

The period between the termination of his last cruise and his

assignment to his next important command was employed by Jones in

vigorous and proper protests against the arbitrary action of Congress,

which had deprived him of that position on the navy list which was his

just due, were either merit, date of commission, or quality of service

considered. To the ordinary citizen the question may appear of little

interest, but to the professional soldier or sailor it is of the first

importance. Indeed, it is impossible to conceive of properly

maintaining an army or navy without regular promotion, definitive

station, and adequate reward of merit. To feel that rank is temporary

and position is at the will of unreasonable and irresponsible

direction is to undermine service.

 

The same injustice drove John Stark, of New Hampshire, to resign the

service with the pithy observation that an officer who could not

protect his own rights was unfit to be trusted with those of his

country. It did not prevent his winning the fight at Bennington,

though. The same treatment caused Daniel Morgan to seek that

retirement from which he was only drawn forth by his country's peril

to win the Battle of the Cowpens. And, lastly, it was the same

treatment which, in part at least, made Arnold a traitor. Then, as

ever, Congress was continually meddling with matters of purely

military administration, to the very great detriment of the service.

 

Jones has been censured as a jealous stickler for rank, a quibbler

about petty distinctions in trying times. Such criticisms proceed from

ignorance. If there were nothing else, rank means opportunity. The

range of prospective enterprises is greater the higher the rank. The

little Scotsman was properly tenacious of his prerogatives--we could

not admire him if he were not so--and naturally exasperated by the

arbitrary course of Congress, against which he protested with

all the vehemence of his passionate, fiery, and--it must be

confessed--somewhat irritable nature. On this subject he thus wrote to

the Marine Board at Philadelphia:

 

 

"I am now to inform you that by a letter from Commodore Hopkins, dated

on board the Warren, January 14, 1777, which came to my hands a day or

two ago, I am superseded in the command of the Alfred, in favour of

Captain Hinman, and ordered back to the sloop in Providence River.

Whether this order doth or doth not supersede also your orders to me

of the 10th ult. you can best determine; however, as I undertook the

late expedition at his (Commodore Hopkins') request, from a principle

of humanity, I mean not now to make a difficulty about trifles,

especially when the good of the service is to be consulted. As I am

unconscious of any neglect of duty or misconduct, since my appointment

at the first as eldest lieutenant of the navy, I can not suppose that

you have intended to set me aside in favour of any man who did not at

that time bear a captain's commission, unless, indeed, that man, by

exerting his superior abilities, hath rendered or can render more

important services to America. Those who stepped forth at the first,

in ships altogether unfit for war, were generally considered as

frantic rather than wise men, for it must be remembered that almost

everything then made against them. And although the success in the

affair with the Glasgow was not equal to what it might have been, yet

the blame ought not to be general. The principal or principals in

command alone are culpable, and the other officers, while they stand

unimpeached, have their full merit. There were, it is true, divers

persons, from misrepresentation, put into commission at the beginning,

without fit qualification, and perhaps the number may have been

increased by later appointments; but it follows not that the gentleman

or man of merit should be neglected or overlooked on their account.

None other than a gentleman, as well as a seaman both in theory and

practice, is qualified to support the character of a commission

officer in the navy; nor is any man fit to command a ship of war who

is not also capable of communicating his ideas on paper, in language

that becomes his rank. If this be admitted, the foregoing operations

will be sufficiently clear; but if further proof is required it can

easily be produced.

 

"When I entered into the service I was not actuated by motives of

self-interest. I stepped forth as a free citizen of the world, in

defense of the violated rights of mankind, and not in search of

riches, whereof, I thank God, I inherit a sufficiency; but I should

prove my degeneracy were I not in the highest degree tenacious of my

rank and seniority. As a gentleman I can yield this point up only to

persons of superior abilities and superior merit, and under such

persons it would be my highest ambition to learn. As this is the first

time of my having expressed the least anxiety on my own account, I

must entreat your patience until I account to you for the reason which

hath given me this freedom of sentiment. It seems that Captain

Hinman's commission is No. 1, and that, in consequence, he who was at

first my junior officer by eight, _hath expressed himself as my senior

officer_ in a manner which doth himself no honour, and which doth me

signal injury. There are also in the navy persons who have not shown

me fair play after the service I have rendered them. I have even been

blamed for the civilities which I have shown to my prisoners, at the

request of one of whom I herein inclose an appeal, which I must beg

leave to lay before Congress. Could you see the appellant's

accomplished lady, and the innocents their children, arguments in

their behalf would be unnecessary. As the base-minded only are capable

of inconsistencies, you will not blame my free soul, which can never

stoop where I can not also esteem. Could I, which I never can, bear to

be superseded, I should indeed deserve your contempt and total

neglect. I am therefore to entreat you to employ me in the most

enterprising and active service, accountable to your honourable board

only for my conduct, and connected as much as possible with gentlemen

and men of good sense."

 

 

The letter does credit to his head and heart alike. Matter and manner

are both admirable. In it he is at his best, and one paragraph shows

that the generous sympathy he ever felt for a prisoner could even be

extended to the enemies of his country, so that as far as he

personally was concerned they should suffer no needless hardship in

captivity. Considered as the production of a man whose life from

boyhood had been mainly spent upon the sea in trading ships and

slavers, with their limited opportunities for polite learning, and an

entire absence of that refined society without which education rarely

rises to the point of culture, the form and substance of Jones'

letters are surprising. Of this and of most of the letters hereafter

to be quoted only words of approbation may be used. A just yet modest

appreciation of his own dignity, a proper and resolute determination

to maintain it, a total failure to truckle to great men, an absence of

sycophancy and hypocrisy, a clear insight into the requirements of a

gentleman and an effortless rising to his own high standard without

unpleasant self-assertion, are found in his correspondence.

Considering the humble source from which he sprang, his words, written

and spoken, equally with his deeds, indicate his rare qualities.

 

It is probable that no disposition existed in Congress to do him an

injustice--quite the reverse, in fact; but the claims of the