The battle of flamborough head was fought september 23, 1779, between bonhomme richard and hms serapis and was part of the american revolution 1775 to 1783. At one point in the battle, a volley from serapis blew a large portion of the bonhomme richard s mast off, causing captain pearson of serapis to ask whether jones had struck his colors in surrender. The serapis bore short round upon her heel, and her jib boom ran into the mizen rigging of the bonhomme richard. On the night of september 22, 1779, bonhomme richard and the british ship of war serapis engaged in an epic battle off flamborough head on the yorkshire coast by the north sea, just south of scarborough. British victory seemed inevitable, as the more heavily armed serapis used its firepower to rake bonhomme richard with devastating effect. On the 23d of september, 1779, being below, was roused by an unusual nose upon deck. Bonhomme richard serapis engagementbonhomme richard serapis engagement. The battle between bonhomme richard and serapis journal of the. Bonne homme richard vs serapis september 23, 1779 the most remarkable single ship duel of the american revolution was between the bonne homme richard commanded by john paul jones and the hms serapis.
Richard dale november 6, 1756 february 26, 1826 was an american naval officer who fought in the continental navy under john barry and was first lieutenant for john paul jones during the naval battle off of flamborough head, england against hms serapis in. Soon they would go where glory awaited them in the famous sea battle against her majestys ship hms serapis at the battle of flamborough head. Serapis the bonhomme richard, commanded by john paul jones, attacks the british warship serapis. John paul jones in battle, 1779 eyewitness to history. From his disabled ship, jones replied, i have not yet begun to fight, and after three. In the end, the serapis surrenders to jones and the bonhomme richard sinks. The remains of the famous revolutionary war frigate uss bonhomme richard have been discovered off the coast of the u. In late september, 1779, jones was in the north sea in the bonhomme richard in command of a commerce raiding squadron consisting of the corvette alliance, with 36 guns, the french frigate pallas, 32 guns, the brigantine vengeance, 12 guns, and the bonhomme richard, with 40 guns. Why was the battle of bonhomme richard and the serapis. The serapis was a 50 gun ship that outgunned the bonne homme richard which was barely sea worthy. The battle between bonhomme richard and serapis journal. Naval battle between the serapis and bonhomme richard by. The battle global foundation for ocean exploration. Bonhomme richard and serapis entered a bitter engagement at about 6.
In this episode of history brief, john paul jones takes on the hms serapis in english waters. The captain of the bonhomme richard john paul jones won the battle at great costs. Source for information on bonhomme richardserapis engagement. Stafford had jumped into the sea and retrieved paul jones flag, receiving a wound that troubled him for the rest of his life. Serapis was commissioned in march 1779 under captain richard pearson. In the midst of a battle that was not going well for the americans, british captain richard pearson asked. Bonhomme richard is best known for its battle with hms serapis. Described as being somewhat reckless in his bravery, dale commanded the forward guns in the close fighting of the battle. Their marine commander was edward stack, who was born in country kerry, ireland.
Americanfrench casualties 170 killed and injured captain pierre landis commodore ranger john paul jones who was the british commander. The most prominent single ship engagement of the american revolution began on 23rd september 1779. In the gathering dark, pearson then hailed the potentially hostile ship to ask some pertinent questions. On september 23, 1779, john paul jones stood issuing battle orders from the deck of the french bon homme richard as the ship was locked in battle with serapis. Bon homme richard and serapis, is the right answer.
Their mission was to escort troop transports and merchant vessels under the convoy to bordeaux, france, and cruise against the british in the bay of biscay. The uss alliance did not engage the british but fired on the bonhomme richard instead. Captained by the formidable john paul jones, who is often credited as the father of the u. The ship, captained by john paul jones, engaged in fierce combat with hms serapis during the battle of flamborough heserad off the english coast on sept. John paul jones lost half his men in this vicious battle between great britain who was fighting with a ship called the serapis against america. Remains of us revolutionary war frigate discovered off uk. Serapis was a 44gun brandnew twodecker with frigate lines, commanded by a seasoned captain and crew. Pirate art pirate ships sea pirates john paul jones saturday evening post port royal pirate treasure tall ships anton. On 23 september she engaged the american warship uss bonhomme richard under the command of captain john paul jones in the north sea at flamborough head, england. Who won the battle of bonhomme richard vs serapis answers. The battle took place on september 23, 1779 in the north sea off flamborough head, england, and lasted over 3 hours. During the historic sea battle between the hms serapis and the uss bonhomme richard, the us ship was the target of friendly fire from the french warship named the alliance. Battle of flamborough head in the american revolution. During the night of september 2324, 1779, captain john paul jones led his frigate, bonhomme richard, into its legendary fight with serapis.
Archive photos getty images on september 23, 1779, an americanfrench squadron led by bonhomme richard made contact with a convoy led by the british. We know from the log of the serapis in an entry immediately after the richard s sinking that the fleet was on an ese heading, speed about one and a half knots. Bonhomme richard on september 23rd of 1779, john paul jones flagship bonhomme richard sank in the icy waters off flamborough head, yorkshire, england. Combining data from historical accounts of bonhomme richard s sept. The battle against hms serapis on june 19, 1779, jones sailed bonhomme richard from l orient, france accompanied by alliance, pallas, vegeance, and cerf. The shipwreck of one of americas first warships was just. In this section, the narratives of war continue, this one telling of the revolutionary war sea battle off the british coast between john paul joness bonhomme richard and the british ship serapis. Serapis was sent to protect merchant ships against piracy and on its first voyage was confronted by bonhomme richard. Serapisthe american warship bonhomme richard in battle with the british frigate serapis, september 23, 1779. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. It was a duel between the john paul jones command, bonne homme richard and the hms serapis. Where was the battle between the bonhomme richard and the. This article incorporates text from the public domain dictionary of american naval fighting ships. Captain robert pearson captain robert pearson british casualties 117 killed and injured where was the.
She was broken and on fire after a long and bloody battle with hms serapis that resulted in the british ship striking to the upstart american and jones taking serapis as prize. The author takes time to explain why this difference in design between the two ships influenced how the battle was fought. Sailing from france in august 1779 with a small squadron, noted american naval commander commodore john paul jones sought to circle the british isles with the goal of wreaking havoc on british merchant shipping. Between 21 may and 9 june, 2012, the naval history. An eyewitness account of john paul jones in naval battle. This action resulted in a court martial for landias upon his return to france. During the revolutionary war john paul jones took bonhomme richard into an epic battle against hms serapis, earning immortality. Though serapis was better equipped, faster and more maneuverable, richard pearson surrendered serapis to john paul jones. The most famous sea battle of the revolution was between the. In the 1779 naval battle of flamborough head, the bonhomme richard, captained by john paul jones, engaged in battle with captain richard pearsons serapis in the north sea, sailing in close, lashing his vessel to the british ship, and fighting the battle at point blank range.
Going northwest around the british isles into the northern sea and down the eastern. In search of john paul jones bonhomme richard the sextant. While bonhomme richard s smallarms fire was having a devastating effect on serapis s crew, the british cannon were equally successful in decimating american cannon. Jones and his crew transferred to his newlywon prize serapis, as bonhomme richard, a victor in the battle considered a turning point in the american revolutionary war, was broken and rudderless. Finally, a little after 7 pm, bonhomme richard was within pistolshot of the battleready serapis. These irishmen became the american marines for john paul jones bonhomme richard. This induced me to go upon deck when i found the men were swaying up the royal yards, preparatory to making sail for a large fleet under our lee. Continental navy midshipman nathaniel fannings eyewitness account of the american revolutions most famous naval battle is. This epic battle between two very similar ships and crews off the coast of britain in september 1779 created two naval heroes. Engagement between bonhomme richard and serapis united.
Sas 8th grade history chapter 6 the american revolution. John paul jones, uss bonhomme richard and a satellite image of the u. Bon homme richard vs serapis account by lieutenant richard dale. Painting, the bon homme richard and hms serapis national. History central bonne homme richard vs serapis september 23, 1779. According to stafford family legend, the bonhomme flag was shot from the masthead and fell into the sea, but a young lieut.
Battle of thermopylae spartans vs persians duration. On september 23, 1779, bonhomme richard met hms serapis off the coast of flamborough head, near yorkshire. Engagement between bonhomme richard and serapis, sept. Serapis was a british naval ship with 44 guns built in 1779 and commanded by richard pearson. Scottishborn john paul jones first sailed to america as a cabin boy. On june 19, 1779, jones sailed bonhomme richard from l orient, france. Jones eventually won the day, captured serapis and successfully transferred his crew off the fatally damaged bon homme richard. Flamborough head 1779 duel lardas, mark, rava, giuseppe, bull, peter on. Although emerging victorious from the battle, bonhomme richard was irreparably damaged, and, despite all the efforts to save the ship, sank into the north sea on sept. Despite all efforts to save the ship, bonhomme richard sank into the north sea on september 25th, 1779. On the evening of 22 september, jones in bonhomme richard an armed. Start studying sas 8th grade history chapter 6 the american revolution.
Being retired navy, the historical significance and achievement in finding bonhomme richard is beyond words, said hensons civilian medical. Challenged by a large combined french and spanish fleet, the british navy was too preoccupied to prevent american. Navy, bonhomme richard emerged victorious from the battle, but proved irreparably damaged. The battle continued for the next four hours, costing the lives of nearly half of the american and british crews. On the night of september 22, 1779, bonhomme richard and the british ship of war serapis engaged in an epic battle off flamborough head on the yorkshire coast by the north sea. Bonhomme richard and serapis by william gilkerson, beverley r.
The debris and ballast mound of the bonhomme richard lie somewhere between twentyfive and thirtyfive miles out to sea from flamborough head. The battle took place on september 23, 1779 in the north sea off. The battle of flamborough head was a naval battle that took place on 23 september 1779 in. During the third hour of battle, jones found himself left with only three small 9pounders on the quarterdeck. The real immortal words of john paul jones journal of.
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