we in fact had possession of the Serapis' top which commanded her quarter deck, upper deck, and forecastle, we were well assured that the enemy could not hold out much longer, and were momently expecting they would strike to us, when the following farcical piece was acted on board of our ship. "It seems that a report was at this time circulated among our crew between decks, and was credited by them, that captain Jones and all his principal officers were slain; that the gunners were now the commanders of the ship; that the ship had four or five feet water in her hold; and that she was then sinking. The persons who reported this advised, therefore, the gunner to go on deck, with the carpenter and master at arms, and beg of the enemy quarter, in order to save their lives. These three men being thus delegated, mounted the quarter deck, and bawled out as loud as they could, quarter, quarter, for God's sake, quarter! our ship is sinking!' and immediately got upon the ship's poop with a view of hawling down the colours. Hearing this in the top, I told my men that the enemy had struck, for I actually thought the voices of these men sounded as if on board the enemy; but in this I was soon undeceived. The three poltroons finding the ensign and ensign staff gone, proceeded to the quarter deck, and were in the act of hawling down our pendant, still bawling for quarter,' when I heard our commodore say, 'what rascals are those--shoot them-kill them.' He was on the forecastle when these fellows first made their appearance upon the quarter deck, where he had just discharged his pistols at some of the enemy. The carpenter and master at arms, hearing his voice, skulked below, and the gunner was attempting to do the same, when the commodore threw his pistols at his head, one of which knocked him down at the foot of the gangway, where he lay till the battle was over. Both ships now took fire again; and on board our ship it communicated to, and set fire to our main top, which threw us into the greatest consternation imaginable for some time, and it was not without some exertion and difficulty that it was overcome. water, which we had in a tub in the fore top was expended without extinguishing the fire. We next had recourse to our clothes, pulling off our coats and jackets, and then throwing them on the fire, and tramping upon them, which in a short time smothered it. The Both crews were also now, as before, busily employed in stopping the progress of the flames, and the firing on both sides ceased. The enemy now demanded if we had struck, having heard the three poltroons halloo for quarter. If you have, said they, why don't you hawl down your pendant,' as they saw our ensign was gone. Ay, ay,' said captain Jones, we'll do that when we can fight no longer-but we shall see yours come down first, for you must know, Yankees do not hawl down their colours, till they are fairly beaten.' The combat now commenced again with more fury if possible than before, on the part of both, and continued for a few minutes, when the cry of fire was again heard on board both ships. The firing ceased again, and both crews were once more employed in extinguishing it. This was soon done, when the battle was renewed again with redoubled vigour, with what cannon we could manage, hand-granades, &c., but principally towards the closing scene with lances and boarding-pikes. With these the combatants killed each other through the ships' port-holes, which were pretty large, and the guns that had been run out at them, having been rendered useless, as before observed, had been removed out of the way. At three quarters past 11, P.M. the Alliance frigate hove in sight, approached within pistol shot of our stern, and began a heavy and well directed fire into us, as well as the enemy, which made some of our officers, as well as men, believe she was a British man of war. The moon, as if ashamed to behold this bloody scene any longer, retired behind a dark cloud. It was in vain that some of our officers hailed her, and desired her not to fire again; it was in vain that they were told they were firing into the wrong vessel; it was in vain they were told that they had killed a number of our men; it was in vain also they were told that the enemy was fairly beaten, and that he must strike his colours in a few minutes. The Alliance, I say, notwithstanding all this, kept a position either ahead of us, or under our stern, and made a great deal of havoc and confusion on board of our ship, nor did she cease firing entirely, till the signal of recognizance was displayed in full view on board of our ship; which was three lighted lanterns ranged in a horizontal line about fifteen feet high, upon the fore, main, and mizen shrouds on the larboard side. This was done in order, if possible, to undeceive the Alliance, and had the desired effect, the firing from her now ceasing. At thirty-five minutes past 12 at night, a single hand-granade was thrown by one of our men out of the main top of the enemy, with a design to disperse a number of the enemy, who were huddled together between the gun decks. On its way it struck one side of the combings of her upper hatchway, and rebounding from that, took a direction, and fell between decks, where it communicated to a quantity of loose powder scattered about the enemy's cannon. The hand-granade bursting at the same time, made a dreadful explosion, and blew up about twenty of the enemy. This closed the scene; the enemy now in turn called out for quarter, but it was some time, however, before the colours were struck. The captain of the Serapis gave repeated orders for one of the crew to ascend the quarter deck and hawl down the English flag, but no one would stir to do it. They told the captain they were afraid of our riflemen, believing that all our men who had muskets were of that description. The captain of the Serapis, therefore, ascended the quarter deck himself, and hawled down the very flag which he had nailed to the flag staff a little before the battle, with a determination, as he expressed it, of never striking it to that infamous pirate John Paul Jones. The enemy's flag being struck, captain Jones ordered Richard Dale, his first lieutenant, to select out of the crew a number of men, and take possession of the prize, which was immediately put in execution. "Thus ended this ever memorable battle, after a continuance of a few minutes more than four hours. The officers, headed by the captain of the Serapis, now came on board our ship. Captain Parsons inquired for captain Jones, to whom he was introduced by Mr. Mase, our purser. The former accosted captain Jones, in presenting his sword in this manner It is with great reluctance I am obliged to resign my sword to a man, who may be said to fight with a halter about his neck.' Jones took no notice of this insult, but gallantly replied, sir, you have fought like a hero, and I make no doubt, your sovereign will reward you for it in the most ample manner.' The loss in this desperate action was dreadful, and both ships exhibited a terrible spectacle of carnage. In calling over the * See Life of Captain Nathaniel Fanning. roll of the Good-Man-Richard, it appeared that, one hundred and sixty-five officers, men, and boys were killed, and one hundred and thirty-seven wounded and missing; among the wounded was the gunner who called so lustily for quarters, and who was knocked down by captain Jones's pistol. Though severely wounded, he recovered, and was placed before the mast, which was all the punishment he underwent at that time. The loss of the Serapis was not near so great as that of her antagonist, it appearing from her muster roll, that one hundred and thirty-seven including officers had been killed, and about seventy-six wounded. The battle was fought near Flamborough Head, and several hundred people were witnesses of it from the shore. When we consider it in all its circum-* stances; the length of its continuance; the desperate courage displayed on both sides; the variety of its vicissitudes, and the loss which was mutually suffered, there is in it a character of daring, obstinate, and invincible courage, of which few parallels exist in the annals of warfare. It was " Diamond cut Diamond," as captain Parsons is said to have observed, when on inquiring of Jones, he learned that nearly all his crew were Americans. The answer which Jones gave to captain Parsons, when he insulted him with the imputation of being a criminal is peculiarly entitled to notice, as it furnishes a complete refutation of the idea which has been industriously circulated, that he was a brutal savage, endued indeed with courage, but destitute alike of the manners and feelings of a gentleThe mind in truth is too apt to associate courage and ferocity together, and it is seldom we hear of a daring or desperate exploit, but we figure to our minds, a sort of rugged barbarian, with the form of a Hercules, the countenance of a savage, and the manners of a rough, uncultivated man. And yet true courage, though sometimes a physical quality, is more generally a virtue of sentiment, and is therefore a natural concomitant of refinement of manners, until that refinement degenerates into effeminacy. The courage of the savage is craft-although we are in the habit of confounding the forti man. the firing from her now ceasing. At thirty-five minutes the same time, made a dreadful explosion, and bl The "Thus ended this ever memorable battle of a few minutes more than four hours. the captain of the Serapis, now came on boar Parsons inquired for captain Jones, to whor On the Author in the this, was the A: this time and Jones rewith the respon .. if he again re the squadron proBeet had approached by Mr. Mase, our purser. The former accounts ive have been able to in presenting his sword in this manner and impossible in others to tance I am obliged to resign my sword to a it appears that he some time to fight with a halter about his neck.' Jone of Amsterdam, where he was insult, but gallantly replied, sir, you have I make no doubt, your sovereign wit |