Four American Naval Heroes Part 4

Paul Jones wished to capture these. The winds were favorable, and a landing could easily have been made but for Captain Landais.

Paul Jones spent a whole night persuading this troublesome captain to help him. It was only with a promise of money that he at last succeeded.

But in the morning the winds were contrary.

That day the _Richard_ captured an English merchant ship. The captain promised Paul Jones that if he would allow his vessel to go free, he would pilot the squadron into the harbor.

The people, seeing the fleet piloted by the English vessel, supposed the visit to be a friendly one. So they sent a boat out to the _Richard_, asking for powder and shot to defend the town from the visit of "Paul Jones the pirate."

Jones sent back a barrel of powder with the message that he had no suitable shot. It was not until the vessels were nearing the harbor that the object of the visit was suspected. The people, in their fright, ran to the house of the minister. He had helped them when in trouble at other times, and could surely do something now.

The good man, with his flock following him, ran to the beach, where he made a strange prayer.

He told the Lord that the people there were very poor, and that the wind was bringing to the sh.o.r.e that "vile pirate," Paul Jones, who would burn their houses and take away even their clothes. "I canna think of it! I canna think of it! I have long been a faithful servant to ye, O Lord.

But gin ye dinna turn the wind aboot and blaw the scoundrel out of our gates, I'll nae stir a foot, but will just sit here till the tide comes in."

Just then a violent gale sprang up, and by the time it had abated the squadron had been driven so far out to sea that the plan was given up.

Long afterward, the good minister would often say, "I prayed, but the Lord sent the wind."

X.--THE GREAT FIGHT WITH THE SERAPIS.

Paul Jones next cruised up and down the eastern coast of England, trying to capture some merchant ships that were bound for London.

About noon, on September 23, 1779, he saw not far from the sh.o.r.e an English fleet, sailing from the north. It was convoyed by two new war ships, the _Serapis_ and the _Countess of Scarborough_.

Paul Jones at once signaled to his ships to form in line of battle.

Captain Landais disobeyed.

The sight of the American squadron seemed to cause confusion in the English fleet. They let fly their top gallant sails and fired many signals. The _Serapis_ and the _Countess_ drew up in line of battle and waited for the enemy, while the merchant ships ran into port.

It was a clear, calm afternoon. The sea was like a polished mirror, with scarcely a ripple on its surface.

The vessels approached each other so slowly that they scarcely seemed to move. The decks had all been cleared for action, and the captains were full of impatience.

Word had gone from town to town along the sh.o.r.e, that a great battle was soon to be fought. The people along the sh.o.r.e gathered on the high cliffs, eagerly hoping to see the dreaded Paul Jones crushed forever.

The sun had gone down behind the hills before the ships were within speaking distance of each other. The harvest moon came up, full and clear, and shed a soft light over the dreadful battle that followed.

Captain Landais, when he disobeyed Paul Jones' order to join in line of battle, spread the sails of the _Alliance_, and went quickly toward the enemy as though to make an attack. But when very near to where the _Serapis_ lay, he changed his course, and sailed away to a place where the battle could be seen without harm.

About half-past seven in the evening, the _Richard_ rounded to on the side of the _Serapis_ within pistol-shot.

Captain Pearson of the _Serapis_ hailed, saying: "What ship is that?"

The answer came: "I can't hear what you say."

Captain Pearson repeated: "What ship is that? Answer at once or I shall fire."

Paul Jones' reply was a shot. This was followed by a broadside from each vessel.

At this first fire, two of the guns in the lower battery of the _Richard_ burst. The explosion tore up the decks, and killed many men.

The two vessels now began pouring broadsides into each other. The _Richard_ was old and rotten, and these shots caused her to leak badly.

Captain Pearson saw this, and hailed, saying, "Has your ship struck?"

The bold reply came: "I have not yet begun to fight."

Paul Jones saw, that, as the _Serapis_ was so much the better ship of the two, his only hope lay in getting the vessels so close together that the men could board the _Serapis_ from the _Richard_.

All this time the vessels had been sailing in the same direction, crossing and re-crossing each other's course.

Finally Paul Jones ran the _Richard_ across the bow of the _Serapis_.

The anchor of the _Serapis_ caught in the stern of the _Richard_ and became firmly fastened there. As the vessels were swung around by the tide, the sides came together. The spars and rigging were entangled and remained so until the close of the engagement.

With the muzzles of the guns almost touching, the firing began. The effect was terrible.

Paul Jones, who had only two guns that could be used on the starboard side, grappled with the _Serapis_. With the help of a few men, he brought over a larboard gun, and these three were all that he used during the rest of the battle.

Meanwhile the other ships of the American squadron did strange things.

The _Pallas_, alone, did her duty. In a half hour she had captured the _Countess of Scarborough_. The _Vengeance_ simply sailed for the nearest harbor.

Worst of all was the conduct of Captain Landais and his ship _Alliance_.

For a while he looked quietly on as though he were umpire. At 9:30 o'clock he came along the larboard side of the _Richard_ so that she was between him and the enemy. Then he deliberately fired into her, killing many men.

Many voices cried out that he was firing into the wrong ship. He seemed not to hear, for, until the battle was over, his firing continued. The _Poor Richard_ had an enemy on each side.

Paul Jones sent some men up the masts and into the rigging to throw hand-grenades, or bombs, among the enemy. One of these set fire to some cartridges on the deck of the _Serapis_. This caused a terrible explosion, disabling all the men at the guns in that part of the ship.

Twenty of them were killed outright.

By this time so much water had leaked into the _Richard_ that she was settling. A sailor, seeing this, set up the cry: "Quarter! quarter! Our ship is sinking!"

Captain Pearson, hearing the cry, sent his men to board the _Richard_.

Paul Jones, with a pike in his hand, headed a party of his men similarly armed, and drove the English back.

Some of the _Richard's_ men ran below and set the prisoners free. There were more than a hundred of them.

One of these prisoners climbed through the port holes into the _Serapis_. He told Captain Pearson that if he would hold out a little longer, the _Richard_ would either sink or strike.

Poor Paul Jones was now in a hard place. His ship was sinking. More than a hundred prisoners were running about the decks, and they, with the crew, were shouting for quarter. His own ship, the _Alliance_, was hurling shots at him from the other side. Everywhere was confusion.

But he, alone, was undismayed. He shouted to the prisoners to go below to the pumps or they would be quickly drowned. He ordered the crew to their places. He himself never left the three guns that could still be fired.

At half-past ten o'clock, the _Serapis_ surrendered.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE SERAPIS AND THE BON HOMME RICHARD.]

When Captain Pearson gave his sword to Paul Jones, he said it was very hard to surrender to a man who had fought "with a halter around his neck." Paul Jones replied, "Sir! You have fought like a hero. I hope your king will reward you."