Naval+Battle+the+Bonhomme+Richard+Defeats+the+Serepis


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Play this Sound Clip at the beginning of your learning experience. media type="file" key="2171_1288042412.mp3" width="240" height="20" On the date of September 23rd, 1779, a squadron from the U.S Continental Naval Fleet encountered two British ships sailing near the northern shores of England just off of the towns of Hornsea and Scarborough. Although the fleet was mostly a loan from the French, the fleet flew under the name of the United States Naval Fleet as a dual partnership between the French and the Americans. On the American side, there were four ships: the brigantine Vengeance, the forty-four gunned Bonhomme Richard (under the command of Captain John Paul Jones), the twenty-six gunned [|Alliance] (manned by Captain Pierre Landais), and the Pallas. The two British ships were sailing in a convoy alongside countless merchant ship flying the British flag which was known as the Baltic Convoy. This Convoy was an essential asset to the British Crown. The two Royal Navy Escort Ships guarding the convoy, the twenty gunned Countess of Scarborough (manned by Captain Piercy) and the forty-four gunned frigate Serepis (manned by Captain Richard Pearson), saw the American ships and took up defensive positions between the American ships and the British Merchant vessels. A battle ensued that would later be known as the Battle of Flamborough Head.

The American ships sailed in a single file line as to confuse the enemy about their strength at about 6 P.M. As the squadron passed the British Naval Escort they made use of their broadside cannons. As this was being done, one of the American ships (the Alliance) sailed off to the side to flank the British ships. In retaliation one of the British ships (the Countess) followed the Alliance off to the side of the battle as the other British ship (the Serepis) was caught in a battle with the other three American ships. Shortly into the battle the [|Bonhomme Richard was severely injured] when two of its guns exploded, killing two gun crews and destroying some of the ship's most powerful guns.Throughout the battle the captains of the two ships, Captain John Paul Jones (Bonhomme Richard) and Captain Richard Pearson (Serepis), exchanged comments from each others positions. These comments made the battle more personal for the two Captains, and it brought out the fullest extent of their whit's and battle prowess.

As the battle between the Bonhomme Richard and the Serepis raged on, the other ships played a 'game' of cat and mouse around the two as to not interfere, and possibly injure their ally's. Well into the battle, the Serepis and the Bonhomme Richard were locked together, side by side, firing shots into each others hulls. Their crews clashed and much blood was spilled. Both the Bonhomme Richard and the Serepis were severely injured, with both losing most of their crews and guns. The other ships clashed multiple times before the Countess (manned by Captain Piercy) had to stop fighting to tend to their wounded. The Richard erupted in utter when their prisoners were released from their hull. Luckily, the prisoners agreed to help pump out the water from the ship, as to save their own lives. Soon after this incident, Captain Richard Pearson of the Serepis surrendered and the battle was won by the American and French ships.



 He was born on July 6th, 1747 in Kirkbean, Scotland as the son of a gardener. He began his career at thirteen as an apprentice on a ship. He spent most of his early career on either merchant ships or slave ships. He was appalled by the cruel treatment of slaves on the ships he worked on, so he quit and got a new job aboard a brig. As if luck shined upon him, his Ship Master and First Mate both died of the Yellow Fever, and he was appointed Ship Master. He later left his career on this ship due to a smudging of his reputation when he viciously flogged and killed a crew member. He went to multiple ships afterwards, but his harsh views on punishment and mutiny made it so he had to flee from Scotland to the Colonial U.S. He soon got a job working in the Continental Navy as the Ship Master of the Bonhomme Richard. After his American campaign, he was employed under Empress Catherine II of Russia, and then retired in Paris, France where he died in 1792.



Richard Pearson was born in 1731 in Appleby, England to an upstanding family. He entered the British Navy in 1745 and worked on many ships during his career. He captained his first ship in 1773 and captained many other ships for many years to come. He was the Captain of the Serepis when it was attacked and captured by John Paul Jones in 1779, and was knighted for his actions in that very battle. He was considered a Hero for his valiant defense of the Baltic Convoy during the Battle of Flamborough Head. He retired to the Greenwich Royal Naval Hospital in 1780. Later, he became Lieutenant-Governor of the hospital that he was admitted to.