John Paul Jones – Greatest Revolutionary Naval Commander
John Paul Jones stands as a towering figure in the annals of American naval history. Often hailed as America’s greatest Revolutionary naval commander and the progenitor of the nation’s naval traditions, his life was a remarkable odyssey that began far from the shores of the burgeoning republic. His journey, fraught with peril and punctuated by moments of extraordinary bravery and tactical brilliance, cemented his place as a legend. This narrative explores the life and career of John Paul Jones, tracing his origins, his rise through the ranks, and his pivotal role in shaping the naval landscape of the American Revolution.
Born simply as John Paul on July 6, 1747, in Arbigland, near Kirkcudbright, Scotland, his lineage was humble. His parents, John Paul and Jean Duff Paul, resided on the estate where his father toiled as a gardener. Little could anyone have foreseen that this unassuming beginning would give rise to a naval commander whose name would echo through history.
At the tender age of 13, young John Paul embarked on his maritime adventure, apprenticed to a shipowner. This marked the commencement of his seafaring career, thrusting him directly into the bustling Atlantic trade. This intricate network connected England, the American colonies, the West Indies, and Africa, exposing him to the diverse facets of global commerce and the harsh realities of life at sea. Notably, Paul’s older brother had established himself in Fredericksburg, Virginia, a frequent destination in the young sailor’s early voyages. These voyages also included at least three journeys involving the slave trade to Africa. It was an experience that profoundly impacted him, instilling in him a deep aversion to the inhumane trafficking of human beings.
By the age of 21, John Paul’s competence and leadership capabilities were undeniable. While sailing from Jamaica to Scotland aboard the ship John, fate intervened when both the captain and the first mate succumbed to yellow fever. With remarkable composure and skill, John Paul assumed command, safely navigating the vessel and its crew to port. This feat of seamanship significantly propelled his career. Recognizing his exceptional abilities, the grateful Scottish owners rewarded him with the captaincy of the ship, its crew, and a generous ten percent share of the cargo.
However, John Paul Jones’s trajectory as a successful merchant sailor took an unexpected turn in 1773. An incident on the island of Tobago, where mutinous sailors demanding advance pay attacked him, led to a tragic outcome. In self-defense, John Paul killed one of the men. Convinced that a fair trial was unattainable on the island, he fled to America, adopting the name John Paul Jones to begin anew.
His arrival in America coincided with a period of escalating tensions between the colonies and Great Britain. The conflict over taxation and self-governance was reaching a critical point. Having witnessed firsthand Great Britain’s oppressive treatment of the Scottish people, Jones immediately sympathized with America’s burgeoning quest for liberty. When the Revolutionary War erupted in 1775, he eagerly volunteered his services to the newly formed Continental Navy.
Recognizing the strategic importance of a naval force, the Continental Congress moved swiftly to transform merchant ships into warships and to initiate the construction of new vessels. John Paul Jones, with his extensive seafaring experience and the backing of a North Carolina congressman, was quick to seize the opportunity to serve. He briefly held the position of second in command aboard the Alfred. In May 1776, he was promoted to command the sloop Providence, a vessel armed with 21 guns. His tenure aboard the Providence proved remarkably successful, as he captured 16 British vessels in a single cruise, demonstrating his prowess as a naval commander.
Elevated to the rank of captain, Jones assumed command of the Alfred, continuing his campaign against British shipping. In April 1778, while captaining the Ranger, he ventured into the waters surrounding Britain itself. It was during this period that Jones conceived a daring plan: to attack the town of Whitehaven on the west coast of England. His objective was to capture a high-ranking British official and use him as leverage to negotiate the exchange of American naval prisoners, who were being held as common criminals in English jails. While the raid on Whitehaven inflicted minimal material damage, it had a profound psychological impact, shaking the British public’s sense of security and demonstrating that the American navy could strike at their homeland.
John Paul Jones’s most celebrated victory occurred in September 1779. He commanded a fleet of five ships, with his flagship being the Bonhomme Richard, a 40-gun frigate. The Bonhomme Richard was originally a converted French merchant vessel, renamed in honor of Benjamin Franklin, "Bonhomme Richard" being the French translation of Franklin’s "Poor Richard." Jones understood that in the autumn months, British fleets laden with riches from the West Indies and the Baltic Sea would be returning to England. He devised a plan to intercept and capture one or both of these valuable convoys.
On September 23rd, the 41 ships of the Baltic convoy came into view off the east coast of England. As the merchant ships sought refuge, the two escorting British warships, the Serapis and the Countess of Scarborough, prepared to engage the Bonhomme Richard and another American ship, the Pallas.
During this era, the prevailing rules of warfare dictated that all enemy ships, both military and civilian, were considered legitimate targets. When warships or privately owned vessels authorized to engage in combat captured enemy ships, the captain and crew would share the proceeds from the sale of the captured ships and their cargoes with their government. However, the crux of the conflict with Britain lay in their refusal to recognize America as an independent nation. Consequently, they denied America the customary rights of a nation at war. Britain viewed sailors in the Continental Navy as pirates, subjecting them to imprisonment as common criminals. It was this policy that John Paul Jones sought to challenge by attacking English towns.
After three hours of intense maneuvering, the Bonhomme Richard collided with the Serapis, and Jones ordered the two ships to be lashed together. For two grueling hours, the ships exchanged relentless cannon fire. When the British captain, Richard Pearson, inquired if the Americans were ready to surrender, Jones famously retorted, "I have not yet begun to fight!"
An American grenade detonated below decks on the Serapis, ultimately leading to the British surrender. However, the Bonhomme Richard sustained irreparable damage. Jones transferred his flag to the captured Serapis, sailing it and the Countess of Scarborough to Holland as prizes. Jones’s extraordinary courage and resourcefulness in this battle earned him international acclaim.
Despite American plans to provide Jones with a new, larger vessel, they never materialized. Following the conclusion of the war, Jones urged Congress to maintain a strong navy as a safeguard against future conflicts. However, the fledgling nation lacked the financial resources and the political will to do so, resulting in the disbandment of the Continental Navy.
After a period of distinguished service in the Russian navy against the Turks from 1788 to 1789, Jones briefly resided in Poland before settling in Paris in 1790. There, he reconnected with old acquaintances and contemplated purchasing a country estate in America. He also made several unsuccessful attempts to rejoin the Russian service. In June 1792, he received an appointment as U.S. Consul to negotiate with the Dey of Algiers for the release of American captives. Tragically, before Jones could fulfill this mission, he succumbed to a severe brain tumor on July 18, 1792, at the age of 45. He was laid to rest in the Saint Louis Cemetery in Paris.
Despite his significant contributions to the American Revolution, history has often overlooked Jones and his role. This is partially due to controversial aspects of his life. Some historians point out that despite his aversion to the slave trade, he profited as a slave ship owner. Furthermore, he was known for his boastful nature, which alienated some of his friends.
Despite the controversies and the relatively small role of the Continental Navy in the American Revolution, President Theodore Roosevelt advocated for relocating Jones’s burial to America in the early 1900s. Over a century after his death, his remains were returned to the United States and entombed in a magnificent sarcophagus in the chapel of the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. His tomb has become a shrine to this founding father of the United States Navy. The legacy of John Paul Jones endures as a testament to courage, determination, and the enduring power of naval prowess.