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Revolutionary War Historical Article
The American Revolution Month-by-Month September 1779
By Compatriot Andrew "Andy" Stough
Editor's Note: This article was reprinted by Permission of the Gold Country Chapter No. 7 of the CSSAR and was slightly edited by the Sons of Liberty Chapter of the CSSAR
September 1779 was a busy month. Congress was struggling with inflation of the currency. Boonesborough, Kentucky, came under siege by Indians as the Sullivan and Brodhead expeditions, approaching an end, arrived at Wyoming on September 30th. (Easton on October 15th). The war in Georgia flared up with an attack on Savannah by land and Naval forces. Spanish Governor Galvez of Louisiana captured three British forts denying Britain navigation on the Mississippi. Last but not least, was the sea battle between Britain's Serapis and the Bonhomme Richard.
On September 1st, Captain Landais in Alliance appeared with the Betsy, a prize ship. When summoned to the flagship, he again acted most disrespectfully to Commodore Jones. Time wore on with additional prizes captured and sent to port but no action occurred with a capital ship.
On September 16th, a small boat from a yacht approached the flagship explaining that Sir John Anstruther who lived nearby had a small brass cannon to protect his home from the terrible Paul Jones, but no powder. Realizing that the men thought it was a British ship, Jones, being a gentleman and a good host, invited the boat crew aboard and joined them in a tot of rum while the powder was brought up from the magazine. Jones then sent all but the pilot off with a small cask of gunpowder for Sir John. Later that afternoon panic broke out ashore when it was realized that it was Bonhomme Richard, captained by the pirate Jones.
In the days to follow the Richard was alone with the exception of the cutter Vengeance. During this time some ships were captured and sent to port as prizes, but, it would be September 23rd that made Jones famous.
On the morning of the 23rd Captain Landais deigned to rejoin the squadron as did frigate Pallas. Jones now had four ships under his command and the "Grand Day" had arrived; a convoy of 41 ships (A Baltic Trading Fleet Convoy) appeared toward sundown protected by Serapis of 50 (officially 44) guns and the 20 gun Countess of Scarborough.
The Serapis and the Countess, sighting a ship coming in their direction, hung back to defend the Baltic Trading Fleet convoy. Serapis then signaled the convoy to stay close to shore and make full sail to port.
On approach, Serapis demanded that the intruder identify himself or be fired upon. Jones was able to hold off identification long enough to come within firing range of Serapis to get in the first broadside. The ships coming abeam of each other fired broadsides simultaneously. Unfortunately for Jones, on the first or second firing, two of his 18 pounders blew up, destroying the entire 18 pound battery and the deck above.
At about 6:30 p.m. both ships began maneuvering to gain a bow or stern position to rake the other. Jones, realizing that he could not match tactics with Serapis acted to bring the ships together, planning to lash Richard to Serapis then board her. The maneuver failed, the boarders were repulsed and Jones pulled away. Serapis then attempted to cross Richard's bow, but Jones rammed his ship into Serapis stern. At this point Captain Pearson of Serapis called out "Has your ship struck?" and Jones replied "I have not yet begun to fight!"
More maneuvering without success for either ship ended when the two ships collided, side to side, from opposite directions. The fluke of Serapis' anchor brought them together; grappling hooks then bound them as one. Like two heavyweight boxers the two ships slugged it out, muzzle to muzzle. Captain Pearson realizing that he could not effectively bring his guns to bear ordered the ropes on the grappling hooks cut. As fast as any of Serapis' seamen approached the hawsers they were shot down by Richard's marines in the fighting tops.
At 8:30, the moon, almost at full, gave light to the battle which continued for two more hours. Both ship's sails caught fire and the battle was stopped for damage control on both ships. Finally Jones had only three 9 pounders that were fired at Serapis' masts. Serapis continued to blast Richard with her 18 pounders but without a killing result as they could fire only into the Richard between decks and above the waterline. Jones possessed the advantage as the accuracy of the French marines on deck and in the tops allowed his seamen go from Richard's spars to those of Serapis, from there they dropped grenades and inflammables on Serapis' deck and into her hatches. Serapis' seamen were either killed or driven below deck where they had to fight fires as well as man guns which continued to fire into Richard's stout merchant hull.
During this time Vengeance stood off while Pallas engaged the Countess. Landais in Alliance circled the ships, firing at Pallas and especially at Richard with the hope that Richard would sink so that he could take Serapis as his prize and receive full credit and glory for the victory. Landais further jeopardized Richard by holing her below the waterline with one of his broadsides. Around 10 p.m. Landais drew away and maintained a safe distance for the rest of the fight.
Several seamen decided that Richard was about to sink and called for quarter! Some sources say that Jones shot and killed the man who called for quarter, Morison says that Jones threw a pistol at him and knocked him out. Pearson responded with an allowance of quarter that was refused by Jones. Pearson then called for a boarding party to take Richard; the attempt failed. The bloody battle continued another thirty minutes until 10:30 p.m. when Pearson, after losing his mainmast, struck his colors and the battle was over.
The Countess of Scarborough had surrendered to the French ship Pallas before the fall of Serapis. Pallas, like the Richard, had suffered several broadsides from Captain Landais in Alliance who seemed not to know whose side he was on. Meanwhile the Baltic Trading Convoy had sailed on to safety. Jones transferred to Serapis as the Richard, barely holding together, was cut loose to be towed. Twenty-four hours later at 10 p.m. on September 24th, the Bonhomme Richard obviously sinking was ordered abandoned. The Bonhomme Richard, sinking from the holing by Landais, slipped bow first into a watery grave shortly after 11 a.m. on September 25th.
The chase was on to capture Jones and his squadron; despite the pursuit Jones brought his squadron to port at Texel in the Netherlands where he was reluctantly granted asylum. Prizes sent to port at Bergen were released to British authorities by Denmark on the basis of Britain's claim that Jones was a pirate and had no right to captured ships. British prisoners were held for exchange for American seamen with the exception of Captain Pearson of the Serapis whom Jones wished to exchange for Captain Coyngham of the U. S. Navy who was being held in a British prison as a pirate.
Landais traveled to Paris where he was suspended from command by Franklin. Landais later protested his dismissal with the assistance of diplomat Arthur Lee.
Thus ends September 1779.
Political Events-September1779
Congress names John Adams to negotiate peace with England. Congress also names it's president John Jay as minister to Spain.
Spanish Governor Galvez of Louisiana captures the British gulf coast ports of Manhac, Baton Rouge and Natchez.
References: Arthur Meier Schlesinger's"The Almanac of American History"; Christopher Ward's "The War of the Revolution"; Don Higginbotham's "War of American Independence"; Samuel Elliott Morison's "John Paul Jones".
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