In a revolution fought mostly on land, John Paul Jones took the war to the sea, and into the home waters of the world's greatest navy. His victory over a stronger British warship, won as his own ship sank beneath him, made him a legend and gave the young American navy its fighting spirit.
A sailor turned revolutionary
Born in Scotland in 1747, John Paul went to sea1 as a boy and rose to command merchant ships before settling in the American colonies, adding Jones to his name1. When the Revolution broke out, he joined the new Continental Navy and soon showed a boldness that set him apart, raiding shipping and even the coasts of Britain itself1.
Jones's Continental Navy ship Ranger receives a salute from a French squadron in Quiberon Bay on 14 February 1778, shortly before his raids on the British coast. Painting by Edward Moran, 1898 (US Naval Academy Museum). Public domain
The Bonhomme Richard and the Serapis
In 1779, commanding the aging Bonhomme Richard, Jones fought the British frigate Serapis off the English coast in one of the most famous single-ship actions in history. His ship was shattered and sinking, and when the British captain called on him to surrender, Jones is said to have replied1, 'I have not yet begun to fight.' He fought on, lashed the two ships together2, and forced the Serapis to surrender even as the Bonhomme Richard went down2.
Bonhomme Richard (centre) locked in battle with HMS Serapis off Flamborough Head on 23 September 1779, painted by Thomas Mitchell in 1780. Public domain
The restless legend
Jones never again matched that triumph. After the war he served briefly as an admiral in the navy of Imperial Russia1, then died in Paris in 1792, largely forgotten. More than a century later his remains were brought back to the United States and entombed at the Naval Academy3, where he is honoured as the father of the American navy4 and the model of its fighting tradition.
The crypt of John Paul Jones beneath the chapel of the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, where a midshipman stands guard. US Navy photograph, 2005. Public domain
Sources and notes
Numbered notes in the text point to the works below.
He was the most famous naval commander of the American Revolution (1747 to 1792), often called the father of the American navy.
What is John Paul Jones famous for?
For carrying the war into British waters and for defeating HMS Serapis in 1779 aboard the sinking Bonhomme Richard.
Did John Paul Jones really say 'I have not yet begun to fight'?
The famous reply is attributed to him during the battle with the Serapis; it was recorded in later accounts, and its exact wording is uncertain4.
Why is he called the father of the American navy?
For his boldness and success in the Revolution, which gave the young navy its fighting tradition; the title is honorary and shared in some accounts with others.
How did John Paul Jones die?
He died in Paris in 1792; his remains were later brought to the United States and entombed at the US Naval Academy.
What ship did John Paul Jones command at his famous battle?
The Bonhomme Richard, which sank after defeating HMS Serapis in 1779.
Take the war to British waters
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