John+Paul+Jones

==**During the winter of 1774,a man stepped off a ship in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He was 26 Years old, about five feet six inches tall,and homesome.The West Indies,he was also a murderer. He called himself John Paul Jones, but his real name was John Paul. Jones was born in the village of Kirkbean, Scotland, on July 6, 1747.**==

Revolutionary War Hero
Revolutionary War HeroIn 1777, Jones was given command of the //Ranger,//Ranger, fresh from the Portsmouth shipyard. He sailed to France, then daringly took the war to the very shores of the British Isles on raids. In 1778, he captured the //Drake,//Drake, a British warship. ==It was, however, only after long delay that he was given another ship, an old French merchantman, which he rebuilt and named the //[|Bon Homme Richard]//[|Bon Homme Richard][|Bon Homme Richard]Bon Homme Richard (Poor Richard), to honor [|Benjamin Franklin][|Benjamin Franklin]Benjamin Franklin. He set out with a small fleet but was disappointed in the hope of meeting a British fleet returning from the Baltic until the projected cruise was nearly finished. On Sept. 23, 1779, he did encounter the British merchantmen, convoyed by the frigate //Serapis//Serapis and a smaller warship. Despite the superiority of the //Serapis,//Serapis, Jones did not hesitate.== ==The battle, which began at sunset and ended more than three and a half hours later by moonlight, was one of the most memorable in naval history. Jones sailed close in, to cut the advantage of the //Serapis,//Serapis, and finally in the battle lashed the //Bon Homme Richard//Bon Homme Richard to the British ship. Both ships were heavily damaged. The //Serapis//Serapis was afire in at least 12 different places. The hull of the //Bon Homme Richard//Bon Homme Richard was pierced, her decks were ripped, her hold was filling with water, and fires were destroying her, unchecked; yet when the British captain asked if Jones was ready to surrender, the answer came proudly, Sir, I have not yet begun to fight. When the //Serapis//Serapis surrendered, Jones and his men boarded her while his own vessel sank. He was much honored in France for the victory but received little recognition in the United States.==