The night closed in, and the conflict continued. The decks of the “Serapis” were swept by shot, covered with the slain and wounded. For two hours her crew maintained the fight with heroic courage. Combustibles were thrown upon her decks, ten times she took fire; a hand-grenade exploded a cartridge, and the explosion ran along the line of guns where the cartridges lay, abaft the mainmast. Many men were killed or wounded, and the guns remained unfought to the end.
During this murderous work the “Alliance” sailed round and round the combatants, and raked the “Serapis” with successive broadsides.
On a cry for quarter being raised, Captain Pearson boarded the “Bonne Homme Richard,” but at once retired on perceiving a numerous party of the enemy lying in ambush. The battle re-commenced, when the “Alliance” again raked the “Serapis,” inflicting dreadful slaughter, and bringing down the mainmast.
The “Serapis” was little better than a wreck, and the old flag was reluctantly hauled down. Paul Jones received the conquered enemy most courteously. Without the aid of the “Alliance” the “Bonne Homme Richard” would have been captured. She was on fire in two places, the guns on her lower deck were dismounted, and she had seven feet of water in her hold. Out of her crew of 375 men, 306 were killed and wounded. The total loss of the two English ships did not reach half that number. On the following day the “Bonne Homme Richard” was abandoned, and, before all her wounded could be removed, went to the bottom.
The “Countess of Scarborough” fought the “Pallas” and “Vengeance” for upwards of two hours, and only struck when a third vessel bore down upon her.
The King of France presented Paul Jones with a gold-hilted sword, and requested the American Government to sanction the bestowal of the military Order of Merit upon the gallant adventurer.
Captain Pearson was knighted, and was rewarded by the merchants for saving the Baltic fleet. He was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Greenwich, and received the Freedom of the corporations of Hull, Scarborough, Appleby, and Dover.
