A List of Officers and Men, belonging to the American Continental Ship of War (Ariel) Commanded by the Honble John Paul Jones Esqr[29]
A List of The Men Names that has Desarted from
The Bone Homme Richard, Lorient July. 19th. 1779
A List of Officers, & Men, belonging to the American Continental Ship of War, Ariel, Commanded, by the Honble, John Paul Jones
Remarks on Friday 24th, Sepr. 1779
The first part of this 24 Hours light Breese of Wind and clear Weather At 2 P.M. sent away the Pilot Boat with the 2d. Lieutenant and a number of Marines Arm'd; after a Brigg to the Windward lying too under her Fore Topsail At 3 P.M. saw a Fleet to the leeward among them appear'd to be two Ship's of War made a Signal for the Alliance to give Chase at ½ past 3 P.M. fir'd a Gun at the Boat for the Boat her to return to us; she Bore away for us & at Do. we made Sail gave Chase to the two Ships that were to the leeward of us that appeard to be Arm'd Ships of War; The Pallas and Brigg Vengeance gave Chase likewise at 5 P.M. The Fleet stood in for the Land & the two Arm'd Ships of War hove too ready for engaging of us we Bore away for to meet them & got the Ship ready for engaging (all Hands being at their Quarters) at 6 P.M. spoke the Pallas and Ordered her to Keep astern of us; at ½ past 6 P.M. hoisted a Signal for the rest of the Squadron to form a line at Do. hailed the largest Ship One of the Ships hailed us; Answers of no great Consequence return'd. The The Capt. of the Ship; that appeard to be the largest said tell me Instantly from whence You came and who You be or i'll fire a Broad side into You; finding her to be an Enemy discharg'd a Broadside into her which She return'd after exchanging three or four Broadsides came to Yard Arm, & Yard Arm, in which posture both ships lay the rest of the engagement; lash'd the Enemies Ship to Ours; after we had engag'd about an Hour the Alliance came up and rak'd us twice; kill'd and wounded a Number of our Men; The engagement was so hot that both Ships got on fire several times; which was put out with as much expedition as possible by the Men belonging to each Ship; all this time the engagement was exceeding warm. Both ships keeping up a heavy fire with Cannon and small Arms; just before the engagement ended saw the Alliance coming down upon us hailed her and Orderd her to Board the Enemy immediately but she return'd no answer; shot ahead of us and raked Both Ships; the Enemy then crying for Quarters Capt. Jones said, haul your Colours down then; which was granted immediately & our People took possession of her; She afterwards fir'd three Guns & wounded several of Our Men while they were Boarding of her; She struck to us at ½ past 10 P.M. at Do. cast the Ship off from us, and as soon as we got Clear of her; her Main Mast fell over her Side; She prov'd to be the Serapis of 46 Guns the latter part of the Night all employed in putting out the fire in different parts of the Ship and in Pomping she having not less than two three foot of Water in her Hold; The Carpenters employed in stoping the leeks with the assistance of the Carpenters from the Other Ships; The leek still gaining on us; we were supply'd with Men from the other Ships; who assisted in heaving the Lower Deck Guns overboard & the Dead Men &c——
25th. The first part of this 24 Hours Moderate Breeses & Clear Weather. The leak still increasing got assistance from the other Ships of Officers & Men some of whom assisted in Pomping The leak still gaining on us Notwithstanding all the Pomps were at work. The Carpenters crying out that it was impossible to stop the leak At 2 P.M. Capt. Jones with the Capt. & Lieutenant of the Prize; quitted the Ship & left Orders to keep the Pomps agoing & the Carpenters at Work; at 7 He return'd and found the leak increasing in Consequence of which He Order'd the wounded to be Carried on Board the different Vessels & things that was most Necessary to be taken out of the Ship; Boats from the rest of the Squadron were employed for that purpose. At ½ past 7 P.M. the Capt. left the Ship with several more of the Officers & repar'd on Board of the Prize; At 10 P.M. the Capt. sent for the Master of the Ship; & Orders for the Officers then on Board that did not belong to her, to repair on Board their respective Ships with their Men, they immediately quitted the Pomps and Obeyed Orders; Boats were employed the latter part of the Night in Carrying the Men & things that were most Necessary from the Ship to the different Vessels in the Squadron; At 4 A.M. quitted the Pomps the Water then being almost up to the lower Deck; At 10 Do. every Man left the Ship At ½ Past 10 A.M. there was a Boat sent from the Commodore The Serapis to go on Board the Bon homme Richard But before the Boat got along side She Sunk which was about 11 A.M. latter Part Fresh Breeses and a large Sea——
Note:—This account, in the handwriting of Lieutenant Henry Lunt, was originally written in the Serapis' log, from which it was torn, and now is in the John Paul Jones Papers, Peter Force Collection, Vol. VI., No. 29. These pages, in facsimile, have now been inserted in their proper place in the original logs.
Some Remarkable Occurrences that happened on the 23d day of September 1779—relative to the Bon Homme Richard, and the Serapis.—Commanded by Richard Pearson Esqr