Because of this victory three nations, France, Russia, and Denmark, bestowed special honors upon John Paul Jones as "the valiant assertor of the freedom of the sea"
A great explosion on the Serapis killed twenty of her men. Both ships were on fire, and the Richard began to fill with water. The men on each ship had to fight fire. It was ten o'clock at night.
The British prisoners on the Richard had to help pump out water to keep the ship from sinking.
A great victory
Only a few cannon on each ship could be fired. The decks of both ships were covered with dead and wounded, but neither captain would give up. Finally Paul Jones, with his own hands, pointed two cannon at the great mast of the Serapis. Just as it was about to fall, the English captain surrendered.
A great naval hero
All night Jones and his men were kept busy fighting fire and pumping water, while the wounded were removed to the Serapis. The Good Man Richard sank the next day at ten o'clock. Paul Jones sailed to France with his two English ships, where he was praised and rewarded by the King of France. He was a great hero in the eyes of the French people, and in the eyes of the Americans, too.
Finally buried in America
After the war Paul Jones was an officer in the Russian navy. He died in France in 1792. His grave was forgotten for many years, but was discovered in 1905, and his bones were brought to America with great honor, and buried at Annapolis, Maryland.