in  the  USS    Ranger    and  saluted  the  French  fleet anchored there. A nine-gun salute was given in return. A gun salute given to a revolutionary government was a signal of that country’s recognition. France became one of the first foreign powers to recognize the struggling government of the American Colonies. (In 1776, the Dutch had given recognition to an American flag [not the Stars and Stripes] at St. Eustatius, an island in the West Indies belonging to Holland.) In 1779, John Paul Jones took command of an old, decaying French merchant ship that he renamed the USS Bonhomme Richard, honoring Benjamin Franklin. It carried 42 relatively light guns (some in doubtful condition).  Jones  headed  for  the  coast  of  Ireland, capturing  some  ships  and  destroying  others.  On September 23, 1779, Jones met the British warship Serapis (with 50 guns), and a furious battle ensued near the headland of Flamborough Head. As Jones wrote later: Every method was practiced on both sides to gain an advantage, and rake each other; and I must confess that the enemy’s ship, being more  manageable  than  the  Bonhomme Richard,  gained  thereby  several  times  an advantageous  situation,  in  spite  of  my  best endeavors to prevent it. The  two  ships,  lashed  together  with  grappling hooks so neither could escape, pounded away at one another. The USS Bonhomme Richard began taking the worst of the beating. The ship began to fill with water and fire broke out in several places. According to one story, a gunner in a state of panic was about to strike the colors when Jones hurled his pistol at him, striking him down. The battle continued and the fighting was furious. The outcome was uncertain until the end. The highlight of the battle came when, after being asked if he had struck colors, Jones replied,  Struck, sir? I have not yet begun to fight!  These words inspire Sailors to this day. What turned the tide of victory for Jones? It was his forces aloft. Armed with muskets and climbing along the interlaced rigging of the two ships, Jones’s men kept the deck of the  Serapis  clear by shooting and dropping chains  and  other  material  down  on  the  enemy.  A member of Jones’ crew climbed to the Serapis‘ maintop and managed to drop a hand grenade on to the gundeck, which ignited the gunpowder and scattered cartridges. In that man-to-man sea battle, the British were finally forced to surrender. The battle of the USS  Bonhomme Richard   versus the   Serapis   went down as one of the great naval battles in history. By  the  time  the  war  was  over,  the  official Continental Navy operated some 56 vessels at one time or another. However, it only managed to reach a peak of 27 ships, averaging 20 guns, that operated at the same time. This tiny Continental Navy, hurriedly assembled when the Colonies declared their independence, served not only to inflict damage on the proud ships of the Royal Navy but also to lift American morale with each of its victories. John Paul Jones, Gustavus Conyngham, and Lambert Wickes were among those who brought the battle to the British on their own waters. The news of daring raids and victorious battles at sea was acclaimed in the 13 youthful Colonies of the United States. Privateers American privateers harassed British shipping over lengthy  sea-lanes.  At  first,  ships  of  all  types  were converted for harassment purposes. Later, ships were specially built to do this job. These ships were fast and reasonably well armed. Men from all walks of life signed up to serve on these ships. Private financing to arm and fit the vessels was needed, but that was rarely a problem because a share in a privateer could mean a fortune almost overnight. The British Navy began a system of convoys to protect  its  merchant  shipping,  but  it  was  far  from foolproof.  The  moment  a  merchantman  dropped behind, it was in immediate danger because a warship couldn’t leave the convoy to protect just one ship. Then, too, convoys could protect only so many ships. It’s estimated that Congress issued more than 1,600 commissions for privateers during the Revolutionary War.  The  privateers  operated  not  only  along  the American coastlines, but also far out into the Atlantic and even into the English Channel and the Irish Sea. According to one reasonable estimate, the British were  said  to  have  lost  some  2,000  merchant  ships, manned  by  crews  totaling  16,000,  to  the  American privateers. The merchant ships captured as prizes were manned by prize crews from the privateers and sailed to a friendly port where the ships and cargo were sold. 5-5 Student Notes: