John Paul Jones (Navigator)

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John Paul Jones; Painting by Charles Wilson Peale (circa 1781)

John Paul Jones (born July 6, 1747 in Arbigland , Kirkcudbrightshire , Scotland as John Paul, † July 18, 1792 in Paris ) was a freedom fighter in the American War of Independence . Jones is considered a naval hero, American national hero and is regarded as one of the "fathers" of the US Navy .

Life

Jones was born in Arbigland, Kirkbean parish . His father, John Paul, was a gardener for MP Robert Craik , and his mother, Jean Macduff, was of Scottish descent. At the age of twelve he became Shipmaster's Apprentice (captain 's apprenticeship ) with the merchant Younger in Whitehaven .

After several journeys as a helmsman on slave ships , he became captain of the brig John at the age of 21 . In 1775 he moved to Fredericksburg (Virginia) to take care of the affairs of his brother who had died there. There he added Jones to his name. In the same year he volunteered for the Continental Navy . On December 3, 1775 , he was the first man to hoist the flag of the newly formed Union on a ship.

At the beginning of the American Revolutionary War, he commanded the ship Providence . He was sent to France in November 1777 to take on a larger command there. On this trip the new flag was shown and recognized by France. Since the French government hesitated to declare war on Great Britain , Jones undertook a foray against the northern British coasts on April 10, 1778 from Brest on his own and captured the British sloop Drake .

In August 1779 Jones became a commodore of a squadron of French and American ships. The attack directed against Liverpool failed.

During the American War of Independence, he brought up British ships off the coast of England and Scotland. His exclamation in the sea battle against the British liner Serapis on September 23, 1779 became a popular phrase. When his ship Bon Homme Richard began to sink, the British captain Pearson urged him to surrender. According to legend, John Paul Jones replied with the words: “ Sir, I have not yet begun to fight! ”(German:“ Sir, I haven't even started to fight! ”) He and his team succeeded in capturing the British Serapis. This was the first time that a warship had to strike the flag in front of its sinking enemy. Jones claimed the Serapis as a prize for the USA, but had to give it to France. For the victory he was thanked by the Congress by resolution, by Louis XVI . he received a sword. Jones then left the French service and returned to the United States with the frigate Alliance .

The bronze sarcophagus

At the invitation of Empress Catherine II , he entered the service of Russia and in 1788 contributed significantly to Russia's victory over the Turkish fleet. He later lived in Holland and France.

John Paul Jones died almost forgotten on July 18, 1792 in Paris. His remains were transferred to America in 1905 and buried in a bronze sarcophagus at the United States Naval Academy , which has been used by Marines around the clock for over a hundred years.

Afterlife

The Jones County in Mississippi bears his name.

The US Navy named five ships after John Paul Jones:

literature

  • John Paul Jones: Life of Rear Adm. John Paul Jones; compiled from his original journals and correspondence; including an account of his services in the American revolution and the war between the Russians and the Turks in the Black Sea . JB Lippincott and Co, Philadelphia 1880, digitized
  • John Henry Sherburne: The life and character of John Paul Jones: a captain in the United States Navy during the Revolutionary War , 2nd edition New York 1851, google.de/books
  • Peter Vansittart: John Paul Jones. A rebellious spirit . Robson Books, London 2004, ISBN 1-86105-621-4 .
  • Samuel Eliot Morison : John Paul Jones - A Sailor's Biography .

Fiction

filming

  • Jones' life was filmed in Hollywood in 1959 under the title John Paul Jones (German title: Ruler of the Seas ) with Robert Stack in the title role (Director: John Farrow ).

literature

Web links

Commons : John Paul Jones  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f John Paul Jones I (DD-932). In: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command, July 23, 2015, accessed February 23, 2020 (American English).
  2. ↑ Jacob Bogage: The US has invaded Britain just once - It did not go well . washingtonpost.com May 1, 2017.
  3. ^ Paul Jones I (Sidewheel, Steam Gunboat). In: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command, accessed February 23, 2020 (American English).
  4. ^ Paul Jones II (DD-10). In: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command, accessed February 23, 2020 (American English).
  5. ^ Paul Jones III (DD-230). In: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command, accessed February 23, 2020 (American English).
  6. ^ John Paul Jones (DDG-53) II. Retrieved February 23, 2020 (American English).
personal data
SURNAME Jones, John Paul
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Pirate, naval hero, naval pioneer and freedom fighter in the American War of Independence
DATE OF BIRTH July 6, 1747
PLACE OF BIRTH Arbigland , Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland
DATE OF DEATH July 18, 1792
Place of death Paris