JOHN PAUL JONES Mentioned in a 1780 French Naval Intelligence Report

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Mar 20, 2021

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• Lot Description
  American Revolution
  John Paul Jones the American Naval Hero Mentioned in a 1780 Revolutionary War French Naval Intelligence Report
  (JOHN PAUL JONES) (1747-1792). Famous American Naval Officer and Hero, here mentioned in a French Naval Intelligence report.
  January 19, 1780-Dated American Revolutionary War, Manuscript Document, Not signed, 3 pages, measuring 9" x 7," at Paris, France, Choice Very Fine. This unusual original Document appears to be a "Naval Intelligence" Report of some sort, with several diverse brief announcements of potentially important news conveyed. The first paragraph announces the retirement of Monsieur de Bougainville (the famous French Admiral and Explorer), who apparently felt he had suffered an "injustice" of some sort. However, today we know this report to be fleeting at best. Bougainville accepted a naval command and saw much active service between 1779 and 1782 during the American Revolutionary War, when France was as an ally of the American rebels. He played a crucial part in the French victory at the Battle of the Chesapeake, which led to the eventual defeat of Great Britain.
  Most importantly, the fifth paragraph conatins a reference to a "Paul Jones", who we believe is reference to John Paul Jones. That paragraph translates to: "Admiral Dylan, who seemed suspicious of it, is generally applauded, since it appeared that by his clever maneuver, he put Paul Jones under cover, and all the buildings destined for France in such a way that the English made an insult to the Dutch flag." (in 1779, John Paul Jones was working with the French to attack British ships).
  A full translation of this interesting French Document, presented in both English and French, can be found in our online auction catalog.
  The following is our translation into English the full January 19, 1780 French Document:
  M. de Bougainville a crit au Ministre q'uil se retiroit du service parce q'uil croit avoir eprouv une injustice.
  Mr. de Bougainville has written to the Minister saying that he is retiring from service because he believes he has experienced an injustice.
  Tout se dispose pour que nous ayoir un Camp de 20 a 30 mille hommes entre Brest et Landocaseau.
  Everything is in place for us to have a Camp of 20 to 30,000 men between Brest and Landocaseau.
  Le brave M. de Courdie ne pas Louy longtemps - de sa gloire il est mort le 9e.
  The brave M. de Courdie did not Louy long - from his glory he died on the 9th.
  Par un arret du conseil de 9 de ce mois le nombre de 60 fermiers generaux, 27 adjoints, et 25 Regisseurs, a ete restrainte a 40 pour la premier comagnie, 25 pour la service malgr la reunion des aides, et 25 pour les 3me les droites zeunis, au moyen de cette reduction, et d'une augmentation de finances, sur les places que samaj conservees, elle trouve deguoy remboucees les Places suprimees et gagne en outre 14 millions sur le nouveau Baih.
  By a decision of the council of 9 this month, the number of 60 general farmers, 27 deputies, and 25 managers, was reduced to 40 for the first company, 25 for service despite the meeting of helpers, and 25 for the 3rd zeunis rights, by means of this reduction, and of an increase of finances, on the places that samaj has preserved, it finds deguoy reclaimed the supreme Places and gains in addition 14 million on the new Baih.
  Le conduitte de l'Admiral Dylan quy avoit paru suspecte at generallement applaudie, puisque par son habille manouvre, il a mis a couveert Paul Jones, et tous les Batiments destinee La France, de maniere que les Anglais...fait gratuisement une inslulte au Pavillon Hollandais.
  The conduct of Admiral Dylan, who appeared suspicious, was generally applauded, since by his clever maneuver, he set Paul Jones, and all the buildings destined for France, in such a way that the English ... made a free insult to Dutch flag.
  Il parait deux ordinances du Rois... concernant le Regles qui serout observee pour les gradene militaires au Departementes des colonies le service des officiers sera compte des l'age de 15 ans accomplis. La Croiss de St. Louis ne sera accordee a un Capitain qa'apres 24 ans de services, a un major apres 22, a un Lieutenant Colonel apres 20, et a un Colonel apres 18. Les Blesseures et les actions declat seront exceptees. Les officiers de fortune ne pourront obtenir la Croiss de St. Louis, s'ils ne sont du meme Lieutenants, at apres 10 an de service d'officier ceur quy ont d'emply dan les colonies, et qui ne se parce dans l'an et jour, perdront leurs places a moiren de raisons legitimere.
  It appears two ordinances of the Kings ... concerning the rules which will be observed for the military grades of the Department of the Colonies. The service of the officers will be counted from the time of 15 years served. The Cross of St. Louis will only be awarded to a Captain after 24 years of service, to a major after 22, to a Lieutenant Colonel after 20, and to a Colonel after 18. Les Blesseures(?) and declared actions will be excluded. Officers of fortune will not be able to obtain the Cross of St. Louis, if they are not from the same Lieutenants. After 10 years of service as an officer in the employ of the colonies, and which is not because in the year and day, will lose their places for legitimate reasons.
  Par la 2me, S.M. establit a l'Isle de Rh une compagnie de cadets, gentilhommes lont 15, de la 1er, et 15 de la 2me, destines pour les colonies sous l'inspection du comte de Genlois, les officiers seront dans tous les temps tirs indistinctement de toutes les troupes du Roi.
  By the 2nd, S.M. established at the Isle of Rh a company of gentlemen cadets, 15 from the 1st, and 15 from the 2nd, destined for the colonies under the inspection of the Count of Genlois. The officers will be in all times drawn indiscriminately from all the King's troops.
  On parles emose d'un Conseil qu'on a etihe touloir etablie pour Regir le departement de La Marine, du quel M. Borvilliers a dit on refus l'une des places. On ajoute que M. de St. Germain en sacaieficant son pouvoir, ....en etablir un semblable au departement de La Guerre s'il eut et adopt.
  We speak of a Council that has been set up to govern the Naval department, to which M. Borvilliers said we refused one of the places. It is added that M. de St. Germain, by sacrificing his power, .... by establishing one similarto the department of War, if it had been adopted.
  M. le Compte D'Estaing est all au Bal de La Reyne, qui luy a fait porter une chaise pour sasseoir aupres d'elle, le Roi et les Prince sonet alls l'entourer et l'ons sont accuilly.
  The Compte d'Estaing went to the Bal de La Reyne, which made him carry a chair to sit near her. The King and the Prince went to surround him and we were received.
  M. de Sade est arriv a Brest avec sone escadre, et les Marines q'uil convoyoit.
  M. de Sade arrived at Brest with his squadron and the Marines he was convoying.
  __________
  In 1779, Captain John Paul Jones took command of the 42-gun USS Bonhomme Richard, a merchant ship rebuilt and given to America by the French shipping magnate, Jacques-Donatien Le Ray.
  On August 14, as a vast French and Spanish invasion fleet approached England, he provided a diversion by heading for Ireland at the head of a Five Ship Squadron including the 36-gun USS Alliance, 32-gun USS Pallas, 12-gun USS Vengeance, and Le Cerf, also accompanied by two Privateers, Monsieur and Granville. When the squadron was only a few days out of Groix, Monsieur separated due to a disagreement between her captain and John Paul Jones.
  Several Royal Navy warships were sent towards Ireland in pursuit of Jones, but on this occasion, he continued right around the north of Scotland into the North Sea. Jones's main problems, as on his previous voyage, resulted from insubordination, particularly by Pierre Landais, captain of Alliance. On September 23, 1779, the squadron met a large merchant convoy off the coast of Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire. The 50-gun British frigate HMS Serapis and the 22-gun hired armed ship Countess of Scarborough placed themselves between the convoy and Jones's squadron, allowing the merchants to escape.
  Shortly after 7 p.m. the Battle of Flamborough Head began. Serapis engaged Bonhomme Richard, and soon afterwards, Alliance fired, from a considerable distance, at Countess. Quickly recognizing that he could not win a battle of big guns, and with the wind dying, Jones made every effort to lock Richard and Serapis together (his famous, albeit possibly apocryphal, quotation "I have not yet begun to fight!" was uttered in reply to a demand to surrender in this phase of the battle), finally succeeding after about an hour, following which his deck guns and his Marine marksmen in the rigging began clearing the British decks.
  Alliance sailed past and fired a broadside, doing at least as much damage to Bonhomme Richard as to Serapis. Meanwhile, Countess of Scarborough had enticed Pallas downwind of the main battle, beginning a separate engagement. When Alliance approached this contest, about an hour after it had begun, the badly damaged Countess surrendered.
  With Bonhomme Richard burning and sinking, it seems that her ensign was shot away; when one of the officers, apparently believing his captain to be dead, shouted a surrender, the British commander asked, seriously this time, if they had struck their colours. Jones later remembered saying something like "I am determined to make you strike", but the words allegedly heard by crew-members and reported in newspapers a few days later were more like: "I may sink, but I'll be damned if I strike".
  An attempt by the British to board Bonhomme Richard was thwarted, and a grenade caused the explosion of a large quantity of gunpowder on Serapis's lower gun-deck. Alliance returned to the main battle, firing two broadsides. Again, these did at least as much damage to Bonhomme Richard as to Serapis, but the tactic worked to the extent that, unable to move, and with Alliance keeping well out of the line of his own great guns, Captain Pearson of Serapis accepted that prolonging the battle could achieve nothing, so he surrendered.
  Most of Bonhomme Richard's crew immediately transferred to other vessels, and after a day and a half of frantic repair efforts, it was decided that the ship could not be saved, so it was allowed to sink, and Jones took command of Serapis for the trip to the island of Texel in neutral (but American-sympathizing) Holland.
  
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