Adapted from Lauren Pitre's article for SWONET
Jones was born John Paul on 6 July 1747, in Kirkcudbright, Scotland. At the age of 12 he entered the British merchant marine and went to sea for the first time as a cabin boy.
He became first mate on a slaver brigantine in 1766, but soon left that trade in disgust. He was appointed master in 1769. In 1773, he killed the leader of his mutinous crew in self-defense at Tobago, in the West Indies. To avoid trial, he fled to Virginia and was considered a fugitive by the British. He concealed his identity by adding the surname Jones.
At the outbreak of the American Revolution in 1775, Jones went to Philadelphia and entered the Continental Navy. He was commissioned a lieutenant on the first American flagship,Alfred. Jones was quickly promoted to captain in 1776, and was given command of the sloopProvidence. While on his first cruise aboard Providence, he destroyed British fisheries in Nova Scotia and captured sixteen prize British ships.
In command ofRangerin 1777 and 1778, he operated in British home waters and made audacious raids on England’s shore. In recognition of his exploits, he was placed in command of five French and American vessels. Aboard his flagship, Bonhomme Richard, Jones led his small squadron in the capture of seven merchantmen off the Scottish coast. On23 September 1779, Jones fought one of the bloodiest engagements in naval history with the 44-gun Royal Navy frigateSerapis. Although his own vessel was burning and sinking, Jones would not accept the British demand for surrender, replying, “I have not yet begun to fight.” More than three hours later,Serapissurrendered and Jones took command.
According to some historians, Jones remained appealing as much for his actions as for his personality. British chapbooks, an early form of dime novels, pictured him as a ruthless marauding pirate akin to Blackbeard. His attacks on British ships were often sudden and sometimes bloody. The vision of a swarthy scalawag persisted even to the writings of Rudyard Kipling a century later.
Thomas Jefferson and others referred to him as “little Jones” ─ he may have been 5’5”. Unlike other merchant seamen, he was well dressed, carried a sword, and conducted himself with practiced decorum. He had a Scottish brogue and light Celtic features. He was intense about his honor and his duties and was a harsh military master, but was also surprisingly sociable. He was a prolific poem and letter writer, spoke some French, and, though he never married, was involved in many romances. Above all, no one questioned his daring. In Britain, his naval actions against the mother country certainly led to his reputation as a pirate.
In 1788, Russian Empress Catherine the Great appointed Jones rear admiral in the Russian navy, in which he saw action in the Liman campaign in the Black Sea. He left the Russian service in 1789 and moved to Paris. He was appointed U.S. Consul to Algiers but died before the commission arrived. His body was buried in Paris, but in 1905, after a lengthy search, his remarkably preserved corpse was discovered and removed from a gravesite in Paris and transported to the United States. Through the intervention of President Theodore Roosevelt, Jones’ remains were reinterred in an ornate tomb at the Naval Academy Chapel at Annapolis, Maryland, in 1913.
Additional Resources
Ships Named After John Paul Jones
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FAQs
The most famous line of John Paul Jones was 'I have not yet begun to fight,' uttered in response to calls for his surrender at the Battle of Flamborough Head.
What did John Paul Jones mean by "I have not yet begun to fight"? ›
Although his own vessel was burning and sinking, Jones would not accept the British demand for surrender, replying, “I have not yet begun to fight.” More than three hours later, Serapis surrendered and Jones took command.
How many ships did John Paul Jones sink? ›
In 1776 he was in command of the Providence, and between August and October he ranged over the Atlantic from Bermuda to Nova Scotia, twice outwitting British frigates, manning and sending in eight prizes, and sinking and burning eight more.
What did John Paul Jones say to the British commander when asked to surrender? ›
When the enemy captain asked Jones if he would like to surrender, he promptly replied “I have not yet begun to fight!” Jones and his crew were victorious, but Bonhomme Richard began to sink. Jones transferred his remaining crew to the surrendered Serapis and Scarborough and sailed for the Netherlands.
How important was John Paul Jones to Led Zeppelin? ›
Jones was responsible for the classic bass lines of the group, notably those in "Ramble On" and "The Lemon Song" (Led Zeppelin II), and shifting time signatures, such as those in "Black Dog" (Led Zeppelin IV).
What happened to John Paul Jones? ›
Left without a command in 1787, Jones joined the Imperial Russian Navy and rose to the rank of rear admiral. However, after he was accused of raping a 10-year-old girl, Katerina Stepanova, he was forced out of the Russian navy and soon died in Paris at the age of 45.
Did John Paul Jones fight for Russia? ›
A hero of the American Revolution, Jean-Paul Jones was a Scottish-born naval commander who led the infant American fleet to a series of famous victories against the Royal Navy, and later served as an Admiral in the Imperial Russian Navy, while retaining his American citizenship.
How is John Paul Jones remembered today? ›
John Paul Jones is famous in the United States as the 'Father of the American Navy'. He was born in poverty and through his skills became a distinguished naval officer fighting for both the USA and Russia. In Britain he is rather remembered as a pirate.
Why is John Paul Jones the father of the navy? ›
Jones had many spectacular naval battles throughout his career, solidifying America as a new naval force to be reckoned with and thus earning him the moniker” Father of the American Navy”. In May 1790 Jones arrived in Paris, where he remained in retirement until his death two years later at the young age of 45.
Was John Paul Jones a good leader? ›
It is in his grasp of this involved world situation, his realization of the aims of America in relation to other countries, and in his plans for the naval operations, that we see John Paul Jones ranking high among the great leaders of his day, and his name an outstanding one in history.
John Paul Jones (athlete)
| Personal information |
|---|
| Born | October 15, 1890 Washington, D.C., United States |
| Died | January 5, 1970 (aged 79) Tucson, Arizona, United States |
| Alma mater | Cornell University |
| Height | 179 cm (5 ft 10 in) |
8 more rowsUSS John Paul Jones (DDG-53), an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, commissioned in 1993, and in active service as of 2024.
Why did John Paul Jones change his name? ›
Owing to problems on a voyage to the West Indies (in 1773 he killed a sailor during a mutiny in Tobago, claiming self-defense), he fled to Virginia and changed his name—first to John Jones, and later to John Paul Jones.
Where is John Paul Jones buried? ›
His influence and leadership were foundational in the establishment of our Navy and in many ways the success of our War of Independence. The corporal remains of John Paul Jones were interred into the crypt beneath the Naval Academy crypt in 1913 in a ceremony presided over by President Theodore Roosevelt.
Who said we've only just begun to fight? ›
Most kids come across John Paul Jones in junior history or before. His bravery and determination as his ship is sinking and he says, "We have just begun to fight," are admirable and inspiring.
What is John Paul Jones most famous for? ›
Life of John Paul Jones. John Paul Jones is famous in the United States as the 'Father of the American Navy'. He was born in poverty and through his skills became a distinguished naval officer fighting for both the USA and Russia. In Britain he is rather remembered as a pirate.
What was John Paul Jones most famous victory? ›
During the American Revolution, the U.S. ship Bonhomme Richard, commanded by John Paul Jones, wins a hard-fought engagement against the British ships of war Serapis and Countess of Scarborough, off the eastern coast of England.
Why is John Paul Jones known as the father of the Navy? ›
On July 6, 1747, John Paul Jones was born in Scotland. He is widely credited as the father of the American Navy for his successful campaigns as a captain during Revolutionary War. It would be fair, however, to say that John Adams might deserve a share in that title as well.
Who said "I intend to go in harm's way"? ›
John Paul Jones Quotes
I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way.
