Battle of Flamborough Head
On 23 September 1779, during the American Revolutionary War, the naval battle of Flamborough took place. An evening battle, it lasted for three hours.
The Franco-American squadron, under the command of Continental Navy captain John Paul Jones (born in Scotland 6 July 1747, became a commander of British merchant ships, but fled to the Colony of Virginia, after having killed a member of his crew and joined the Continental Navy in 1775). Jones was in the ‘Bonhomme Richard’ with three other vessels, having been in Ireland, sailed around Scotland and was continuing southward along the eastern coast. By 22 September the ‘Bonhomme Richard and the ‘Vengeance’ had reached Spurn Point, the ‘Pallas’ and the ‘Alliance’ were still further to the north. Jones decided to turn back and meet up with them, which they did near to Bridlington.
The British Convey of 40+ ships had been trading in the Baltic and were now also sailing southwards along the east coast. On 23 September, seeing the enemy ships at Bridlington, they attempted to retreat to Scarborough. The ‘Serapis’, under the command of Captain Richard Pearson, positioned between the convoy and the squadron, whilst the ‘Countess of Scarborough’ escorted the convoy northward. When there was enough distance, the ‘Countess of Scarborough’ was called back to assist preventing the squadron from advancing further.
During the course of the battle the ‘Bonhomme Richard’ and the ‘Sarapis’ became locked together, and as they attempted to detach from each other ‘Sarapis’ fired broadside, creating large holes in the hull of the ‘Bonhomme Richard’.
The ‘Countess of Scarborough’ and the ‘Pallas’ were involved in their own battle, leaving the ‘Alliance’ to firstly attempt to assist the ‘Bonhomme Richard’ by firing against the ‘Sarapis’, however the shot caused as much damage to both vessels. Then it went northwards but the ‘Countess of Scarborough’ had already surrendered, so it returned to the main fight, continuing to fire broadside shots, supposedly at ‘Sarapis’ but again hitting ‘Bonhomme Richard’, which now took on water and prisoners from previous battle were released, being convince to not fight the American force but help save he ship.
Eventually John Paul Jones was able to board the ‘Sarapis’, and as Captain Pearson handed over his ceremonial sword, the main-mast of ‘Sarapis’ finally fell overboard. The surviving crew and ex-prisoners were taken off the ‘Bonhomme Richard’ using boats from both the ‘Sarapis’ and the ‘Alliance’. Some of these boats went missing, the ex-prisoners returning home.
The Fight off Flamborough Head 1799
Verse 2: With little squadron of provoking ships. Southward he drops at ease,
In range of Scarborough Castle’s guns
A grim smile lights his lips.
When suddenly he sees
That leagues away off Flamborough Head,
Hither for his impatient welcome runs
A yellow frigate, one of Britain’s best,
The staunchest, tightest, finest of her kine.
But never an ill-starred foeman’s dread
Besets my captain’s mind.
The chance of conflict thrills his manly breast.
And yet his ship Bonhomme Richard,
What is it but a shell?
With rust-cracked guns and joints ajar.
A motley crew that know but one sure spell,
Whether the hazard be for good or ill,
The magic of my captain’s will.
Verse 5: The frigate moving in meagre light
Hath driven he bow into our mizzen-mast –
And swift our old sea-tiger hath her fast.
Lashed in a death-hold, bound and tied.
Thus roughly rafted, side by side,
And bow by stern, the two ships ride.
The faltering guns with courteous kisses greet
Each other as the jostling rivals meet.
The strife goes on that one must win
By peep of moonlight and the cannon’s flash.
And none can tell in all the mark and din,
Which vessel suffers crash on crash.
Verse 13: The old and war-torn, flame-scarred bark
Hath borne us well the past dread night and dark.
Now in the light of day, with honour bright,
With glorious colours at the masthead flying –
Behold the site, ye scatheless and ye dying –
The battle done and won, here in the captain’s sight,
With every pledge fulfilled that he hath said
Bonhomme Richard goes down off Flamborough Head.
St. James Cummings
This article was first written in PastSearch Newsletter – Issue 69, September 2018