John Paul Jones: Sailor, Hero, Father of the American NavyThe New York Times bestseller from master biographer Evan Thomas brings to life the tumultuous story of the father of the American Navy. John Paul Jones, at sea and in the heat of the battle, was the great American hero of the Age of Sail. He was to history what Patrick O’Brian’s Jack Aubrey and C.S. Forester’s Horatio Hornblower are to fiction. Ruthless, indomitable, clever; he vowed to sail, as he put it, “in harm’s way.” Evan Thomas’s minute-by-minute re-creation of the bloodbath between Jones’s Bonhomme Richard and the British man-of-war Serapis off the coast of England on an autumn night in 1779 is as gripping a sea battle as can be found in any novel. Drawing on Jones’s correspondence with some of the most significant figures of the American Revolution—John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson—Thomas’s biography teaches us that it took fighters as well as thinkers, men driven by dreams of personal glory as well as high-minded principle, to break free of the past and start a new world. Jones’s spirit was classically American. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 81
Page 9
... officer, Jones was determined to fight to the death. He fought one three-hour battle that was a bloodbath by ... officers did try to haul down the ship's flag to halt the carnage, Jones threw a pistol at his head. Jones's all-out ...
... officer, Jones was determined to fight to the death. He fought one three-hour battle that was a bloodbath by ... officers did try to haul down the ship's flag to halt the carnage, Jones threw a pistol at his head. Jones's all-out ...
Page 20
... officer, but it was better than ordinary seaman, in part because the first or second mate was rarely required to work aloft or heave on a rope. John Paul's deliverance from the hardship of the lower deck was a brass instrument called an ...
... officer, but it was better than ordinary seaman, in part because the first or second mate was rarely required to work aloft or heave on a rope. John Paul's deliverance from the hardship of the lower deck was a brass instrument called an ...
Page 29
... officers. In a letter written four years later, he made passing reference to "intimacy with many officers of note in the British Navy." But he does not appear to have befriended any. As a master of a merchant ship, he was not equal in ...
... officers. In a letter written four years later, he made passing reference to "intimacy with many officers of note in the British Navy." But he does not appear to have befriended any. As a master of a merchant ship, he was not equal in ...
Page 32
... officers were nowhere to be seen. John Paul suspected that his first mate would be only too happy to see the captain go down, thus allowing number two to become number one. The second mate was sick in bed. As the Betsy rocked gendy ...
... officers were nowhere to be seen. John Paul suspected that his first mate would be only too happy to see the captain go down, thus allowing number two to become number one. The second mate was sick in bed. As the Betsy rocked gendy ...
Page 33
... without unsheathing their swords. With the Ringleader, John Paul let his low tolerance for insolence get the better of him. It is revealing that he did not trust his own officers and subordinates to back him "That Great Misfortune" 55.
... without unsheathing their swords. With the Ringleader, John Paul let his low tolerance for insolence get the better of him. It is revealing that he did not trust his own officers and subordinates to back him "That Great Misfortune" 55.
Contents
1 | |
30 | |
Chapter Four | 67 |
Chapter Five | 87 |
Chapter | 113 |
Chapter Seven | 137 |
Chapter Eight | 168 |
Chapter | 199 |
Chapter Twelve | 235 |
Chapter Thirteen | 259 |
Chapter Fourteen | 279 |
Chapter Fifteen | 300 |
Acknowledgments | 313 |
Bibliography | 361 |
Photo Credits | 383 |
Chapter Eleven | 215 |
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Common terms and phrases
able aboard Adams Alliance American appeared arms arrived Bancroft battle become began Benjamin Franklin boat Bonhomme Richard British called captain carried close coast command Commissioners Committee Congress Continental crew deck enemy England English feelings fight fire fleet force France Franklin French frigate give guns hands head honor John Paul John Paul Jones Jones wrote Jones's JPJP JPJto July June L O C ladies Landais later letter Lieutenant London March Marine master Morison morning Morris naval navy needed never night officers once ordered Paris Pearson port Potemkin prisoners privateer prize Providence quarterdeck Ranger reported Robert Royal Russian sail sailors sent Serapis ship ship's side squadron Thomas tried turned wanted warship wind wish wounded