Memoirs of Rear-Admiral Paul Jones: Now First Compiled from His Original Journals and Correspondence; Including an Account of His Services Under Prince Potemkin, Prepared for Publication by Himself, Volume 1

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Oliver & Boyd, 1830 - United States

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Page 182 - The battle, being thus begun, was continued with unremitting fury. Every method was practised on both sides to gain an advantage, and rake each other; and I must confess that the enemy's ship, being much more manageable than the Bon homme Richard, gained thereby several times an advantageous situation, in spite of my best endeavors to prevent it.
Page 190 - I was determined to keep the Bon homme Richard afloat, and, if possible, to bring her into port. For that purpose the first lieutenant of the Pallas continued on board with a party of men to attend the pumps, with boats in waiting ready to take them on board in case the water should gain on them too fast. The wind augmented in the night and the next day, on the 25th, so that it was impossible to prevent the good old ship from sinking.
Page 87 - This hard case was mine when, on the 23d of April last, I landed on St. Mary's Isle. Knowing Lord Selkirk's interest with his king, and esteeming as I do his private character, I wished to make him the happy instrument of alleviating the horrors of hopeless captivity, when...
Page 90 - I have sacrificed not only my favourite scheme of Life, but the softer Affections of the Heart, and my Prospects of Domestic Happiness, and I am ready to sacrifice my Life also with cheerfulness, if that forfeiture could restore Peace and good will among Mankind.
Page 29 - And we do hereby strictly charge and require all Officers and Soldiers under your command, to be obedient to your orders, and diligent in the exercise of their several duties.
Page 200 - For some days after the arrival of your express, scarce any thing was talked of at Paris and Versailles but your cool conduct and persevering bravery during that terrible conflict. You may believe that the impression on my mind was not less strong than on that of others; but I do not choose to say in a letter to yourself all I think on such an occasion.
Page 307 - We pray God to keep you, our great and beloved friend, under his holy protection. " Done at the city of New York, the 16th day of October, in the year of our Lord 1787, and of our Sovereignty and Independence the 12th.
Page 90 - The amiable lieutenant lay mortally 'wounded, besides near forty of the inferior officers and crew killed and wounded. A melancholy demonstration of the uncertainty of human prospects, and of the sad reverse of fortune which an hour can produce. I buried them in a spacious grave, with the honors due to the memory of the brave.
Page 182 - Richard, gained thereby several times an advantageous situation, in spite of my best endeavours to prevent it. As I had to deal with an enemy of greatly superior force, I was under the necessity of closing with him, to prevent the advantage which he had over me in point of manoeuvre. It was my intention to lay the Bon Homme Richard...
Page 279 - Was it a proof of madness in the first corps of sea officers to have, at so critical a period, launched out on the ocean, with only two armed merchant ships, two armed brigantines, and one armed sloop, to make war against such a power as Great Britain?

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