John Paul Jones

John Paul born in Scotland, had visited his brothers estate in Fredericksburg Virginia when he was twelve. He was the son of a gardener who had ran away when he was thirteen with the intention of making a name for himself. Living during the eighteenth century usually meant it was hard to advance from your predestined social status. This notion however did not hold its' grasp on John Paul. He worked on merchant ships and slaves ships giving him the opportunity to obtain and hone nautical skills becoming mate to two vessels. The abhorrent slave trade had influence him to part ways towards England as a passenger. From there he continues working on ships where the death of two officers had left him to jump into action to navigate his way to master of the ship. The Scotch owners were impressed with his skills and he was able to make two voyages to the West Indies.

In Tobago 1770 he was charged for cruelty toward one of the crew but it had been dismissed as frivolous but the mans death a week later had questioned the charge. He was never charged further but he became annoyed to prove himself innocent at home where he had sent affidavits to his family. In 1773 his brother had died leaving his estate and John Paul had decided to settle there. After He had arrived he decided to add Jones to the end of his signature. In 1775 Jones had been given the position as senior first lieutenant when congress decided to equip a navy for "the defense of American liberty". From Delaware 1776 he set sail to attack New Providence where the expedition returned in April and he was put in command of the sloop of Providence. He cruised for six weeks capturing six prizes and caused damage to the British supplies along the coast of Nova Scotia. He had hid behind the island and waited for the British supply ship to merge around for a surprise attack under the cloak of night fall.

The British had merchant and naval ships by the thousand but the Americans commence, fought ,and ended the war by sea with only one ship at a time. In 1777 John Paul Jones was appointed commander of the Ranger and sailed her to France in November. From there he continues to sail to the waters of his youth where he attacked port de Whitehaven his home town. He surprisingly robbed and burnt British merchant and supply ships along the Irish sea. His strategy was to also have an actual offensive attack on the British taking the fight to their front door using guerilla war tactics. Not long did it take to catch the attention of the British where his reputation gave him the reference of a Pirate. Recorded in History as a soft spoken considerably handsome man he wore a British naval uniform because he believed it was better looking. The image he represented was of an officer and a gentlemen He was outraged to have been portrayed as a pirate so to be recognized as a naval force he had decided to attack a British warship. 1778 off the Irish coast

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