31To Benjamin Franklin from John Paul Jones, 21 February 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): Library of Congress I have received your Excellencies letter of the 16th.— I am exceedingly Sorry that the Alliance is not in the readiness that you Imagined.— I was in hopes to have sent for your Satisfaction the Certificate of the Master Builder here respecting the repairs that are indispensably necessary to render the Ship fit for Service;...
32To Benjamin Franklin from John Paul Jones, 13 February 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): Library of Congress I had the pleasure of writing to your Excellency on my arrival at Corogne.— Having refreshed my people and shunned a Gale of Wind in that Port I Sailed again the 28th. Ulto.— I took a turn to the Westward of Cape Finistre in hopes of intercepting some of the Enemies Ships, but without Success, and meeting with Mr. Haywood in...
33To Benjamin Franklin from John Paul Jones, 12 February 1780 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Library of Congress; copy: Archives de la Marine On the 23d. day of September 1779 in Sight of Flamborough Head on the East Coast of England I discovered a Fleet under British Colours and made the Signal for Chase with the necessary preparation for Battle.— The Bon Homme Richard of 40 Guns which I then commanded in Person came up with and Hailed the largest Ship of the fleet. The...
34To Benjamin Franklin from John Paul Jones, 16 January 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft) and transcript: National Archives I wrote to you from the Texel the 29th of Novr: and the 13th of December— I left the Texel in such haste that I had but time to write a Line to Mr De Neufville with another of which the inclosed is a Copy to Mr: Dumas who I trust has agreeable to his promise transmitted to you every necessary information...
35To Benjamin Franklin from John Paul Jones, 13 December 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; AL (draft): National Archives; copies: Library of Congress, National Archives (two), South Carolina Historical Society; transcript: National Archives I have this day had the honor to receive your Excellency’s Orders of the 6th: Current respecting the Prisoners taken in Merchant Ships and at present on board the Alliance— and I hope that the within Copy of...
36To Benjamin Franklin from John Paul Jones, 29 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; two copies and transcript: National Archives Previous to the appearance of your Excellency’s letter of the 8th: Current, I had forwarded thro’ the hands of M. Dumas the Certificates which you required respecting Captain Landais; And the Serapis was ready for Sea when the French Ambassador sent for me a Second time to meet him at Amsterdam.— I hope my...
37To Benjamin Franklin from John Paul Jones, 13 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society His Excellency the French Ambassador at the Hague appeared to me to think so ill of sending letters by Post that I durst not venture to forward the within evidence against Captain Landais by that insecure conveyance, and I was unwilling to be at the expence of sending an Express, especially as I am not sure whether Captain Landais has or has not yet left...
38To Benjamin Franklin from John Paul Jones, 11 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; copy: Library of Congress I had the honor to write your Excellency a line from the Hague on the 8th.— His Excellency the French Ambassador and the Agent have no doubt marked the situation of Affairs with respect to the Squadron, as concerned with this Government and with the Enemy.— I am doing every thing in my Power towards fulfiling the Advice which I...
39To Benjamin Franklin from John Paul Jones, 8 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society With respect to the reception which I meet with here I beg leave to refer you to the Accounts which I know you will receive from Mr——— by whose hands I had the honour to receive your esteemed favor of the 7th. of September.— His Excellency —— I understand makes propositions respecting certain Commissions.— Whatever you may find Consonant with the good of...
40To Benjamin Franklin from John Paul Jones, 3 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : National Archives; copies: Algemeen Rijksarchief, Library of Congress, National Archives This letter is of considerable historiographical interest because it forms the basis for most subsequent accounts of Jones’s cruise and his battle with H.M.S. Serapis . Central to these accounts is the premise here expounded by Jones that the Bonhomme Richard had to overcome the fire not only of his...