EPTNote #2: "Strike to the X" or "Strike its Flag" is the way ships surrender during the time.
Hello, have you (especially Americans) heard the motto, "Don't give up the ship!"?, of the gallant Captain Lawrence's last words on the ship, "Cheapscake"? (excuse me if your a naval man or history-buff :p), the American Navy's long standing motto for years after his death?, How the American Navy was a big part in it's wars, such as the American War of Independence? Well, if you haven't please indulge yourself into the following wall's of text.
War of Independence
Have you watched the movie "Battleship"? Did you wonder why one of the ships was called, the "USS John Paul Jones"?
![[image loading]](http://www.toptenz.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/john-paul-jones-quotes.jpg)
John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones was the first person, to raise the United States ensign on a ship, who's adventures annoyed the British very much.
The first ship he was on (for he was a Lieutenant first) was, the USS Alfred, after the captain before was deprived of his command of the ship (Esek Hopkins), on this ship, I can note that, many a soldier with Washington's army were grateful as for John Paul Jone's capture of the ship "Mellish", which was loaded with winter clothing for John Burgogyne's troops in Canada.
The next ship he was on was the "Providence", with this, John Paul Jones captured 16 merchantman and did significant damage to Nova Scotia.
After that, John Paul Jones had a period (amounting to one year) of inactivity, after that one year however, John Paul Jones was given command of the "Ranger", with this ship, John Paul Jones virtually cleared the Irish Sea and the Channel of merchantman and many Cruisers sent to (unsuccessfully) find the "Ranger". With this ship, John Paul Jones raided the town of Whitehaven, then, John Paul Jones, after a one hour fight with the "Drake", forced the Drake to strike her colors and surrender to John Paul Jones.
His next ship, which I fondly remember and love to read about, was the "Bon Homme Richard" (or "Poor Richard"), this ship won it's battle with the "Serapis", because of the efforts of one. One. Person.
The Duel between the "USS Bon Homme Richard" and the "HMS Serapis"
Let me tell you that, without the braveness of American braveness, the "Bon Homme Richard" would have certainly lost it's battle.
When the battle started, the Serapis had the advantage, with its Iron Balls crashing through to Bon Homme Richard's old wood which did not stand well, and the Iron Balls of the Bon Homme Richard doing not much due to the Serapis being new.
Now, John Paul Jones, said his famous quote, the ensign of the "Bon Homme Richard" was shot away, for a moment the battle ceased, a voice asked,
"Have you struck your flag?"
A voice promptly replied,
"No, we have only begun fighting. Fire away."
After that, a new ensign was raised and the fight continued, now, let me mention that the Sharpshooters on the Bon Homme Richard did good service, picking off people when they could from any of the higher places on the ship, as well as others throwing hand grenades on the deck of the Serapis.
Then, the battle turned ways, an audacious sailor, climbed to a high place on the ship, and threw well aimed hand grenades on to the "Serapis", then, a miracle happened, a more well aimed hand grenade fell into where the cannons were, there was an explosion, then a row of explosions. Why? it turned out the powder boys (people who bring gunpowder to the cannons) on the "Serapis" had been too active so there was always a cartridge behind the cartridge about to be used, that with some powder that spilled out made explosions ring out around the whole way, and with that disabled some of the cannons on the "Serapis".
After that, the Serapis struck her flag after fighting a little more. Then, it was discovered that the damage done by the Serapis mad the Bon Homme Richard unable to be used anymore, so the noble Richard was sunk.
War of Independence, continued
After that John Paul Jones had a period of inactivity that lasted till the end of the war.
Note #3: getting very tired at this point, lol
Now, one last tale of the noble Americans during the revolutionary War, I shall share, during the beginning of the war, the British sent the British fleet toward Charlestown to punish the town, the town had heard of it and when the fleet arrived they were quite ready to give the British a warm reception, they had built two forts, the forts were made of Palmero(sp?) wood which the defenders looked with distrust, but when they took fire, the wood took the balls well and didn't produce splinters which are very dangerous during a battle. During the battle, the commander of the defenders said
"Mind the ships of the line and fifty gun ships" (<---- I think, please correct if i'm wrong)
The decks of the ships of the line were swept clear, the flagship of the Admiral(Sir Peter Parker) was left without officers besides Sir Peter Parker himself, at the end of the day the British casualties amounted to 225 men killed and a large number wounded, while the Americans suffered light casualties.
War with the Barbary States(such as Tripoli, or Algiers)
I'm too tired to do this, but many names here I shall mention such as the noble, Stephen Decatur who led the burning of the USS Philadelphia after it was captured and why it's displayed in the American History Museum, and David Porter, although wounded in all places, used his head to defend a thrust by someone that could of killed Stephen Decatur.
War of 1812
This war, was where the gallant Captain Lawrence, said with his last breath, the motto of the United States Navy for many years to come, "Don't give up the ship!", where the audacious "Essex" destroyed British whaling industry in the pacific, among lots of others.
I shall explain some of the famous names that I fondly love to remember and some adventures of some ships
Captain Lawrence
Captain Lawrence was in command of the "Hornet", in it's famous duel with the "Peacock", the "Hornet" fired so rapidly and accurately that the "Peacock" struck after a mere fifteen minutes.
Captain Lawrence after that took command of the "Cheasapeake" and following of the taking of command, dueled the "Shannon" in which he was defeated but, his dying words we will remember, "Don't give up the ship!".
The "Shannon" took the "Cheasapeake" to Halifax where Captain Lawrence was buried as he died the day before, two months later, a ship, the "Henry Of Salem" under the cover of the flag of truce, took the body of Captain Lawrence, to New York, where under a monument of sandstone, he is now buried.
Adventures of the "Sally"
Captain Dan Fernald a jolly old skipper, knew every nook and cranny of the New Hampshire coast, was first, bringing a cargo of oaken "knees", and the breast hook of a to be made 74-Gun ship "Washington" to the Portsmouth navy yard, on the journey, he was sighted by the 74-gun ship "Tenedos" but Captain Fernald wasn't going to give up so easily, so, he started going near the coast, but when the cry rang that the "Sally" was ploughing through kelp, he said
"No Matter, just heave over a few of them knees and I guess she'll float clear."
Overboard went a dozen knees, the Sally then sailed smoothly over the rocks, the "Tenedos" sent two eighteen-pound shot after the his ship was stuck on the rocks, to which Captain Fernald picked up one on the beach while he was collecting the knees that went overboard.
Captain Fernald promptly arrived at the Portsmouth naval yard where Commodore Hull asked
"Were you fired upon?"
to which Captain Fernald presented the ball he picked up, then Commodore Hull said
"You are a good fellow and stand fire well"
There is another adventure which I have to mention of the "Sally", the "Sally" was carrying a cargo of firewood to Portsmouth, but actually in the hold which was covered by wood were two cannon and barrels of powder, the "Sally" was met by a English ship to which ta British Officer asked
"What Craft's that?"
"Schooner 'Sally' of Porsmouth"
"Where from?"
"Portland"
"Where Bound?"
"Portsmouth"
"What's your cargo."
"Firewood" Captain Fernald responded with a carelessness.
"I guess I'll come aboard" said the British Officer
The British officer ordered the wood blocking the hold to be cut down to see what was in there, but as luck may have it, the British officer was impatient and ordered them to stop before reaching the cannon and gunpowder, so, after that, when Captain Fernald reached the Portsmouth Naval Yard, Captain Fernald was known with almost superhuman luck.
Oliver Hazard Perry
Have you heard of this guy? He is the one who defended the honor of the US navy on Lake Erie,
Shall I also share the story of the Battle Of Lake Erie?
So, one day the British Fleet which was blockading Perry's fleet went away for a banquet, to this opportunity Perry immediately take advantage off, he moved his fleet out of the entrance of Saccket's Harbor, and blockaded the British, and finally the British moved out since they were running out of supplies, the "Lawrence" which was the flagship immediately raised the battle flag which had Captain Lawrences dying word's, "Don't give up the ship!" immediately each ship followed the strategy which Perry and they discussed the day before, and then, the "Lawrence was overwhelmed" but as luck may have it, before it struck it's flag, one boat left from the vicious cannonade of the British was still safe, Perry with his little brother went in it and moved to the practically fresh ship "Niagara", the battle flag was immediately raised, the 'Lawrence was forced to strike her flag but the "Lawrence wasn't bound to be in British hands for long, as finally the British all struck their flags, and Perry, with Chivalric attitude decided that the 'Lawrence"(which bore the brunt of the battle with dead everywhere), should receive the British surrender.
The cruise of the Essex
The Essex, commanded by David Porter, went on a prolonged cruise to the pacific, destroyed british whaling industry there, forced the british to send lots of ships after him, the solitary defender of US honor in the pacific, was finally captured by the combined efforts of two ships, the Phoebe and Margareta.
US Civil War: USS Monitor vs CSS Virginia
The first battle of the ironclads, signaling the end of the end of the Age of Sails, none of the ships struck their flags as they both failed to do much damage to the other.
If you are now here, thank you
Really, thank you, even though I am an Indonesian, but I feel that the naval stories of the US should be shared with others, thank you for reading.
