Pressured by citizens of the northeastern seaboard, the Continental Congress in 1775 took a leap of faith and sent five small ships to fight the most dominant navy in history. Gustavus Conyngham, who divided his time between capturing enemy vessels and breaking out of British and French prisons à la Jack Sparrow.. Jones was a moth to dangers flame, and as the Americans grew bold enough to take the war to the British coast, his exploits justified his reputation as the Revolutionary Navys first great fighting captain. Recounting Joness clash with the British 44-gun Serapis off Englands Yorkshire coast, Mr. McGrath takes the reader blow-by-blow through broadside smoke, blood-soaked decks and falling rigging. It seemed as if the devil himself was unleashing all hell aboard the Bonhomme Richard, he writes. As Joness riddled flagship takes on water and his men begin to panic, he calmly tells his frantic carpenter: If she sinks, there are plenty of [wooden] spars and we shall not be drowned. Go back and do the best you can. He resumed the fight and carried the day.
Posted on: Sun, 06 Jul 2014 04:04:48 +0000
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