Obtained by the gallant Captain Paul Jones, of the Good Man Richard, over the Seraphis, etc., under the command of Captain
Pearson.
Written August, 1781
1
O'er the rough main with flowing sheet The guardian of a numerous fleet, Seraphis from the Baltic came;
A ship of less tremendous force
Sail'd by her side the self-same course, Countess of Scarb'ro' was her name.[Pg 76]
2
And now their native coasts appear, Britannia's hills their summits rear Above the German main;
Fond to suppose their dangers o'er, They southward coast along the shore, Thy waters, gentle Thames, to gain.
3
Full forty guns Seraphis bore,
And Scarb'ro's Countess twenty-four, Mann'd with Old England's boldest tars-- What flag that rides the Gallic seas
Shall dare attack such piles as these, Design'd for tumults and for wars!
4
Now from the topmast's giddy height A seaman cry'd--"Four sail in sight "Approach with favouring gales;" Pearson, resolv'd to save the fleet, Stood off to sea these ships to meet, And closely brac'd his shivering sails.
5
With him advanc'd the Countess bold,
43
Like a black tar in wars grown old:
And now these floating piles drew nigh;
But, muse, unfold what chief of fame In th' other warlike squadron came, Whose standards at his mast head fly.
6
'Twas Jones, brave Jones, to battle led
As bold a crew as ever bled
Upon the sky surrounded main;[Pg 77] The standards of the Western World Were to the willing winds unfurl'd, Denying Britain's tyrant reign.
7
The Good Man Richard led the line; The Alliance next: with these combine The Gallic ship they Pallas call:
The Vengeance, arm'd with sword and flame,
These to attack the Britons came-- But two accomplish'd all.
8
Now Phoebus sought his pearly bed: But who can tell the scenes of dread, The horrors of that fatal night!
Close up these floating castles came;
The Good Man Richard bursts in flame;
Seraphis trembled at the sight.
9
She felt the fury of her ball,
Down, prostrate down, the Britons fall; The decks were strew'd with slain:
Jones to the foe his vessel lash'd; And, while the black artillery flash'd, Loud thunders shook the main.
10
Alas! that mortals should employ Such murdering engines, to destroy That frame by heav'n so nicely join'd; Alas! that e'er the god decreed
That brother should by brother bleed,
And pour'd such madness in the mind.[Pg 78]
11
But thou, brave Jones, no blame shalt bear; The rights of men demand thy care:
For these you dare the greedy waves-- No tyrant on destruction bent
Has planned thy conquests--thou art sent
To humble tyrants and their slaves.
12
See!--dread Seraphis flames again-- And art thou, Jones, among the slain, And sunk to Neptune's caves below--
He lives--though crowds around him fall, Still he, unhurt, survives them all;
Almost alone he fights the foe.
13
And can thy ship these strokes sustain? Behold thy brave companions slain,
All clasp'd in ocean's dark embrace.
44
"Strike, or be sunk!"--the Briton cries-- "Sink, if you can!"--the chief replies, Fierce lightnings blazing in his face.
14
Then to the side three guns he drew, (Almost deserted by his crew)
And charg'd them deep with woe:
By Pearson's flash he aim'd the balls; His main-mast totters--down it falls-- Tremendous was the blow.[43][Pg 79]
15
Pearson as yet disdain'd to yield,
But scarce his secret fears conceal'd, And thus was heard to cry--
"With hell, not mortals, I contend; "What art thou--human, or a fiend, "That dost my force defy?
16
"Return, my lads, the fight renew!" So call'd bold Pearson to his crew; But call'd, alas! in vain;
Some on the decks lay maim'd and dead;
Some to their deep recesses fled,
And more were bury'd in the main.[44]
17
Distress'd, forsaken, and alone,
He haul'd his tatter'd standard down, And yielded to his gallant foe;
Bold Pallas soon the Countess took, Thus both their haughty colours struck, Confessing what the brave can do.
18
But, Jones, too dearly didst thou buy These ships possest so gloriously, Too many deaths disgrac'd the fray:
Thy barque that bore the conquering flame,
That the proud Briton overcame,
Even she forsook thee on thy way;[Pg 80]
19
For when the morn began to shine, Fatal to her, the ocean brine
Pour'd through each spacious wound; Quick in the deep she disappear'd,
But Jones to friendly Belgia steer'd, With conquest and with glory crown'd.
20
Go on, great man, to daunt the foe, And bid the haughty Britons know They to our Thirteen Stars shall bend; The Stars that veil'd in dark attire, Long glimmer'd with a feeble fire,
But radiant now ascend;
21
Bend to the Stars that flaming rise In western, not in eastern, skies, Fair Freedom's reign restor'd.
So when the Magi, come from far, Beheld the God-attending Star,
45
They trembled and ador'd.
[42] This was the first poem contributed by Freneau to the Freeman's Journal. It appeared August 8, 1781. The exploit of Jones is
too well known to need further comment; it took place September 23, 1779. The text follows the edition of 1786. [43] "Overwhelming half below."--Ed. 1795.
[44] "And hosts were shrouded in the main."--Ed. 1795. [Pg 81]
AN ADDRESS[45]
To the Commander-in-Chief, Officers, and Soldiers of the American Army
Accept, great men, that share of honest praise
A grateful nation to your merit pays: Verse is too mean your merit to display, And words too weak our praises to convey.
When first proud Britain raised her hostile hand With claims unjust to bind our native land, Transported armies, and her millions spent
To enforce the mandate that a tyrant sent; "Resist! resist!" was heard through every state, You heard the call, and feared your country's fate; Then rising fierce in arms, for war arrayed,