[list-cumbria] Carlisle Patriot, 29 May 1824 - Sketches of Paul JONES (1)

[Petra Mitchinson]

Saturday 29 May 1824   (p. 4, col. 3-4)

 

EXTRACTS 

FROM "SKETCHES OF PAUL JONES." 

 

"IN the latter part of 1777 he (Paul JONES) was actively employed as commander, in fitting out the Ranger* privateer, mounting 18
guns, besides swivels, and manned with a desperate crew of 150 men. In the course of the winter he put to sea, and made two captures
on the European side of the Atlantic, both of which were sent into a French port. In the month of April, 1778, he for the first time
appeared in the neighbourhood of his native place, and forthwith proceeded to execute a well digested plan for burning the town and
shipping of Whitehaven. Having made the land, he continuously kept in the offing to avoid observation, but at the close of evening,
the necessary preparations being made, he stood in for the shore, and at midnight, having approached sufficiently near, his boats
well manned, and armed by thirty daring fellows, in deep silence pushed off from the vessel. A small battery commanded the bay and
entrance of the harbour; it was necessary to secure this before they could venture on ulterior measures; accordingly having made
good their landing, the party rushed upon the garrison before any alarm could be given, and made them prisoners. The guns were
immediately spiked, and every thing seemed to favour the final success of their enterprise. It was dead low water, and the vessels
were lying side by side without a chance of preservation, should the flames once get head. Little expecting such a visit, no watches
were on the look out, and the inhabitants were buried in sleep. In full security and confidence the armed force dispersed
themselves, depositing matches ready primed amidst combustibles on the docks and rigging. Nothing more was required for their
destruction than the signal for lighting the trains. At this critical moment a loud knocking was heard in the main street, and
voices of alarm were heard in every direction. It was evident that they were discovered, and nothing remained but to commence the
work of destruction, for the alarm had now become general, and crowds were seen running towards the piers, attracted by the lights
which the retiring party were hastily throwing on board the vessels; fortunately without effect, one only being seriously scorched,
the crews and townsmen succeeding in extinguishing the flames before they reached the rigging. Failed in their attempt, the
privateer's men regained their boats, and putting off, reached their ship in safety. On mustering, one only of the party was
missing, and to him were the people of Whitehaven indebted for their preservation; for, influenced either by conscientious motives
or self-interest, he quitted his companions when engaged about the harbour, and running up the main street, knocked at every door as
he passed, roused the sleepers from their beds, and called upon them to rise and save their lives and property. 

 

"Having failed in this enterprise, JONES stretched across the Solway Frith, towards the coast of Scotland, and with the early dawn
entered the river Dee, forming the harbour of Kirkcudbright. A little above its junction with the sea the river widens into a sort
of estuary, and here on a promontory, or rather island, where the river is about a mile and a half in width, stood St. Mary's Isle,
the Castle of Lord Selkirk, and here, within a short distance of a spot endeared to him by the strongest ties and earliest
associations, soon after sunrise JONES dropped his anchor, with feelings, if we may judge from the tenor of a letter which will be
mentioned in the course of the following narrative of the day's proceedings, very different from those which the public gave him
credit for, proving that, with all his failings, his heart was still susceptible of impressions which might have raised him, so much
as his unjustifiable deeds had hitherto lowered him, in the estimation of his countrymen. Early in the morning, the privateer had
been observed making her way up the river, her guns and warlike appearance attracting much attention and curiosity, for vessels of
her description were seldom seen working up the intricate passage of the Dee. Not a suspicion was entertained of her real character,
but the male part of the population conjectured her to be a visitor equally unwelcome-a ship of war coming up for the purpose of
impressment. Accordingly at an early hour (Lord Selkirk being fortunately in London), Lady Selkirk was informed of the circumstance,
and a request was made by the men servants that they might absent themselves for the purpose of concealment. 

 

-----------------------------------------------------------

* In some accounts she is called the Revenge. 

-----------------------------------------------------------

 

 

[to be continued] 

 

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://list.cumbriafhs.com/pipermail/list-cumbria/attachments/20241105/823199dd/attachment.htm>