Seafaring Sunday: Desperate Resolve

Long before the close of the action, it became clearly apparent that the American ship dominated by a command of will of the most unalterable resolution and there could be no doubt that the intent of her command was, if he could not conquer, to sink alongside. And this desperate resolve of the American captain was fully shared and fiercly seconded by every one of his ship's company.

Captain Richard Pearson in his report regarding the capture of his ship HMS Serapis by John Paul Jones (pictured) in Bonhomme Richard