Wreck of Bonhomme Richard Located

Thanks, Andy! John Paul Jones and his ship may not be part of Civil War history, but "I have not yet begun to fight!" was such an integral part of the naval heritage of both North and South, and was certainly remembered by both sides! (Trying to preserve this thread from possible zapping.)
 
Paul's sister married someone named Louden/Lowden and immigrated to S.C. . If they had a family who stayed around, you just know someone fought in the ACW. That'd be some kind of connection between this crazy cool discovery and the war. Does that help? :angel:
 
She was not sold but lent, the Fr consider her a "national warship". However she never sailed under the Fr navy flag. O ffically, at some point, the plan was to return her to the French Navy.

Would like to see the remains of the 3 18 pound cannon of the lower deck, It would put to a dispute. The old records say 2 of them blew up on firing. Today some say what the odds of that. So some people believe it was only the center one that went up, disabling the other' 2. Who knows Grizz
 
What are the odds that two of the three cannon blew up at the same time? Nil. Unless, of course, they tried something stupid, like triple-shotting the old guns with a full charge of powder. (The main deck guns, 18-pounders, of the US Frigate Chesapeake were all quadruple-shotted in 1813 when she met the Shannon with a full powder charge, 1 round, 1 grape, 1 canister and 1 bar-shot. There last two were ordered stuffed in at the last moment by Captain Lawrence, much to the horror of the gunner, according to the later court of enquiry. None of her guns exploded.)

I always thought something strange was going on down on the lower deck. One report said that sixty men were killed and wounded in the explosion(s). Well, if true, that's twenty men per gun, more than twice than would have been needed, I think. And that assumes that there were no men remaining uninjured after the explosion, an incredible occurrence as well. Unless they were trying to shift all six 18-pounders to the same side, which makes sense, they would not have required that many men stationed in the gunroom. Excess hands would have been better distributed about the upper decks.
 
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Mark Still of Merlin Burrows, the company that carried out the examination has confirmed that it is the Bonhomme Richard. No official comment by either USN or the Admiralty has so far been forthcoming. As far as they are concerend

Sorry for not replying sooner. I'm certain that the USN will take the position that this is an American national vessel, and claim it under their jurisdiction. I'm not sure about the French, given that Richard was a "loaner," so to speak.

But the United States and France have both been down this path before, with the wrecks of Alabama (1864) and La Belle (1687), so there's probably lots of discussions going on jointly with both of those nations and the British behind the scenes.
 
Great idea about the lower deck guns! That makes a lot of sense! The would have been enough gun ports already cut open, as it seems JPJ at first planned to arm her with 62 guns. 18 pound cannon on the lower 0r gun deck,9 's on the upper deck and 6's on the quarterdeck. ( It was proposed that the ship be mounted with 70 gun(!) by fitting 16 6's on fc/qd),
Fr east Indiaman already had lower gun ports cut then planked over , making them easy to cut open. (Fr navy always short on liners would use these as full warships, typically in secondary areas.
Jones never received his new guns, so only cut 6 extra ports out to fill for the 18's. There were already 10 ports open on the lower deck (now total 16) so appears Jones was trying to trim by the stern.
The 18's were condemed Fr guns . the only ones in stock. But Jones must have tested them and must have had his pick (of the best of the worst).
He then mounted 12's in place of the 9's and 9's on fc/qd instead of 6's. making a total of 42. (in fact after a trial run he removed the 2 9 pound bow chasers, leaving 40 guns. This is what he fought the battle with.
With the way the gun ports were opened, there would be 3 18's in ports (every other one cut open) and 3 at normal distance apart. Plus the fact that, being a merchent ship build, every piece of would would be of a thinner thickness (do not know what type used, but most likely a softer wood than oak or other hard woods. Execpt maybe for knee's and such important structureal locations.
Any such explosion could also cause damage to the softer wood of the surronding woodwork. Possably even to the deck above., carrying the 12's, if you are thinking about wt carrying issues the Fr navy had already added iron knee's for addational support of the gun decks.

Sounds like a workable theory. Might also help to understand the working life of the 12 pound battery, aLwyays seemed strange that





all 14 12's on that side were out of action, as they were level with the SERAPIS 9 POUND battery , plus never heard about the 9's being replaced by the new Br light 12 pounders and oh ya the Fr 12 pound shot was equal to Br 14pound +' OPS
Sorry, just working out all the angles. Sometimes get lost in thought....
Have to go, but will check later to make sure everything covered.

GRIZZ
S
 
Sorry for not replying sooner. I'm certain that the USN will take the position that this is an American national vessel, and claim it under their jurisdiction. I'm not sure about the French, given that Richard was a "loaner," so to speak.

But the United States and France have both been down this path before, with the wrecks of Alabama (1864) and La Belle (1687), so there's probably lots of discussions going on jointly with both of those nations and the British behind the scenes.

Yes they will most likely work it out, beceause that story and that ship is the one thing that most Americans know about the Contential Navy. Could just hear the outcry that the Fr are trying to grab OUR ship!

By the way not too long ago was checking out one of these new books listing the Fr sailing navy. it suprised me to hell to see the BHR listed as a Fr warship lent out and not as a USN navy vessel.
Can not speak or understand Fr any more but can still read enough, to get the meanings, and this is not the first time have read something like this in French.


Grizz
 
Nothing has been issued officially so far, that I know of. The Admiralty may well class her a war grave and have her protected. T he exact location has not been given out, but I don't doubt the local fisherfolk know all about it as the dis and do the Jutland wrecks.
 
Here's my plans of her from a old model kit. Thought some would want them:

Bon Homme Richard 1.jpg


Bon Homme Richard 2.jpg


Bon Homme Richard 3.jpg
 
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