The Battle of Flamborough Head, an eye witness account of the battle of Flamborough Head by John Paul Jones's Midshipman Nathaniel Fanning of Conneticut (part k)

Both ships now took fire and set our main top on fire, which threw us into the greatest consternation imaginable.  Both crews were now busily employed in stopping the flames, and the firing on both sides ceased.  The enemy now demanded of us if we had struck and as our ensign was shot away, urged us to haul down our pendant.  "Ay ay" said Jones "we'll do that when we can fight no longer, but we shall see yours come down the first; for you must know that yankees do not haul down their colours till they are fairly beaten".  For the closing scene we used what cannon we could manage, hand grenadoes and stink pots, but principally lances and boarding pikes.  With these combatants killed each other through the ships' port holes.   At three quarters past 11pm the Alliance frigate hove in sight and began a heavy and well directed fire into us, as well as the enemy; it was in vain that they were told that they had slain a number of our men and she did not cease firing entirely till the signal of recognisance was displayed in full on board of our ship which was three lighted lanthorns in a horizontal line upon our larboard side.