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 l)

At thirty-five minutes past 12 at night, a single hand grenado thrown by one of our men out of the main top of the enemy struck on one side of her upper hatchway and rebounding, fell between their decks, where it communicated to a quantity of loose powder scattered about the enemy's cannon; and the hand grenado bursting at the same time, made a dreadful explosion, and blew up about twenty of the enemy.  This closed the scene, and the enemy now bawled out "quarters, quarters, quarters, for Gods sake!"   The captain of the Serapis gave repeated orders for one of his crew to ascend the quarter-deck and haul down the English flag, but no-one would stir to do it.  They told the Captain they were afraid of our riflemen, believing that all our men who were seen with muskets, were of that disposition.  The captain of the Serapis therefore ascended the quarter-deck and hauled down the very flag which he has nailed to the flag staff a little before the commencement of the battle; and which flag he had at that time, in the presence of his principal officers, swore he would never strike to that infamous pirate John Paul Jones.  Thus ended this ever memorable battle, after a continuance of a few minutes more than four hours.