John Paul Jones uses his ship to distract the British Fleet

Today in Masonic history John Paul Jones uses his ship, Bonhomme Richard, to distract the British Fleet as the French and Spanish prepare their attack in 1779.

Jones led the Brittish Navy around the coasts of England in Scotland in an attempt to distract their attentions from other concerns. This game of cat and mouse lasted a little more than a month culminating in the Battle of Flamborough Head. During this battle Jones unttered his now famous quote "I have not yet begun to fight". The quote was in response to taunts from a Brittish vessel suggesting that the battle was over and he should surrender.

On November 27th, 1770 Jones became a member of the St. Bernard Masonic Lodge of Kirkcudbright near his birthplace. He had attended the local masonic lodge of Fredericksburg, Virginia, to which Washington had long been a member. On August 16, 1779, John Paul Jones made application to become affiliated with the Masonic Lodge of Les Neuf Soeurs (the Nine Sisters), at Paris. Two of the foremost men of the age were the members of this lodge, Dr. Benjamin Franklin and Voltaire. On May 1st, 1780, the Lodge of the Nine Sisters (the Nine Muses) held a great festival and received Jones into its membership. At the same time it commissioned one of the world's greatest sculptors, Jean Antoine Houdon, to make a life size marble bust of Jones.

This article provided by Brother Eric C. Steele.