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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF THE PARISH OF ST. JOHN THE
BAPTIST, SAVANNAH
BY VERY REV. JOS. D. MITCHELL, V. G
XII
Denis Nicholas Cottineau de Kerloguen
On the old parish record book in Savannah, under
date of Wednesday, the 30th of November, 1808, there
is a record of the death and burial of “Mr. Denis Nic-
las Cottineau, a native of Nantes in Brittany, Prov
ince of France”. This record is in the handwriting of
the Reverend Anthony Carles, Rector of the Catholic
Church of Savannah. Behind this record there is con
cealed a series of incidents closely connected with
one of the deciding battles of the American Revolu
tion and the beginning of the United States Navy.
Denis Nicholas Cottineau de Kerloguen was born
in Nantes in the year 1745. His family was con
nected with the Picot, Limoelan and Cloriviere gen
try and nobility. At an early age he entered the
Royal Navy of France, and when the American War
of Independence broke out he was in command of one
of the small French battleships.
When Benjamin Franklin had sought and obtained
the aid of France in behalf of the colonies struggling
against England, and John Paul Jones had made ap
plication for help from the French Government in or
ganizing a squdron of vessels to harass and attack
the Naval forces of Great Britain, Jones was granted
by the Government of France the supreme command
of a small squadron consisting of five French vessels.
His own ship, named in honor of Benjamin Franklin,
is known in history as the “Bon Homme Richard”.
The other four vessels consisted of the American-
built frigate “Alliance”, commanded by Captain
Pierre Landais; the French corvette “Pallas”, com
manded by Captain Denis Cottineau; with the brig
“Vengeance” and the cutter “Cerf”. This was in the
year 1779—the same year as the famous battle of
Savannah.
With these five vessels. Jones cruised around Eng
land and Scotland; and we all know of the havoc
and terror which he wrought all along the coast,
and the valuable prizes which he captured. His
tory tells us that Jones received but scanty support
from his subordinate officers and crew—Captain Cot
tineau being the only French commander who proved
to be in any way efficient and reliable. Landais was
a very erratic and ambitious man, and though com
manding the better vessel, he gave but little support
when called upon.
The Naval Engagement.
This was especially manifest in the famous and
hard-fought battle of September 23, between the
“Bon Homme Richard” and the British battleship
“Serapis”—one of the most famous naval engage
ments in history. This battle was fought off Flam-
borough Head, when Jones was accompanied only by
the “Alliance” and the “Pallas”. The “Serapis” was
assisted by the “Countess of Scarborough”; and al
though Jones had three vessels to the enemy’s two,
there is no doubt that the British far out-classed the
Americans and French in equipment. While Jones’
vessel, the “Richard”, attacked the “Serapis”, com
manded by Captain Pearson, the “Pallas”, com
manded by Captain Cottineau, engaged the “Scar
borough”.
We are all familiar with even the details of this
famous battle as told in the school histories—how
the “Bon Homme Richard” was riddled like a seive
and was almost in a sinking condition when Captain
Pearson called to Jones, and ask if he were ready to
surrender and how Jones made that famous reply, “I
have not yet began to fight!” And we have read
how, when darkness came on the two vessels be
came locked together and the British at last, unable
to withstand the impetuous and continuous attack
by the Americans, were forced to surrender—Jones
and his men boarding his captured prize just in time
to see his own ship go down.
We are familiar with these facts, but there are
other particulars connected with this fight which are
not so well known. Captain Cottineau, having grap
pled with the “Scarborough”, was unable to render
aid to his commanding officer, and he repeatedly
called to Landais to go to the assistance of the Rich
ard”. When the battle was at its height in an almost
pitch-dark night, Landais drove his ship “Alliance”
close to the two contending vessels, and repeatedly
ordered broadsides fired into the “Richard”—claim
ing afterwards that he had done so through mis
take, as he could not distinguish the two ships in the
darkness. This version of the battle has been repeat
ed in some of the early American histories. The
fact is (and now generally admitted as true) that
Landais wished to gain the full credit for the vic
tory himself; and knowing that both the “Serapis”
and the “Richard” were in a weakened condition, he
believed that he would have little difficulty in over
coming the British ship after Jones’ vessel was out
of the way.
Cottineau Landed.
Captain Cottineau, after a hard and brisk engage
ment lasting over an hour, succeeded in overcoming
and capturing the “Countess of Scarborough”. For
this victory he received much praise and commenda
tion from John Paul Jones and Benjamin Franklin on
behalf of the United States Government, while he
was decorated with the Cross of Saint Louis by the
Government of France. There is a letter’written by
Captain Cottineau on board the “Pallas” after the
squadron, with its prizes, had safely reached a Dutch
port; this letter is preserved in the Library of Con
gress. In it Cottineau tells John Paul Jones that he
is sending to Benjamin Franklin a full account and
plan of the battle. In the same collection are pre
served other letters and documents relating to Cap
tain Cottineau’s naval career in behalf of the United
States.
In the life of John Paul Jones it is related that Cot
tineau violently assailed Landais for his attempted
treachery during the fight, and was challenged bv
the latter in consequence. A duel was fought by
them after they reached the coast, in which Botti
neau as severely wounded—and from which he never
fully recovered.
The records of the French Martine mention that
Cottineau was named Captain of an armed ship for
the campaign against England, and “was confirmed
in this grade April 4th, 1790; he ceases to be carried
on the list of the Marine after March 15, 1792”.
(Continued on page 11)