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6 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)