Tater Hales' Dispatch from the American Revolution John Paul Jones Naval Hero, September 1779

I don't have a lot of time for you today because I was up late last night breaking up the ruckus with these two militiamen a couple of tents down from where I was trying to catch some much-needed shuteye.
Just about the time ole Tater was about to dream about something more pleasing than bugs, redcoats and sickness, I heard loud yelling coming from jake Wennington's tent. I grabbed my trousers and ran to find Jake shoving his tent-mate, William Simon. Even after I broke them up, would you believe Jake had the nerve to say, "I haven't started fighting yet?"
So I took the time to tell them a little story, and you know no one tells stories like the Tater, about one of our American heroes who said something like that - John Paul Jones.
You may not have heard of him yet, but I would imagine they'll soon be writing songs about this character. He's the Scottish-born commander who spit in the British navy's eye when they demanded the surrender when the Bonhomme Richard (named after Benjamin Franklin) was sinking. Jones told them, "Sir, I have not yet begun to fight." More than three hours later, the British commander surrendered his ship, the Serapis, to Jones.
You should have seen the shamed look on Jake's face when I reached this part in my story, but of course, I wasn't close to being finished.
I hate to admit it, but Jones was almost as colorful a character as yours truly, although ole Tater is better looking. He was born July 6, 1747 in Kirkcudbright, Scotland and began his career on the sea as a cabin boy in the British merchant marines at the age of 12.
You may have heard some snickers about him working o slave ships and how he had to high-tail it to North America after he killed a crewman who was plotting mutiny in the West Indies. If I'd caught him on my ship, he would have been shark nuggets.
But being a fugitive from the mother country put Jones in position to join the Continental Navy and within a year of captaining the Providence, he captured 16 British prize ships. The following year, in 1777, Jones took command of the Ranger and he received from the French the first salute given to the new American flag by a foreign warship. Then, here we are two years later, and the battle on Aug. 14, 1779 that will no doubt make John Paul Jones a household name in the new country.