...the Bon Homme Richard, having head way, ran her bows into the stern of the Serapis. We had remained in this situation but a few minutes when we were again hailed by the Serapis, Has your ship struck? To which Captain Jones answered, I have not yet begun to fight! In Naval teminology to strike the colours means to haul down the ship's flag to signify surrender, but here the use of the ship as subject of the sentence may imply a pun on the non-naval use of struck.
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About John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones was a 18th-century Scottish born naval officer. John Paul Jones was a Scottish-American naval officer who served in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War. Often referred to as the "Father of the American Navy", Jones is regarded by several commentators as one of the greatest naval commanders in the military history of the United States. Read more on Wikipedia →