09/23/2026
One of Benjamin Franklin's greatest contributions as the American envoy to France was securing the French merchant ship that John Paul Jones transformed into the USS Bonhomme Richard, named in honor of Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanack.
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That ship became the setting for one of the most famous naval battles in history. On September 23, 1779, during a fierce engagement with HMS Serapis, the British captain asked Jones if he had struck his colors. Jones defiantly replied, "I have not yet begun to fight!" He went on to win the battle, cementing his place as one of the greatest heroes in American naval history.