ThoughborninScotland,JohnPaulJonestookalieutenant'scommissionintheContinentalNavyattheoutbreakoftheAmericanRevolutionin1775,andharassedBritishshipping.In1779,sailingtheramshackleLeBonhommeRichard,JonesencounteredaconvoyofBritishmerchantmenundertheescortoftheroyalnavalshipSerapis.ThecommanderoftheSerapis,RichardPearson,recognisedtheRichardandattacked.
ThesidesoftheRichardweresopoundedbytheSerapis's44gunsthatPearsonsentasignalinvitingJonestosurrender.Backcametheimmortalreply,"Ihavenotyetbeguntofight."
JonesclosedonhisenemyandlashedtheRichard'sbowsprittothemizzenmastoftheSerapis.ThetwoshipsmauledeachotheruntilanexplosionaboardtheSerapissodisheartenedPearson'smenthatitwastheywhosurrendered.
約翰．保羅．瓊斯生於蘇格蘭，但一七七五年美國獨立戰爭爆發時，卻擔任北美大陸海軍上尉，經常侵擾英國船舶。一七七九年，他駕着殘舊的博諾姆．理查號，遇到一隊英國商船。護送商船的英國軍艦塞拉皮斯號船長理查．皮爾遜認得理查號，下令攻擊。
理查號船身被塞拉皮斯號的四十四座大炮重創。皮爾遜發出訊號招降。瓊斯的回答流傳至今：「我還未開始戰鬥。」
瓊斯開船靠近敵艦，把船頭斜桅和塞拉皮斯號尾桅綁在一起，兩艘戰船互相轟擊。最後，塞拉皮斯號上一聲爆炸，令皮爾遜手下將士喪膽，投降的反而是他們。