d out about midnight of April 22nd--and the
_Ranger_ beat up towards the town. When about five hundred yards from
the shore, the vessel was hove to--two boats were lowered--and
twenty-nine seamen, with third Lieutenant Wallingford, Midshipmen
Arthur Green and Charles Hill, jumped into them. With Jones in command
they hastened toward the coast.

The surprise was complete. Two small forts lay at the mouth of the
harbor, but, as the seamen scrambled ashore, they were precipitately
abandoned by the garrison of "coast-guards." Captain Jones, Midshipman
Green, and six men rushed shouting upon one of these, capturing it
without an effort; the other was taken by Lieutenant Wallingford and
eight sailors,--while four were left behind as a boat-guard. A few
pistols spattered, a few muskets rang; but, when the stout sea-dogs
reached the tidal basin, where the shipping lay, the townsfolk were
thoroughly aroused. Burning cotton was thrown on board of the ships
lying at anchor, but only one took fire. It was full daylight, and the
insignificance of Jones' force became evident to the townsfolk, who
were rallying from all directions.

"Retreat to the ships," shouted the Yankee Captain, "there is no time
to lose!"

The landing party--small as it was--had become separated into two
groups; one commanded by Jones, the other by Wallingford. Thinking
that Wallingford's party was, for the moment, more seriously menaced
than his own, Jones attacked and dispersed--with his dozen men--a
force of about one hundred of the local militia who were endeavoring
to retake the lower fort, or battery, whose guns had been spiked by
the Americans. The townsfolk and coast-guards had joined and were
making a vigorous assault upon Wallingford. But shots flew thick and
fast from the muskets of the followers of the daring Paul Jones--as
they retreated to their own boats. The whole landing party--with the
exception of one man--finally leaped safely into the boat, and were on
board the _Ranger_ before the sun was an hour over the horizon.

Jones was delighted.

"The actual results of this affair," said he, "are of little moment,
as we destroyed but one ship. The moral effect--however--is very
great, as it has taught the English that the fancied security of their
coasts is a Myth."

In fact this little raid of the valiant John Paul made the Government
take expensive measures for the defense of numerous ports hitherto
relying for protection upon the vigilance