July 18

On the 18th in 1792, John Paul Jones, hero of the American Revolutionary war, died quietly in his bed at home. After the war in America, Jones entered into the service of the Russian navy. In retirement, he moved to Paris, where he would spend the rest of his days.

John Paul Jones was of a very diminutive stature. In fact, he was tiny. It was Abigail Adams’s opinion that she “should sooner think of wrapping him up in cotton wool and putting him in my pocket, than sending him to contend with cannon ball.”